Ghastly Beet Hummus Halloween Appetizer Recipe

This ghastly beet hummus with ghost pita chips puts a colorful twist on a traditional Middle Eastern dish to create a spooky Halloween-themed appetizer. With a lovely dark magenta color derived naturally from beets, this easy appetizer also happens to be a nutrition powerhouse. According to Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table, not only do beets add vibrant color, but they are also high in nutrients like fiber, manganese, potassium, and vitamin C.

When beets are blended into a dip with chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and seasonings, they give the hummus a rich purple hue that is perfectly ghastly. Serve this dip with pita chips cut into the shape of ghosts, and you've got yourself a frightfully cute pairing fit for kids and adults alike.

Beet hummus allows you to tap into your inner Halloween spirit with a dip that is equally fun, festive, and delicious. With just a few common pantry ingredients, you can easily whip up this creepy-crawly Halloween riff on the classic chickpea dip.

The ingredients needed for the ghastly beet hummus include beets, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and salt. The beets will provide vibrant color, earthy flavor, and nutrients to the hummus. Chickpeas are the primary ingredient and will give it a creamy texture. Tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and salt are used to flavor and blend the hummus into a smooth spread.

To make spooky pita ghost chips, you will need pita rounds, extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. For topping options, you may want fresh parsley leaves for garnish, pomegranate seeds to add colorful pops of flavor, and flaky sea salt or freshly ground black pepper for seasoning. Once you have these ingredients on hand you can easily make this Halloween-inspired twist on traditional hummus.

Preheat the oven to 425 F and prep a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Split the pita into single rounds.

Brush each with extra virgin olive oil, season with kosher salt and a pinch of black pepper.

Using a ghost-shaped cookie cutter, cut several ghost shapes out of each pita round. If your cookie cutter doesn't cut cleanly through, use the cutter to outline the shape and then cut off the excess with scissors.

Place ghost-shaped pitas on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes until crispy and golden brown.

While the pita chips are baking, make the hummus. In a food processor, combine the cooked beets, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil, and ½ teaspoon salt.

Blend until smooth. Add water as needed if it's too thick. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Spoon hummus onto a plate or bowl, for serving. 

Arrange your spooky pita chips around the ghastly beet hummus.

To serve, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley and pomegranate seeds for garnish. Top with flaky sea salt and black pepper.

If you don't have tahini, you have a couple options for substitutes in this hummus. You can use either smooth peanut butter or almond butter, which will help creamily bind the hummus ingredients in the same way that tahini does. Both nut butters will add their own rich flavor to complement the beets and chickpeas. Simply use the same quantity as the tahini listed. 

Another option is to increase the amount of olive oil used. If you add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil along with the lemon juice, it can help give the hummus a creamy, spreadable texture without drastically changing the flavor profile. The extra olive oil will help bind the ingredients together in place of the tahini. While tahini certainly adds its own unique flavor, these substitutions allow you to still enjoy a nicely textured beet hummus without it. 

You can prepare the ghastly beet hummus in advance for a Halloween get-together. The beet hummus can be stored safely in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, just be sure to transfer it to an airtight container after blending and thoroughly stir it again before serving. If you make it ahead of time it will even taste better, as the flavors will continue to blend the longer it sits in the fridge. 

You can also make the pita chips a day ahead and keep them in a cookie jar or an airtight container. When you're ready to serve this appetizer, just pull the dip from the refrigerator, surround it with pita chips, and you'll have a festive dip that requires no additional work when your guests arrive. You can also save time by using store-bought pita chips instead of making your own ghost-shaped pita chips. You can improvise with whatever chips you have on hand so that you can enjoy this Halloween appetizer without fussing over homemade components.