Beetroot Hummus

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Why you’ll love this beetroot hummus recipe

• Bright and vibrant – the beets do not disappoint, making this hummus spread an eye-catching centerpiece for your next charcuterie board.
• Oil-free – NOTE – while I personally opted to drizzle olive oil after plating the beetroot hummus, there are absolutely no oils inside the hummus itself! Removing oil saves needless calories so you can enjoy larger portions of this hummus : )
• Easy – no need to peel beets and deal with the mess that comes with this activity. Instead, the recipe calls for a box of marinated, pre-peeled beets. You can find the brand I like called “Love Beets” at Whole Foods or purchase them on Amazon with my link. 
• Cardiovascular health – beets have been shown in numerous studies to effectively lower blood pressure and enhance exercise performance (Lidder 2013). Although this hummus is less concentrated than the juices used in controlled studies, there is no doubt that the addition of beets to this hummus recipe means an extra high dose of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nitrates (Corliss 2022). Read more from Harvard Health about nitrates and cardiovascular health here!

Ingredients to make oil-free beetroot hummus

Aquafaba – another name for the liquids in a can of chickpeas. We’ll reserve ¼ cup of the aquafaba from a can of chickpeas to help create that perfect creamy texture – without added oils!

Chickpeas – drained and rinsed, one can of low-sodium chickpeas is the protein-rich base of this hummus recipe

Beets – the true star of the show, we’ll use a box of peeled, marinated beets to bring a unique earthiness, tang, and colorful hue to this recipe. The best marinated beets are from Love Beets!

Lemon – just a touch of citrus goes a long way! It also brightens the hue of the beetroot hummus.

Pine nuts – these lovely nuts are the key to getting a creamy, thick consistency without any added oils!

Garlic – whole peeled garlic is essential to giving this recipe a little kick and is truly a staple ingredient for any classic hummus recipe.

Salt – to bring out the natural sweetness of the beets and lemon, and cut through the bitterness of raw chickpeas.

How to make beetroot hummus without oil

The reason I choose not to use oils in my recipes is because often, they aren’t adding much flavor, and they can be easily replaced with something that doesn’t have excessive number of calories. Instead of oil, the hummus is thickened with whipped aquafaba and thick pine nut butter.

Step 1: start by blending the aquafaba (liquid from the can of chickpeas) in a food processor until slightly thickened, white, and frothy. 

Step 2: slowly, while the blender or food processor is running, add the rinsed chickpeas to the blender. Continue blending to achieve a smooth puree. 

Step 3: add the beets, lemon juice, garlic, and salt and blend until incorporated.

Step 4: make the pine nut butter* by adding the pine nuts to a small krups coffee grinder. Blend the pine nuts until the mixture thickens into a paste. You may need to pause and scrape down the sides a few times. Add the pine nut butter to the hummus mixture and process until fully incorporated.

Step 5: chill and serve! The hummus will be warm from all the blending, but it thickens up after an hour or two in the fridge. I recommend letting it chill for 2 hours before serving.

*optional – swap in tahini or another unsweetened nut butter (almond or cashew are great options) to save time. 

Serving ideas for this beetroot hummus

• With naan or pita chips
• Smeared on a veggie sandwich
• On a charcuterie board with spring produce
• In a lavash wrap with falafel
• Overtop a CAVA inspired greek salad

Ingredient substitutions

Pine nuts – this recipe calls for homemade pine nut butter which takes a couple extra steps. If you would rather skip this process, you can substitute tahini for the pine nut butter. You can also try unsweetened raw cashew butter or natural almond butter.  

Lemon juice – replace the acidity from lemon in this recipe with either red or white wine vinegar at a 1:1 ratio.

Recipe Card

References

Lidder S, Webb AJ. Vascular effects of dietary nitrate (as found in green leafy vegetables and beetroot) via the nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2013;75(3):677-696. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04420.x

Corliss, J. Nitrates in Food and Medicine: What’s the Story? Harvard Health Publishing. February 1, 2022. Accessed March 8, 2025. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/nitrates-in-food-and-medicine-whats-the-story