Beetroot hummus (with fermented chickpeas)
A spin on the traditional hummus recipe, this beetroot hummus is a flavor bomb combining sweetness from the beetroot and nuttiness from chickpeas and tahini. Its pink color will make it shine on any table.
This beetroot hummus is a delightful twist on the classic recipe, offering a unique flavor from the natural sweetness of the beetroot and the rich and nutty taste of chickpeas and tahini. The unique blend of flavors creates a harmonious balance, with the beetroot’s sweetness complemented by the savory notes from the chickpeas and tahini. A touch of lemon juice adds a refreshing hint of acidity, enhancing the overall freshness of the hummus. Its vibrant pink color is an eye-catcher at any table.
It’s versatile and can be enjoyed as a dip, or a spread in a sandwich. Its a perfect pairing with our pita bread. This beetroot hummus is equally delicious as a sauce for roasted veggies. When thinned down, it also works as a wonderful pasta sauce.
This vegan hummus recipe is made from clean and simple ingredients that are very healthy, the chickpeas alone are healthy and packed with protein, while the beetroot is packed with antioxidants.
The recipe is highly versatile and can be used as a spread, a sauce for roasted vegetables, or a pasta sauce.
If you love beets, you need to try our favorite recipes using beetroot:
- Easy Beet Quinoa salad
- Simple Fermented Beets
- Easy Vegan Poke Bowl
- Beet and Cucumber Salad (with roasted garlic yogurt sauce)
Do chickpeas cause gas?
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a type of legume that can lead to bloating and gas. They contain FODMAP, an acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols. These are various types of sugars that are not fully absorbed in our intestines. Upon reaching the small intestine, these sugars attract water and move towards the large intestine where they are fermented by gut bacteria. The absorption of water causes the intestinal wall to stretch and expand, resulting in pain and discomfort, while the fermentation process leads to excessive gas production (more here).
How to ferment chickeaps
By fermenting your chickpeas, you can ensure that they undergo pre-digestion, thereby alleviating the burden on your digestive system. Dry or canned chickpeas can be fermented, but working with dry legumes takes longer. Soak the canned or dried chickpeas in neutral-flavour kombucha overnight (see our beginner guide on brewing kombucha here).
If using dry beans, use four times the amount of kombucha of dried chickpeas. If using canned beans, use double the amount of kombucha. Kombucha can be diluted with water, but that might require another day of fermentation. Fermenting them longer will result in a more sour flavour.
Bubbles are a sign that the fermentation is working. Please be sure to watch out for any mold occurring on top, although this is unlikely to happen in one day. If you want to ferment the chickpeas for longer, you can prevent mold infestation by shaking or stirring the pot. Always use sterilized utensils when handling a ferment.
The beans will develop a slightly sour flavor after fermenting for a period of one to two days, but this will not overpower the taste of the beetroot hummus. This fermentation method can be applied to any type of legume.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED to make the beetroot hummus
- Beetroot is a root vegetable, also called beet. They have a rich, slightly sweet, and earthy flavour. Get a fresh beetroot, that is firm.
- Chickpeas, we use canned, but you can also cook them yourself.
- Tahini is a creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds. Fresh tahini should be smooth, creamy, and liquid (not separated like peanut butter)
- Kombucha is a fermented drink that can be used as a starter for fermenting other foods. Use a neutral flavor, typically black tea, without any herbs or fruit.
- Sea salt is used for seasoning the spread.
- Black sesame seeds are optional, for final garnishing. They will make the pink colour of the hummus pop even more.
- Extra virgin olive oil is optional and can be used for the final touch, once hummus has been plated.
How to make beetroot hummus
Ferment the chickpeas
- In a medium bowl, combine one 1 cup kombucha, 1 cup water, and 1 can drained chickpeas.
- Set aside and leave to ferment covered with breathable kitchen cloth at room temperature overnight, and up to 2 days.
Prepare the beetroot
- Wash the beet and cut off the top where the leaves grew from. Use gloves to prevent getting stained.
- It might seem silly to cook a single beet, so you could cook several beets at once and keep them in the fridge for a salad, or a pasta sauce. Place the beetroot in a pot, and cover an inch with water. Do not fully submerge the beet into the water to prevent it from becoming too watery. Most veggies already consist of a lot of water, and cooking them in water will diffuse their flavor.
