Made with vibrant roasted beets and smoky chipotle peppers, this homemade hummus recipe is flavorful, healthy, and delicious. Plus this Smoky Chipotle & Roasted Beet Hummus recipe includes my secret to extra smooth and creamy hummus.
It’s the beginning of the new year, and if you’re like me, you are probably looking for a some new healthy recipes to get the year off on the right foot! While I have never really been one to make New Year’s Resolutions (if you’re not 100% committed to following them, I just don’t see the point of making the same resolutions over and over every year), after all of the craziness and overindulgence of the holidays is over, I do use the new year as an excuse to get back to healthier eating habits. And while I do enjoy healthy salads like this or this , sometimes you want to eat healthy, but you don’t just want a salad.
This flavorful Smoky Chipotle & Roasted Beet Hummus offers a protein and nutrient packed boost that is the perfect addition to a healthy and flavorful snack or lunch. Bringing together nutrient filled roasted beets, chickpeas that are high in protein and fiber, and spicy chipotle peppers, this hummus is full of flavor that won’t disappoint (even if you aren’t a huge fan of beets). Plus just look at that color!
What Do You Put in Smoky Chipotle & Roasted Beet Hummus?
There are just a few simple ingredients needed for my Smoky Chipotle & Roasted Beet Hummus, but, like any hummus, you can also customize to your liking.
Here are some key ingredients:
- Roasted Beets: It’s no secret that beets are super good for you. One day I will write a whole post on the benefits of beets, but those who know me, know I love beets. In fact, they are a key part of my breakfast smoothie every morning (recipe to come!). If you aren’t a fan of beets, I suggest trying this anyway, as you might be surprised. Thanks to the bright lemon, roasted garlic, and spicy chipotle, this Smoky Chipotle & Roasted Beet Hummus doesn’t have an overpowering beet flavor. But if I can’t convince you, you can also substitute a small roasted sweet potato for the beet.
- Lemon Juice: I think the brightness and acidity that a little lemon adds is crucial for any hummus, so the fresh juice of one lemon is an essential part of my Smoky Chipotle & Roasted Beet Hummus recipe.
- Sesame Oil: I know it’s not traditional, but I usually use just a small amount of sesame oil in my hummus in place of tahini. To be honest, the substitution all started because I did not have any tahini one day, but I liked it so much, it stuck. If you prefer to stick to the traditional route, you can substitute 1 – 2 tbsp of tahini for the sesame oil.
- Chickpeas: The base of any traditional hummus, chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are essential. You can make your chickpeas from scratch if you are super ambitious, but I always just use them from the can, and it is just as good. Especially when you follow my trick below for super creamy hummus.
- Roasted Garlic: Sometimes I use raw, diced garlic in my hummus, but since we are already turning on the oven and taking the time to roast the beets for this Smoky Chipotle & Roasted Beet Hummus, I decided to roast the garlic too. The roasted garlic has a subtly sweet garlic flavor that complements the natural sweetness in the beets without overpowering.
What is the Secret to Extra Creamy Hummus?
I have been making homemade hummus for several years now. Originally, I always thought it seemed like too much work, but the truth is, it doesn’t take much time or energy to mix together. However, there are a few tricks to ensuring your hummus is perfectly smooth and creamy.
The key step for ensuring a super smooth and creamy hummus is making sure your chickpeas are nice and soft before blending. When using canned chickpeas, I have noticed that sometimes they are softer than others. But they are usually always on the firm side. So my trick for extra creamy hummus using canned chickpeas is to boil the canned beans with a little baking soda before blending. Just rinse and drain the chickpeas from the can, add to a medium sauce pot, cover with water, and stir in ½ tsp of baking soda. Bring to boil, and simmer about 20 minutes until the chickpeas are nice and soft. After this is done, just drain and rinse the chickpeas again and you are ready to go! There is no need to peel or remove the skins, they will be nice and soft, and will blend up just fine.
A couple of other tips:
- Use a good food processor: If you don’t have a food processor, I highly recommend getting one for making hummus. It doesn’t need to be high quality, but it will make the job much easier and ensure everything combines evenly. If you don’t have a food processor, you can make this Smoky Chipotle & Roasted Beet Hummus in a blender, but you may need to scrape down the sides and stir to make sure everything evenly combines.
- Add water as needed: After blending all of the ingredients together, I like to use a little cold water to thin out my hummus and bring it to the desired consistency. Just add a little at a time, blend, and then check until you reach your desired thickness. Adding water helps cut back on the oil needed, while ensuring the hummus is still extra smooth and creamy.
What Can I Serve with Smoky Chipotle & Roasted Beet Hummus?
Serve this Smoky Chipotle & Roasted Beet Hummus just like you would any other hummus. You can:
- Serve it as a dip with your favorite cut veggies, pita chips, or pretzels
- Spread it on a sandwich, wrap, or pita
- Smear it on toast, bagels, or crackers
More Healthy Recipes
Want more? Check out some other healthy recipes for the new year:
Smoky Chipotle & Roasted Beet Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 small beet
- 2 cloves garlic (unpeeled)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
- 1 chipotle pepper (see note)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 lemon
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (see note)
- 1 ½ tbs olive oil
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ - 1 tbs cold water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°
- Wash and scrub beet clean (removing all of the dirt). Wrap beet and whole garlic cloves individually in parchment paper. Then wrap foil around each parchment paper bundle and place on baking sheet. (You can skip the parchment paper if desired, I just prefer to use it as a buffer between the foil and my food)
- Roast beet and garlic cloves in preheated oven. After 30 minutes, remove garlic and set aside. Check beet to see if it is soft (a fork should insert easily). If beet is not ready, continue roasting 15 – 30 additional minutes.
- As they roast, add chickpeas to a medium saucepan, add enough water to cover, and stir in baking soda. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes.
- When done, the chickpeas should be soft and tender. Strain chickpeas and rinse with cool water. Set aside.
- When beet and garlic are roasted and slightly cooled, peel the garlic, roughly chop the beets and garlic, and add to food processor with chickpeas, chopped chipotle pepper, Juice of the lemon, cumin, salt, and sesame oil. Begin to blend, and then stream in olive oil. Continue to blend until hummus is smooth and creamy.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt, lemon juice, or olive oil if needed. If it’s too thick, add a bit of cold water until desired consistency is reached.
- Chill until ready to serve.