Active time: 15 minutes Total time: 45 minutes

Our love of hummus has inspired all sorts of new variations, and the hummus shelf at the store has gotten crowded. In this riff on the Middle Eastern dip, we replace chickpeas with cooked red lentils and red beets for a vegetable-rich dip. The dramatic red dip is Instagram-ready; all you need is a pretty plate!

RD tip: The lentils make this a filling, fiber-filled snack, which is great for your heart and gut health (1). Also, if you’re short on time and know you can’t eat for a few hours, this keeps you full and tides you over until your next meal.

Red Lentil-Beet Hummus

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (96g) red lentils
• 1 cup (135g) red beets, cubed
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 tbsp (60g) tahini
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 medium jicama, peeled and sliced

Directions

In a small pot, place the red lentils with 3 cups (700ml) water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer; cooking for 15–20 minutes. The lentils should be very soft and starting to fall apart, but don’t cook them to the point of disintegration. Drain gently in a wire mesh strainer but do not rinse.

While the lentils cook, set up a steamer, and steam the beets for 15 minutes. They should be very tender when pierced with a paring knife. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor.

Place the cooked lentils and garlic in the processor bowl with the beets, and process until pureed, scraping down as needed to make a smooth paste. Add the tahini and salt and process until smooth. Add lemon and scrape; process to mix. Transfer to a bowl or storage tub.

Peel the jicama and slice in thin rounds, then stack the rounds and cut into wedges, to look like tortilla chips. Serve cold to scoop up the hummus.

Serves: 6 | Serving Size: 1/4 cup, plus 1/3 of a jicama

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 224; Total Fat: 7g; Saturated Fat:1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 228mg; Carbohydrate: 34g; Dietary Fiber: 14g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 8g

Nutrition Bonus: Calcium: 5.3%, Iron: 19%, Potassium: 564%, Vitamin C: 80.6%

Originally published May 25, 2020; Updated December 2025

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