This DIY Pink Hummus Couldn’t Be Easier to Make

For all who eat with their phones first, you’ll want to put down the phone for just a second to get a good look at Joey Skladany’s Millennial pink hummus. The recipe, pulled from his debut cookbook “Basic Bitchen,” is an ode to the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean staple—and a likely novel addition to the repertoire of anyone who considers herself an “I-eat-with-my-eyes-first” individual.

Joey is a self-proclaimed hummus addict, after all, so it should come as no surprise that there’s at least one recipe for the Middle Eastern dip in his cookbook. “I am not exaggerating when I say that I eat hummus every day of my life,” he admits.

And while he can often be found curled up with a tub of Sabra hummus and a box of crackers, he does suggest making your own. “Anything homemade is going to yield to a more authentic and fresh-tasting snacking experience,” he explains.

Which is why we’re obsessed with his pink-tinged hummus, which gets its light pink hue thanks to the blitzing of roasted beets. Even though this recipe only calls for one beet, that’s all you’ll need to get this hummus on the rainbow spectrum.

A DIY hummus is actually much easier to make than most people think. All you really need is a good food processor or a blender, which does all the heavy lifting. Joey’s version is a three-step process. He toasts one can of chickpeas in the oven first—which’ll give the hummus a charred finish—then boils the contents of a second can, allowing the skins to break down. The boiled chickpeas converge in the blender (reserving the toasted chickpeas for garnish), along with a glug of olive oil, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and roasted beets, which are blitzed until smooth and creamy.

If you’ve made hummus before and it has emerged much too chunky, Joey’s got the perfect remedy. “Be sure to overcook your chickpeas so that they are easier to blend until smooth,” he says. “Adding a bit of baking soda will also raise the pH of the boiled water and help the chickpeas break down.”

Related Reading: 9 Ways to Make Hummus Even Healthier

Drizzle the finished product with more tahini, olive oil, and a smattering of crunchy, toasted chickpeas. Mop the hummus up with homemade pita chips—or if you’re short on time, your favorite crackers will certainly do.

“This is a hummus that will stand out among a table of ugly store-bought dips,” Joey promises.

Dangerously Delicious Pita Chips and Millennial Pink Hummus Recipe

There have been a few times when I’ve essentially needed stitches for slicing my lip on a pita chip. When I’m noshing on snacks, I go hard, and since I eat hummus every day of my life (#fact), the probability of injury increases drastically. This probability is at an all-time high when I pair the hazardous chip with a beautiful beet hummus, perhaps the most trendy dish in this book. It’s no surprise that the most basic trends come from enviably bold and too-proud-for-their-own-good millennials, and in this case: an unyielding obsession with the color pink. And not just any color pink . . . millennial pink, the rosé-hued, subdued version of Barbie’s signature Corvette that has engulfed pedicures, Rent the Runway gowns, and Jeffree Star YouTube videos for years. Now if only our older generation can give us a stable economy and competent politicians, we’ll give you more millennial-inspired foods.

Dangerously Delicious Pita Chips and Millennial Pink Hummus

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Serves: 8-10

INGREDIENTS

• FOR THE PITA CHIPS: 8 pitas, separated and cut into 8 wedges
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt, to taste
• FOR THE TOASTED CHICKPEAS: 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and dried
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon sumac
• FOR THE HUMMUS:1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
• 1 small roasted red beet, peeled and diced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for serving
• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. First make the pita chips: Preheat the oven to 375ºF. In a large bowl, toss the pita wedges with olive oil and season with salt. Divide the pita wedges evenly between two baking sheets in a single layer. Bake in the oven until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through. Remove from the oven and let cool. Raise the oven temperature to 400ºF.
2. Make the toasted chickpeas: In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, olive oil, and salt and toss to coat evenly. Add to a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crispy on the outside. Remove from the oven and toss to coat with the cumin, coriander, and sumac. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, make the hummus: In a medium saucepot, add the chickpeas, baking soda, 1 garlic clove, and bay leaf. Cover the chickpeas with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to boil for 15 to 20 minutes until the chickpeas begin to break down and the skins loosen. Drain the chickpeas, discard the garlic and bay leaf. Set aside.
4. In the carafe of a blender, combine the lemon juice, remaining garlic clove, roasted beet, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Process until the garlic and beet are finely chopped. Add the tahini and cumin to the blender and process to combine. Add the drained chickpeas and blend until smooth. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a few tablespoons of water. With the blender running on low, drizzle in the olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from the blender, transfer to a serving bowl, and chill until ready to serve. Garnish with toasted chickpeas, a drizzle of olive oil, and chopped parsley. Serve with pita chips.
5. JUST THE TIPS: For the creamiest hummus, you’ll want to make sure that you have overcooked chickpeas. You can absolutely start with dried chickpeas and make this from scratch, but when you’re short on time, canned chickpeas work just fine. Add a bit of baking soda to raise the pH of the water you boil your chickpeas in. This will help the chickpeas break down, resulting in the perfect product for a creamy hummus. Have leftover hummus? Place in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to a week.