Pink Party Hummus
One of my life beliefs is that every party should have a bowl of hummus. Store-bought is totally fine, of course — we’re living in a golden age of hummus brands, after all — but put out a bowl of the homemade stuff and it becomes the star of the snack table. And pink hummus? That’s a real show-stopper. Here, Melisa Denizeri Orley shares her recipe…
“When I have loved ones over, plain hummus doesn’t cut it. I’ve been serving this one almost all of my adult life, and it never disappoints,” says Melisa. “Kids are always impressed, too. My daughter once asked, ‘Mommy, did a unicorn make this?’”
One tip Melisa recommends? “Shell your chickpeas. This isn’t just part of a recipe but a nudge towards slow living. I grew up in Istanbul, and back home, these cooking tasks are done in the company of friends or family — sometimes with a Turkish soap opera playing on the tiny kitchen telly.”
Pink Party Hummus
by Melisa Denizeri Orley
1 large red beet
1 medium yellow beet
1 cup of dry chickpeas, soaked overnight (or 6 hours minimum)
2 cloves of garlic, smashed and sautéed
olive oil, to drizzle into the food processor for preferred texture (no measurement, it’s a challenge!)
2 (heeeaaaping) spoonfuls of tahini
1 tablespoon of salt to start
toasted pine nuts (optional, just for fun)
Pro tip: If possible, try to get high-quality tahini from a Middle Eastern food store.
Preheat your oven to 400F. Wrap your whole beets (skin on) in foil and place in the oven for an hour. Cook the chickpeas on the stove: Put the soaked beans in a pot and add enough water to cover them, with an extra inch above. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until tender. They should be ready in about 45 minutes.
Remove the beets from the oven, and while they cool, shell your chickpeas (call a friend!). Gently rub each chickpea and the skin will peel off. This is key for silky texture. Set a handful aside for serving. Then, when the beets have cooled down enough to handle, rub the skin off and chop them into pieces. (Make the pieces fairly small. Even though they’re going in a food processor, starting with smaller pieces ensures a smoother finish.)
Add the garlic, chickpeas, and beets into a food processor. (I like the Cuisinart mini — can’t deal with the large one.) Drizzle with oil, add your tahini and salt, and blend. Pause after a minute to taste the mixture, and adjust the seasoning as you see fit. Blitz again while you alternate adding drizzles of oil and 1-2 tablespoons of water for desired consistency. Find your rhythm.
Serve, if you’d like, with pan-toasted pine nuts and the reserved chickpeas on top. For dipping, I find it goes best with endives and carrots.
What do you serve at parties? (We also love Jenny’s three bowls and this Midwestern classic.) You can find more of Melisa’s dishes on her newsletter, Dream Dinner Guest.
P.S. More party ideas, including the simplest dessert and are you a party host or enthusiastic guest? Plus, our jarred tomato sauce taste test.
(Photos courtesy of Melisa Denizeri Orley.)
Comments
68 commentsRoll cooked chickpeas around in a clean, dry tea towel to remove the skins quickly, easily.
I’m such a hummus snob, can’t usually find good tasting hummus at the bargain grocery stores where I shop, so every now and then I make an enormous batch myself and it’s gone so fast because word gets around!! I’ve found you don’t have to shell the chickpeas if you follow ottoleghi’s advice to boil the chickpeas with baking soda. My hummus always has the texture of soft serve. It’s wildly delicious. But if anyone wants to shell chickpeas, I say let ’em! Live your wild and precious life. It sounds calming so maybe I’ll try it sometime.
I’ve tried both and the baking soda method comes out smoother for me! As well as using the coldest possible water – I put an ice cube in a tiny metal measuring cup, fill it up with cold tap water, and let it hang out there while I gather the other ingredients and blend everything else together. The caveat to this is that I’ve read a lot of comparison recipes and debates between people from Levantine countries/cultures where they compare all the different methods and half will say that baking soda is the only answer to ethereally smooth hummus, and half will say it’s bogus and does nothing, so ymmv – totally agree that everyone should just choose their own adventure. If peeling the chickpeas feels like a nice meditation and you love the texture, get it!!
The other key is way more (very good) tahini than you think.
Replying to TLG’s reply on a comment below: “Its actually an antidote to insanity to do methodical things slowly. Just a thought.” This was just what this overly optimized mom needed to see today. Will be shelling chickpeas slowly in my kitchen tonight. Hopefully with a helping kiddo or two and maybe a candle.
This looks great! I’ve started following Ottolenghi’s recommendation not to add oil to hummus (tahini has plenty!), but to add a bit of water for texture, and a block of ice or two to the blender. Last night I made pickle dip for the millionth time, from the comments on this post, and once again it slapped!: https://cupofjo.com/2023/03/22/ruffles-french-onion-dip/
Is “1 tablespoon of salt to start” a typo? This seems like a lot of salt for 2 beets and a cup of chickpeas. Anyhow, if anyone is considering making this recipe, maybe start with less salt.
Can’t wait to try this out. Chickpeas to sprinkle on top, I will roast with some spices.
Jo, how can you vote for Mamdani when you live in a city with such a large Jewish population? You seem SO empathetic and SO thoughtful in your writing that it’s jarring to think about you voting for someone with so much hatred towards the Jewish people.
Here is a good answer to that: https://open.substack.com/pub/besskalb/p/the-zohran-question
Jewish COJ reader here, checking in to say that if I lived in New York I absolutely would have voted for Mamdani!
As a Jew myself, I need you to practice the Jewish tradition of educating yourself. Mamdani has done so much to show his deep care for Jews and all people. Unlike Cuomo, who has done so much to show he cares for…Cuomo. Please don’t read the hysterical articles and read some actual documentation of what he’s actually said and done.
That Bess Kalb essay was the most sane thing I’ve read in a long time. Reading it was really beneficial. Let’s remember that you can support Jewish people and not tolerate antisemitism but still call out Israel for the genocide they’ve committed in Palestine
Lana, thousands of thoughtful Jewish people voted for him. Are they all wrong? How?
“so much hatred towards the Jewish people” ? As evidenced by what exactly?
Another Jew checking in, to say I am cheering on Mamdani and New Yorkers from afar. I am grateful to other commenters for responding as well; there are so many of us, and we will not let legacy institutions excuse genocide and perpetrate Islamophobia in our name.
Shalom! Jewish, and entire Jewish fam voted for Zohran! I see his love for alllll New Yorkers. And ps: absolutely going to try the recipe.
Shelling individual chickpeas is insanity. Instead, you can roll them all in between two tea towels and get it done much faster. Then again, it seems like there’s a plenty of fiber in the shells that I’d hate to discard. Unless any one has any ideas for chickpea shells?
Its actually an antidote to insanity to do methodical things slowly. Just a thought.
I discovered there’s no need to shell if you soak in baking soda – saves so much time and you get store bought texture! https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/israeli-style-hummus
I don’t find slipping the outer skins off of chickpeas a chore anymore than peeling raw garlic, shelling fresh peas from their pods. The resulting hummus is smoother, whipped consistency. To each their own (method).
I’m gonna say there are some forms of mental illness that can’t be cured by individually shelling chickpeas. And also that there are many ways for many people to perform this act without losing one’s grip on consensus reality.
Favorite store-bought hummus brands?
Ithaca is my fave, and Esti is great too!
My favorite is a brand I only discovered this year: Little Sesame. Hands down the best hummus I’ve ever had from the grocery store!
Thanks, Kelsey! I’ve never heard of Esti so I’ll definitely have to check it out. Fun fact, that was the name I wanted to give my daughter!
Wow, just looked up Little Sesame (never heard of it before) and I can’t wait to get my hands on some! Thanks for the rec!!
+1 to Little Sesame! A Washington DC brand with stores here if you are ever visiting. Their pita bread is also amazing.
I agree with Little Sesame! Look for the larger size which is more economical. I eat with honey crisp or ever crisp apples.
I love hummus, but worried it would taste too beet-y 🤢. Beets are the devil’s root. 🤭
i have to say, i’m really bummed that there’s been no mention of mamdani, and not just today-i was surprised to do my daily cup of jo check and not to see any mention, so searched mamdani on cup of jo out of curiousity, and nothing comes up. did you guys vote for cuomo? gosh, i’m just really disappointed. i wonder why joe biden was worth celebrating but not this young man who has so incredibly inspired the city that this blog loves so much? especially during this bleak time? really weird esp considering posts like this https://cupofjo.com/2020/11/09/biden-harris-victory/ i don’t mean to be critical, i am just genuinely disappointed.
oh my gosh, yes! I absolutely voted for mamdani and was so thrilled to do so. we usually don’t write about New York-specific politics on CoJ, since there’s a national/international readership, but I’ve talked about him a lot on Instagram. my boys and I were glued to the news last night, and I felt absolutely electric today. it’s a HUGE and exciting part of our lives as New Yorkers. hope that helps!
Mel, you could have asked: Did I miss anything about this topic (as I find it really important)? Then Joanna could have answered in the way that she did. Instead you chose an accusatory tone. You are both on the same side. And even if not, the scolding tone is simply not good. Congrats to this NYC win. And now the invitation to communicate first (and sing :)) before accusing.
I would have been thrilled to see a post about Mamdani this morning. His victory isn’t a win for NYC, it’s a win for those of us hoping for change. It does feel strange that it wasn’t noted here. In the past you’ve urged your readers to help out specific regions when it’s needed so it does seem odd there was no mention of him at all in this space. I don’t mean to be accusatory either, but I am genuinely surprised there hasn’t been any mention of him, canvassing, etc. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a longtime reader noticing that :))
Yes, most the fast-moving political posts and discussions — Zohran Mamdani; Gaza, SNAP help, etc — is on Instagram, versus CoJ where they are larger, slower pieces, if that makes sense. Please feel free to follow there if you’d like, sounds like it might be up your alley. I think of CoJ, Instagram, and big salad as one company and one “voice”; but three different places where we can share things in different ways. Hope this helps to understand where things live!
