I have recently been harvesting lots of vegetables like snap peas, zucchini, and cucumbers from my garden. I get so many of these I’m not always sure what to do with them. One great way is to keep them raw and eat them with a dip.

I have recently been experimenting with flavorful dips like hummus, Tahini sauce, and Zhoug sauce. These are easy to make, don’t heat up the house on a hot day, and don’t generate many dishes to wash. They also taste great!

I recently got inspired to make Beet Hummus after seeing this idea by Chef Vineet Bhatia. Having a pink-colored hummus seemed quite beautiful, but I wasn’t sure about the taste. My husband loves anything with beets, however, so I decided to try it.

Here is what I found: it is really great, no exaggeration. All you have to do is roast beets with garlic, thyme, olive oil, lime, salt, and pepper. I like to add cilantro to my hummus. (If you are not a cilantro fan, use parsley instead.)

Beet hummus is really fun because of the vivid pink color, and because of the unique melding of powerful flavors. My family has been enjoying this as a dip and as a spread for our sandwiches.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chick pea (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained well
• 1 cup roasted beets, large dice
• 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup toasted white sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp. minced jalapeno
• 4 peeled garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup oil
• 4 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 3 tbsp. water

Instructions

Place almonds and sesame seeds in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 10-15 times to break up the almonds.

Add in garlic and pulse a few times. Then, add the chickpea, beets, jalapeno, cilantro, and salt. Make sure to save a few chickpeas, beets, and cilantro for garnish.

Process all ingredients for a minute, stopping in between to scrape the sides. While the processor is running, slowly add in oil and lime juice. Blend for around 4 minutes until nice and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Drizzle a touch more olive oil and garnish with saved chickpeas, beets, and cilantro.

If the consistency is too thick, run the processor while slowly adding a little hot water. Continue blending until it reaches your desired consistency.

Serve this with fresh or roasted veggies, crackers, grilled bread, or use it as a spread to make sandwiches!

Makes 3 cups

Did you make this dish? I’d love to know how it turns out! Feel free to email me or use the hashtag #globaldinein on Instagram.