Calling all beet lovers! This easy-to-make beetroot dip recipe tastes just as good as it looks! Serve the dip hot or cold with fresh vegetables, crackers, or a warm pita. It’s a perfect appetizer for snacking and entertaining with fresh vegetable or chips.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Salt: Create a barrier for the beets to roast using salt. If you prefer to skip the salt roasting, wrap the beets in foil instead.
- Beets: Use three medium-sized beets as the base for the dip, giving it a gorgeous, vibrant color.
- Lemon Juice: Balance the warmth of the other ingredients with a splash of fresh lemon juice from a large lemon.
- Tahini: Tahini is a sesame paste made from sesame seeds, and it complements the earthy sweetness of the beets.
- Garlic: I suggest using four raw garlic cloves, but measure with your heart.
- Spices: Season the beetroot dip with a savory combination of sea salt, ground cumin, and turmeric powder.
- Garnish: Drizzle high-quality olive oil over the top and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Additions and Substitutions
- Can I use canned beets? Use canned or packaged beets to make the Syrian beetroot hummus instead of fresh beetroot. Using them will save you the extra step of roasting the beets. You can also reserve the juice from the can to make Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs for a fun-colored treat.
- Use ras el hanout or garam masala to flavor the spread instead of ground cumin and turmeric powder.
- Replace the tahini paste with sunflower seed butter or peanut butter.
- Add chickpeas, butter beans, or other white beans to the beet hummus for even more flavor. You can also include yogurt, feta cheese, or cream cheese for a smoother dip.
How to Make Beetroot Dip
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Then, divide the salt into three piles on a rimmed baking sheet, creating a well in each pile.
Nestle the beets into the salt and sprinkle more over the top.
Step 2: Bake the beets for 1 hour. Remove them from the oven and let them cool before removing the skins.
Roughly chop the beets and transfer them to the bowl of a food processor or blender.
Step 3: Combine the beets, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, ground cumin, and turmeric powder in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Add the cold water and ice, and process for 1-2 minutes until smooth.
Expert Tips
- Look for beets with brightly colored leaves (you can trim the leaves, wash them, and use them in a salad). The skin on the beets should be smooth and free of blemishes.
- Salt-roasting the beets allows them to steam in their skins, resulting in a smooth, creamy texture. You can also wrap the beets in foil.
- Let the beets cool before removing the skin and adding them to the food processor.
If you enjoy beetroot dip, try one of these creamy dip recipes!
Toppings For the Beetroot Dip
- Olive Oil
- Mint Leaves, Parsley, Dill, Scallions
- Feta Cheese, Gorgonzola Cheese
- Pistachios, Hazelnuts, Pine Nuts, Walnuts
- Roasted Garbanzo Beans
- Nigella Seeds, Sesame Seeds
Serving Suggestions
- Prepare vegetables like Persian cucumbers, carrots, red peppers, celery, or radishes for dipping, or feature the fresh beet dip on a vegetable crudite.
- Pair the delicious dip with warm lavash, tortilla chips, crackers, sourdough bread, pita bread, or pita chips.
- Spread the beetroot dip onto vegetable rainbow wraps and chicken spinach wraps.
- Feature the vibrant dip on a Middle Eastern meze platter with other small plates like havuç tarator, butter bean hummus, mirza ghasemi, or kabobs.
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftover beetroot dip in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you cook beetroot?
There are many ways to prepare fresh beets, but I prefer the texture of salt-roasted beets in the dip. They take one hour to become tender in an oven heated to 425°F (218°C).
More Beet Recipes:
Beetroot Dip
Easy-to-make beetroot dip tastes just as good as it looks! Serve it hot or cold with veggies, crackers, or bread – perfect for snacking and entertaining.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 3 medium beets, scrubbed and trimmed
- lemon juice, 1 large lemon (2 tablespoons)
- ¼ cup tahini
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup cold water
- olive oil, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Then, divide the salt into three piles on a rimmed baking sheet, creating a well in each pile. Nestle the beets into the salt and sprinkle more over the top.
- Bake the beets for 1 hour. Remove them from the oven and let them cool before removing the skins. Roughly chop the beets and transfer them to the bowl of a food processor or blender.
- Combine the beets, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, ground cumin, and turmeric powder in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the cold water and ice, and process for 1-2 minutes until smooth.
Notes
Serving Size: ¼ Cup
Expert Tips:
- Look for beets with brightly colored leaves (you can trim the leaves, wash them, and use them in a salad). The skin on the beets should be smooth and free of blemishes.
- Salt-roasting the beets allows them to steam in their skins, resulting in a smooth, creamy texture. You can also wrap the beets in foil.
- Let the beets cool before removing the skin and adding them to the food processor.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 Serving | Calories: 76 kcal | Carbohydrates: 9 g | Protein: 2 g | Fat: 4 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g | Sodium: 14200 mg | Potassium: 260 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 4 g | Vitamin A: 28 IU | Vitamin C: 5 mg | Calcium: 34 mg | Iron: 1 mg
Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and follow @thejamilghar or tag #thejamilghar on Instagram!