I have no idea how to cook with beets, so when they unexpectedly showed up in my CSA box, I took it as a sign that it was time to move into the canning and pickling phase of my quarantine. My mom squashed that idea by reminding me that my OCD would probably make me too anxious about botulism to actually eat the fruits (beets?) of my labor. Thankfully, I know have an alternative way that’s more my speed: roasted beet hummus. a roasted beet hummus recipe the latest episode of  happens to feature an easy roasted beet hummus recipe.

“Beets are one of those things where not everyone loves them. It’s not like a lot of people are like, ‘oh, I’m trying to eat a beet right now,” says chef Nyesha Arrington in the latest episode of Well+Good’s YouTube series Cook With Us. (Truth.) To make the root vegetable more approachable, she incorporated it into a hummus recipe.

This might seem like a bridge too far for die-hard hummus enthusiasts, but don’t knock Arrington’s approach just yet. While chickpeas are a nutritional powerhouse, beets contain lots of beneficial vitamins and minerals in their own right including iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium. And you know how RDs are all about eating the rainbow to get a wide variety of nutrients? Giving chickpeas a rest every now and then can be a great way to diversify your diet. (It can also be a nice change of pace for people who love hummus but find that legumes make them gassy.)

It’s generally an easy recipe, but you do have to roast your beets in advance…which can get a bit messy. “When you’re working with beets everything turns the color of the beet, whether it’s pink beets, orange beets, gold beets…they have a very strong natural dye in them,” says Arrington. However, once you wash them and wrap them in foil, the rest of the roasting process is fairly easy. You can definitely roast the beets ahead of time and then whip up the hummus when you’re hankering for a fancier snack than usual.

Want to try it yourself? Watch the video above get the full beet hummus recipe.

Roasted beet hummus

Ingredients

Olive oil (for grill and drizzling)2 red beets2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice2 Tbsp tahini1/2 cup olive oil1 tsp ground cumin7 roasted garlic clovesKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 400°F.

2. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

3. Cut off the tops close to the tops of the beet, leaving yourself enough to grip. Save the beet greens for another purpose.

4. Rinse and scrub the beets thoroughly, then wrap them loosely in aluminum foil. No need to dry the beets before wrapping. Small beets can be wrapped together, but it’s easiest to roast large beets individually.

5. Place the wrapped beets on a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips in case the beet juices leak. Roast for 50 to 60 minutes. Check the beets every 20 minutes or so. If they are starting to look dry or are scorching on the bottoms, dribble a tablespoon of water over the beets before re-wrapping.

6. Beets are done when a fork or skewer slides easily to the center of the beet. Small beets will cook more quickly than large beets. Set the beets aside until cool enough to handle. Hold one of the beets in a paper towel and use the edges of the paper to rub the skin away. The skin should peel away easily.

7. Let cool slightly.

8. Halve beets; scoop flesh into a food processor.

9. Add lemon juice, tahini, and garlic and process until smooth; season with salt and pepper.

10. Garnish with olive oil and top as desired. Serve with flatbreads or pita bread.

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