- Cover the pot with aluminum foil, seal at the ends, and cook on medium-high heat for about 30 mins. The cooking time will depend on the size of the beetroot. You’ll know it’s cooked when it can be pierced with a fork more easily. It will still be quite firm, so don’t expect the consistency to be the same as that of a cooked potato.
- Run the cooked beetroot in cold water to cool before peeling. If you have any ice and are in a hurry, you can add it to the pot with the beetroot to shorten the cooling time.
make the hummus
- Wearing gloves, peel and slice the beetroot. You can save a bit of the beetroot sliced in tiny cubes to top off the hummus once plated.
- Place it in a food processor together with the tahini, salt.
- Add the fermented drained chickpeas.
- Blend all ingredients together, adding either water, or oil, to get to the desired consistency.
Serving tips
- Spoon the beetroot hummus on a small to medium plate and make a well in the middle with a spoon.
- Pour some olive oil on top, and sprinkle sesame seeds, or top off with beetroot cubes.
- Dig in and enjoy!
How to Store and Use Beetroot Hummus
You can store it in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to a week. Therefore, you might consider making a large portion of this recipe.
This hummus us super versatile, here are some of our favorite ways of eating it:
- Dip it! It’s the perfect dip to add a vibrant pop of color to a vegetable platter, pita bread and crackers, and even roasted veggies.
- Sandwich – Spread this hummus on a slice of bread, top it off with smoked tofu, some micro greens, and vegan mayo, and enjoy the most delicious and nutritious plant-based sandwich.
- Wrap it – Add a dollop of beetroot hummus to your next veggie wrap for an extra layer of flavor.
- Pasta sauce – Thin it out with a little tahini and water, or olive oil and you’ll get a unique and exciting pasta sauce, with a complex flavor profile combining nuttiness, earthiness, and a little sweetness.
Similar recipes
Simple Fermented Beets
Beets and cucumber salad
Pistachio pesto
Salsa with jalapeno
Beetroot hummus
Equipment
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Medium container
- 1 Small cooking pot
Ingredients
- 1 beetroot cca 150 grams
- 500 grams canned Chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1/2 table spoon salt
- 1 cup kombucha
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds optional for garnishing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil optional for garnishing
Instructions
Ferment chickpeas
- In a medium bowl, combine one 1 cup kombucha, 1 cup water, and 1 can drained chickpeas.
- Set aside and leave to ferment covered with breathable kitchen cloth at room temperature overnight, and up to 2 days.
Poach the beets
- Wash the beet and cut off the top where the leaves grew from. Use gloves to prevent getting stained.
- It may seem silly to cook only one beet, and if that is the case, cook several and keep them in the fridge for a salad, or for a pasta sauce. Place the beetroot in a pot, and cover an inch with water. Do not fully submerge the beet into the water to prevent it from becoming too watery. Most veggies already consist of a lot of water, and cooking them in water will diffuse their flavor.
- Cover the pot with aluminium foil, seal at the ends, and cook on medium high heat for about 40 mins. The cooking time will depend on the size of the beetroot. It's cooked when it can be pierced with a fork easily. It will still be quite firm though, so don’t expect the consistency to be the same as that of a cooked potato.
- Run the cooked beetroot in cold water to cool down before peeling. If you have any ice and are in a hurry, you can add it in the pot with the beetroot to decrease the cool down time.
Make the hummus
- Wearing gloves, peel and slice the beetroot.
- You can save a bit of the beetroot sliced in tiny cubes to top off the hummus once plated.
- Place the rest of the beets in a food processor together with the tahini, and salt. Add the drained chickpeas.
- Blend all ingredients together, adding either water, or oil, to get to the desired consistency.
Serving tips
- Spoon the beetroot hummus on a small to medium plate and make a well in the middle with a spoon.
- Pour some olive oil on top, and sprinkle sesame seeds, or top off with beetroot cubes.
- Dig in with pita bread and enjoy!
Where does the kombucha go into the recipe? I keep looking but don’t see where to add it.
Hi Susan, Thanks for flagging this. We were updating the recipe and apparently forgot to add in a step. We updated the instructions now – kombucha is used for fermenting the chickpeas, it is not mandatory for making hummus, but it makes the chickpeas more easy to digest. Thanks again!