Low Carb Beet Cashew Hummus
⏲ ~63 min total · prep 15 · cook 48 · 4 servings
Dinner⏱ 70 min total🔥 7.2g net carbs
By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor
Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026
Ingredients
- 2 small red beets (about 10 oz), scrubbed
- 3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked in water 2 hours and drained
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 small clove garlic
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1-2 tbsp water, for thinning
- 2 tbsp crumbled feta and chopped fresh dill, for topping
Instructions
- Rub the beets with a drop of oil, wrap them in a foil packet, and roast at 400°F for 45-50 minutes until a paring knife slides to the center with no resistance. (Or pressure-cook 15 minutes with 1 cup water with quick release.)
- Unwrap and let the beets cool until handleable, then slip the skins off under running water by rubbing with paper towels. Chop coarsely.
- Process the drained cashews alone in a food processor 1 minute, scraping down once, until they form a wet sand that starts to clump — this makes the hummus creamy without chickpeas.
- Add the beets, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and cumin. Process a full 2 minutes, pausing once to scrape the bowl, until vividly pink and completely smooth.
- With the machine running, add 1-2 tbsp water through the feed tube until it dips and settles when you drag a spoon through.
- Spread in a shallow bowl with the back of a spoon, making a swirl trench. Drizzle with olive oil and top with the feta and dill. Chill 30 minutes; it tastes noticeably better cold.
Why this recipe works
- Cashews blended first, alone A full minute of processing the drained cashews alone turns them into wet sand that starts to clump, which is what makes the hummus creamy without chickpeas. Blended together with everything at once, they never break down enough.
- Roasted beets, properly done Forty-five to 50 minutes at 400°F cooks the beets until a paring knife slides to the center without resistance. Roasting concentrates the sweetness and keeps the finished dip thick.
- Water thinning at the end One to 2 tablespoons through the feed tube while the machine runs brings the dip to a spoon-dragging, self-leveling set. It is the difference between spreadable hummus and beet paste.
Tips for making this recipe well
Two ways to cook the beets
The foil packet at 400°F takes 45 to 50 minutes; a pressure cooker does it in 15 minutes with a cup of water and quick release. Either way, the knife test is the same: no resistance at the center.
Peel with paper towels
Cool the beets until you can handle them, then rub the skins off under running water. The towels grip the skins better than fingers alone, and you keep your hands from turning pink.
Give it the full 2 minutes
After the beets and seasonings go in, process a full 2 minutes, pausing once to scrape. Under-blended beet hummus shows streaks instead of an even pink.
Chill before judging
Thirty minutes in the fridge matters here, because it tastes noticeably better cold. Warm beet flavor is earthier; cold, the lemon and cumin come forward.
Build the swirl trench
Spread the hummus in a shallow bowl and drag the back of a spoon around to make a trench. That groove is where the olive oil pools, which is how every scoop picks some up.
Serving suggestions
Chickpea hummus is off the table on keto, and this is the fix that doesn't taste like a consolation prize. Serve it cold from the fridge in a shallow bowl, trench and all, with cucumber coins, celery, and keto crackers for dipping. The feta and dill go on top and should be renewed if you refresh the board later. At 7.2 net carbs, this is an easy afternoon snack next to vegetables that actually holds you to dinner.
Storage and meal prep
Airtight in the fridge, this keeps 3 to 4 days, and the surface may darken slightly as the beets oxidize; a stir brings the color back. Press plastic wrap against the surface before the lid to slow that down. The dip also freezes for 2 to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and run it through the food processor with a splash of water, because freezing firms it and dulls the smoothness a little.
Variations worth trying
- Roasted garlic Roast a whole head alongside the beets and squeeze 2 or 3 cloves into the processor. The garlic goes mellow and sweet.
- Extra lemon Bump the lemon juice to 3 tablespoons. Beets and lemon are a classic pairing for a reason.
- Goat cheese swirl Soften 2 tablespoons of goat cheese and swirl it into the finished dip. The pink-and-white marble earns its keep on a party table.
- No-tahini version Leave out the tahini and add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. The cashews carry the body on their own.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use canned beets?
They work in a pinch; drain and pat them dry first, since canned beets carry more water and will thin the dip. The roasted sweetness is what you give up.
Do the cashews really need 2 hours of soaking?
Yes. Unsoaked cashews stay gritty through processing and never reach the wet-sand stage that makes the base creamy. In a tight spot, pour boiling water over them for 30 minutes instead.
My hummus is too thick. Now what?
Run the machine and add water 1 tablespoon at a time through the feed tube until a spoon dragged through leaves a trench that slowly settles. That is the texture target from the recipe.
Does the pressure cooker option work for any beets?
Cut large beets into similar sizes so the 15 minutes with quick release cooks them evenly. The knife test still decides doneness.
Why is mine pale pink instead of vivid?
Under-processing leaves the beet unevenly distributed, so run it the full 2 minutes and scrape the bowl once. Beets also vary in depth of color; roasting concentrates what you started with.
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