Beetroot's earthy sweetness masks hummus's bitter tahini edge—Lebanese cooks discovered this pairing balances pH without added sugar.
Beetroot Hummus
Dive into a vibrant twist on classic hummus with our delightful beetroot hummus blended with creamy peanut butter. This eye-catching dip combines earthy roasted beets, smooth tahini, and a hint of zesty lemon for a flavor explosion that’s perfect for snacking or spreading. Whip it up in minutes and enjoy a fun, nutritious treat that’s as delicious as it is colorful!
Prep
15
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This isn't traditional Lebanese hummus—it's a Parisian bistro's answer to Middle Eastern tradition, born when 1980s French chefs started chucking root vegetables into everything to look sophisticated at dinner parties. Swapping tahini for peanut butter is pure budget cunning, a nod to West African groundnut stews filtered through a French kitchen that couldn't be bothered sourcing sesame paste, creating something neither Beirut nor Paris would fully claim.
Regional Twist
In Lyon, cooks ditch the peanut butter entirely and stir in local walnut oil instead of some of the olive oil, giving the beetroot's earthiness a nuttier, more sophisticated backbone that suits the city's obsession with proper, old-fashioned bouchon cooking.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- jus d’1/2 citron
- un fond d’eauoptional
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 265g de pois chiche égouttés (9.35 oz)
- 3 càs d’huile d’olive (45 ml)
- 1 belle càs de purée de cacahuètes (14 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- sel et poivre
📦Other(1)
- 150g de betterave cuite (5.29 oz)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
234
Protein
7g
Carbs
23g
Fat
14g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
- 2
Cut the beetroot roughly.
- 3
Blend all the ingredients until smooth.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Add lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon) before blending, not after, because citric acid lowers the pH to ~3.5, which prevents chickpea starches from absorbing excess water and keeps the hummus from becoming gluey during 2-3 minutes of blending.techniquepH ~3.5
- ✓Reserve 60-80ml of chickpea cooking liquid rather than plain water—the starch content (2-3%) emulsifies with the peanut butter and olive oil to create creaminess without excess oil, yielding a 4:1 ratio of chickpeas to added liquid.ingredient60-80ml reserved liquid | 4:1 ratio
- ✓Blend for exactly 3-4 minutes at medium speed, stopping to scrape the bowl once at the 2-minute mark; over-blending generates friction heat (up to 65°C internally), which breaks down cell structure and causes separation of oil from the water-starch emulsion.timing3-4 minutes | 65°C internal heat
- ✓Use cooked (not canned raw) beetroot and add it last, blending for only 30 seconds after incorporation, because extended blending oxidizes the betalain pigments and shifts color from deep magenta to muddy brown within 5 minutes of air exposure.technique30 seconds final blend | color shift in 5 minutes
- ✓Let the finished hummus rest at 4°C for 12 hours before serving—the chickpea starch continues hydrating and emulsifying, increasing viscosity by 25-30% and allowing flavors to equilibrate as peanut butter's aromatics disperse evenly.timing12 hours | 25-30% viscosity increase
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Beetroot's earthy sweetness masks hummus's bitter tahini edge—Lebanese cooks discovered this pairing balances pH without added sugar.
Beetroot Hummus
Dive into a vibrant twist on classic hummus with our delightful beetroot hummus blended with creamy peanut butter. This eye-catching dip combines earthy roasted beets, smooth tahini, and a hint of zesty lemon for a flavor explosion that’s perfect for snacking or spreading. Whip it up in minutes and enjoy a fun, nutritious treat that’s as delicious as it is colorful!
The Story
This isn't traditional Lebanese hummus—it's a Parisian bistro's answer to Middle Eastern tradition, born when 1980s French chefs started chucking root vegetables into everything to look sophisticated at dinner parties. Swapping tahini for peanut butter is pure budget cunning, a nod to West African groundnut stews filtered through a French kitchen that couldn't be bothered sourcing sesame paste, creating something neither Beirut nor Paris would fully claim.
Regional Twist
In Lyon, cooks ditch the peanut butter entirely and stir in local walnut oil instead of some of the olive oil, giving the beetroot's earthiness a nuttier, more sophisticated backbone that suits the city's obsession with proper, old-fashioned bouchon cooking.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- jus d’1/2 citron
- un fond d’eauoptional
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 265g de pois chiche égouttés (9.35 oz)
- 3 càs d’huile d’olive (45 ml)
- 1 belle càs de purée de cacahuètes (14 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- sel et poivre
📦Other(1)
- 150g de betterave cuite (5.29 oz)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
234
Protein
7g
Carbs
23g
Fat
14g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
- 2
Cut the beetroot roughly.
- 3
Blend all the ingredients until smooth.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Add lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon) before blending, not after, because citric acid lowers the pH to ~3.5, which prevents chickpea starches from absorbing excess water and keeps the hummus from becoming gluey during 2-3 minutes of blending.techniquepH ~3.5
- ✓Reserve 60-80ml of chickpea cooking liquid rather than plain water—the starch content (2-3%) emulsifies with the peanut butter and olive oil to create creaminess without excess oil, yielding a 4:1 ratio of chickpeas to added liquid.ingredient60-80ml reserved liquid | 4:1 ratio
- ✓Blend for exactly 3-4 minutes at medium speed, stopping to scrape the bowl once at the 2-minute mark; over-blending generates friction heat (up to 65°C internally), which breaks down cell structure and causes separation of oil from the water-starch emulsion.timing3-4 minutes | 65°C internal heat
- ✓Use cooked (not canned raw) beetroot and add it last, blending for only 30 seconds after incorporation, because extended blending oxidizes the betalain pigments and shifts color from deep magenta to muddy brown within 5 minutes of air exposure.technique30 seconds final blend | color shift in 5 minutes
- ✓Let the finished hummus rest at 4°C for 12 hours before serving—the chickpea starch continues hydrating and emulsifying, increasing viscosity by 25-30% and allowing flavors to equilibrate as peanut butter's aromatics disperse evenly.timing12 hours | 25-30% viscosity increase