Fwiw, I’ve been off Instagram for a few years so I only follow here on the blog and Big Salad, and I knew that Jo was enthusiastically voting for Mamdani because she explicitly said so in the comments!
I get that things feel heavy right now … it’s easy to get frustrated and lash out (I’ve totally been there). But this site really do focus on hope and connection, and I think Joanna deserves more kindness. She spreads a lot of information on important causes, encourages her whole community to contribute, and this site is SUCH a beautiful space for women to share openly without being shamed or questioned. I’m sure you didn’t mean harm, but maybe take a breath before commenting next time? Just out of respect! And to feel better, too :)
Girl, this looks so yum! This pink party hummus, Wanna it eat right now, Oh mama, wow! This looks so yum! Gotta love Cup of Jo and this Pink Party Hummus! I can’t wait until I’m making Pink Party Hummus! I’m gonna keep enjoying comments for Pink Party Hummus! Gotta have our Cup of Jo And Pink Party Hummus, Pink Party Hummus! LOL thanks for the lunch time laugh, COJ!
Omg, thanks for this. We need a like button for the comments!
::high five::
Love this, and does anyone else humming Pink Pony Club upon reading this post ?!? :) I can’t be the only one…..
Been in my head nonstop since the minute I started writing the post.
I’m gonna keep on snacking on the Pink Party Hummus!
💯
Cannot.ever.do.hummus but Texas caviar is always a party hit! Same chickpea family! https://www.spendwithpennies.com/cowboy-caviar/
I’m with you right there. Nope with the chickpeas. Ever. But classic Texas caviar? Yes, please!
Now you’re talkin! Hummus is my love language. I’ve been taught by a wide swatch of hummus mentors from Israel, Armenia, Turkey and each is favored, different and wonderful. Beet added hummus is a delicious newcomer, tricky if it gets too watery/thin. My favorite is lemon-dill hummus and most recently pickle hummus. As for brand, Ithaca Hummus is remarkably fresh. I will def try the featured recipe. And if you enjoy beets, consider the homemade. bread loaf recipe via Justine Cooks. Together, it’s beet nirvana. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ7U7T9xfsg .
Am I the only one that sang this to the tune of Pink Pony Club?
RAN to the comments to see if anyone else said this! I got you, Heather.
(In the best way), this looks like the kind of food somebody would eat in 1998 at a party to celebrate the release of a tenured professor’s chapbook.
Hahahahaha, spot on.
tenured professor’s chapbook!!!!!!!
Gorgeous. Also, Maaaamdani!
MAMDANI!!!!!! It’s a good day for some good news. xox
Hahahaha, I smiled a lot today. Called my sister to celebrate the good news. Was on the street and 3 people I did not know hollered „yay!“ when they heard me mention the name. I live in Germany, my sister in France. Your joy is our joy and it goes a very long way. Congrats & go go go :) xo
Yesssss!!!! This is what’s on my mind today too.
This city’s a big ol bowl of pink party hummus today and YOU LOVE TO SEE IT. I loved all of his speech, but its kicker kicked me right in the heart: “Let the words we’ve spoken together, the dreams we’ve dreamt together, become the agenda we deliver together. New York, this power, it’s yours. This city belongs to you.”
Wooooo! Yay from Philly!
I’ve tried shelling chickpeas, but the juice ain’t worth the squeeze, imo. No one noticed if it was silkier or not. It’s a crowd-pleaser either way.
I’m sending out holiday party invites right now. Gonna add this to the menu!
Here’s another beet dip recipe – not a hummus, and sooo tasty and strikingly magenta. Recipe is from Greenstar food coop like a million years ago (any Ithacans here??) Beet Dip Ingredients: 1 Big beet or 2 small ones 4 tbsp chopped walnuts 1 slice stale white bread 1 garlic clove, peeled, 4-6 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar Salt to taste Instructions: In a saucepan, cover beet with water and boil until tender, about 40 mins. Drain, peel, and coarsely chop the beet. In a food processor, combine all the ingredients, blend until smooth. Beet Dip Ingredients: 1 Big beet or 2 small ones 4 tbsp chopped walnuts 1 slice stale white bread 1 garlic clove, peeled, 4-6 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar Salt to taste Instructions: In a saucepan, cover beet with water and boil until tender, about 40 mins. Drain, peel, and coarsely chop the beet. In a food processor, combine all the ingredients, blend until smooth. Serve with toasted pita, crackers, or bread.
I am here for all the beet dip content. Thanks, Annie!
anyone else singing the title to ‘pink pony club’ haha?
Ha yes!!
Yes! I was wondering if it was just me!
“Pink party hummus,” sung to the tune of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club,” will now happily be in my head all day.
Same!
looks so cute..and now I am humming it in the tune of pink pony club.. i am gonna keep on snackinggg….