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‘unbeetable’ hummus

January 16, 2018

Beet Hummus appetizer at Flora in CT

When I was a kid, I hated beets!  They were a staple on my grandmother’s Sunday table, but I would not go anywhere near them!  But, as an adult, I have developed a fondness for these root vegetables.

My most recent beet discovery came when I visited Flora – a restaurant with a plant based menu located in the Blue Back Square section of West Hartford, Connecticut.  It was the first time I had tried beet hummus and it was absolutely yummy!  This snack motivated me to research every beet hummus recipe I could find to try and recreate Flora’s delicious appetizer the best I could.

Flora in West Hartford, CT

Many of the recipes I found used chickpeas, but I chose to eliminate the chickpeas and make the beets the star of the dish!  If beets appeal to you at all, I would definitely urge you to try beet hummus!  Here is what I did to make beet hummus, as inspired by the one I enjoyed at Flora!

Beet Hummus Recipe

  • ½ lb. fresh beets (4-5 medium), prepared
  • 2 Tbsp. tahini (sesame seed paste)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (2 lemons) plus 1 Tbsp. zest (1 lemon)
  • 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil as needed

To prepare the beets (cleaning them prior to cooking), I covered them with water in a saucepan and simmered them until tender and they felt soft when pricked with a fork.  It took about 35 minutes.  After they cooled down, I peeled them and cut them into cubes.

I put all the ingredients except the olive oil into a food processor and processed until smooth.  When serving, I drizzled the hummus with a bit of extra virgin olive oil.

Beet Hummus at Flora

Pita chips, as well as fresh carrot and cucumber curls, go great with this hummus!

beet soup

Even though I wouldn’t eat them as a kid, I really enjoy beets as an adult! One of my favorite beet dishes – the beet soup at The River Tavern in Chester, Connecticut.

I think the pretty color of beet hummus makes it ‘unbeetable’ to serve as a Valentine’s Day appetizer!  I hope you are inspired to try it!

Thanks for stopping by!  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Category: food & festivities, recipe | Tags: , , , |

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