Crudités with a Trio of Dips
Everyone is bound to discover a favorite among this trio of dips—two variations on hummus plus Greek tzatziki. Paired with fresh vegetables, they’re healthy yet satisfying and look beautiful on the table, too. Using a powerful Vitamix blender streamlines prep, and the dips can be made and refrigerated up to 3 days in advance (add the garnishes just before serving).
Ingredients
For the beet hummus:
- 1 large red beet (10 to 12 oz./315 to 375 g)
- 1 Tbs. plus 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 1/4 cups drained and rinsed canned chickpeas (about 1 1/2 cans, each 15 oz./470 g), 1 Tbs. chickpeas reserved for garnish
- 1 garlic clove
- Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 Tbs. tahini
- 1 Tbs. water
For the tzatziki:
- 2 cups (16 oz./500 g) labneh
- 1 English cucumber, grated and drained well
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbs. chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- 1/2 tsp. sumac (optional)
- 1 Tbs. pomegranate seeds (optional)
For the harissa-lemon hummus:
- 3/4 cup (7 1/2 oz./235 g) tahini
- 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) ice water
- 2 1/4 cups drained and rinsed canned chickpeas (about 1 1/2 cans, each 15 oz./470 g), 1 Tbs. chickpeas reserved for garnish
- 1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml) fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp. harissa spice blend, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- Kosher salt
Crudités for serving
Directions
To make the beet hummus, preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C).
Place the beet on a sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with the 1 Tbs. olive oil and season with kosher salt and pepper. Wrap the beet tightly in the foil and place on the oven rack. Roast until the beet is easily pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Remove the beet from the foil and let stand until cool enough to handle.
Peel the beet and cut into quarters. Transfer to a Vitamix blender and add the chickpeas, garlic, 2 Tbs. of the lemon juice, the tahini and water. Blend on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) olive oil in a slow, steady stream and blend on medium speed until the oil is thoroughly incorporated. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper, and add more of the lemon juice to taste if desired. Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with the 1 Tbs. reserved chickpeas and lemon zest.
To make the tzatziki, in a bowl, stir together the labneh, cucumber, garlic, dill, lemon zest, 1/2 tsp. sea salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer the tzatziki to a serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with the sumac and garnish with the pomegranate seeds and dill sprigs.
To make the harissa-lemon hummus, put the tahini in a Vitamix blender. With the blender running on high speed, add the ice water in a slow, steady stream and blend until smooth and velvety, about 2 minutes. Add the chickpeas, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, harissa, cumin and 3/4 tsp. salt and blend on high speed until the desired texture is reached. Taste and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice and salt. Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with the 1 Tbs. reserved chickpeas and a sprinkling of harissa.
Place the dips on a platter, arrange the crudités alongside and serve. Serves 12.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen