Beets and hazelnuts are such a delicious flavor combination and they come together here for a vibrant, winter dip! Sweet, earthy beets, rich, nutty hazelnuts, and bright citrus get blended until smooth and topped with crunchy hazelnuts and plenty of olive oil. I love this the most smeared onto crostini as an appetizer, but it could also be a part of your Holiday dinner spread as a delicious sauce to put on anything!
Ingredient highlight
Beets! Are a really great source of folic acid, fiber, and potassium. The deep purple color comes from betacyanin, which, in combination with the fiber content, has shown to be protective against colon cancer.
Beets also contain nitrates that our bodies convert to nitric oxide, which has a blood dilating effect. This is why runners and endurance athletes love beets – they may increase our endurance!
Servings 2 cups
Prep Time 15 minutes Ingredients
- 3 medium (about 1 lb) beets, cooked, roots trimmed and peeled*
- ½ cup toasted hazelnuts, plus more roughly chopped for topping
- Zest from 1 lemon +/or 1 orange (optional)
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice**
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- ¼-½ tsp kosher salt**
- Black pepper
- Olive oil
Serving ideas:
- Slices of toasted baguette (crostini), crackers or pita chips, sliced radish, endive spears, carrot sticks.
- *I find the best way to cook beets for the best flavor is to roast them whole, but you’re welcome to buy them already cooked or steam them! See roasting instructions under instructions.
- **I put a range for lemon and salt because depending on how big your beets are, you’ll want to add more or less. So, as always, taste and add more of either of those things!
- Note: ~ for a garlicky kick, add 1 clove before blending.
Instructions
- In a high-speed blender or food processor, add the beets, ½ cup toasted hazelnuts, citrus zest (if using), orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, and salt.
- Blend, starting at a low speed and increasing to a higher speed until the mixture is smooth. Taste and add more salt or lemon, if needed.
- Serve the beet dip topped with chopped hazelnuts, olive oil, and black pepper. You could also sprinkle goat cheese on top, if you have any.
How to roast whole beets:
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the beets on a piece of tinfoil large enough to wrap the beets in. Drizzle them with a bit of oil, then fold the tinfoil over to create an airtight sealed pouch. Alternatively you can wrap each beet tightly in tinfoil. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 40-70 minutes, depending on the size. You’ll know it’s done when you can easily pierce it with a knife. Let cool until it’s cool enough to handle, then use your hands or a knife to peel off the skin and trim off the root. Cut the beets into quarters. If you let the beets cool overnight, they will be much easier to peel by hand the next day.
How to make crostini:
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Arrange the slices of baguette on a baking sheet. Brush lightly with olive oil on one side. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until just beginning to turn golden brown on the edges. Let cool.
How to toast hazelnuts:
- Roast raw hazelnuts in a 350F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until they start to turn golden and become very fragrant (sometimes this can take up to 20 minutes, depending on the oven). Let cool for a bit, then add to the center of a kitchen towel, gather it up to seal, and rub the nuts around to get most of the skins off.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Roast/cook 3 medium beets
- Toast 1 cup hazelnuts
- Make the dip
Substitutions:
- Easily sub the hazelnuts with toasted pecans or walnuts.
- To make nut-free, try using toasted pumpkin seeds.
- Skip the orange juice and stick to just lemon.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Use leftovers as a sauce for bowls. I love smearing leftover sauce on the bottom of a bowl and topping with roasted veggies and protein for a delicious bowl.
- Stir yogurt into leftovers for a yogurt beet dip.
- Spread it onto sandwiches.
Servings 2 cups Prep Time 15 minutes Ingredients
- 3 medium (about 1 lb) beets, cooked, roots trimmed and peeled*
- ½ cup toasted hazelnuts, plus more roughly chopped for topping
- Zest from 1 lemon +/or 1 orange (optional)
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice**
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- ¼-½ tsp kosher salt**
- Black pepper
- Olive oil
Serving ideas:
- Slices of toasted baguette (crostini), crackers or pita chips, sliced radish, endive spears, carrot sticks.
- *I find the best way to cook beets for the best flavor is to roast them whole, but you’re welcome to buy them already cooked or steam them! See roasting instructions under instructions.
- **I put a range for lemon and salt because depending on how big your beets are, you’ll want to add more or less. So, as always, taste and add more of either of those things!
- Note: ~ for a garlicky kick, add 1 clove before blending.
Instructions
- In a high-speed blender or food processor, add the beets, ½ cup toasted hazelnuts, citrus zest (if using), orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, and salt.
- Blend, starting at a low speed and increasing to a higher speed until the mixture is smooth. Taste and add more salt or lemon, if needed.
- Serve the beet dip topped with chopped hazelnuts, olive oil, and black pepper. You could also sprinkle goat cheese on top, if you have any.
How to roast whole beets:
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the beets on a piece of tinfoil large enough to wrap the beets in. Drizzle them with a bit of oil, then fold the tinfoil over to create an airtight sealed pouch. Alternatively you can wrap each beet tightly in tinfoil. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 40-70 minutes, depending on the size. You’ll know it’s done when you can easily pierce it with a knife. Let cool until it’s cool enough to handle, then use your hands or a knife to peel off the skin and trim off the root. Cut the beets into quarters. If you let the beets cool overnight, they will be much easier to peel by hand the next day.
How to make crostini:
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Arrange the slices of baguette on a baking sheet. Brush lightly with olive oil on one side. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until just beginning to turn golden brown on the edges. Let cool.
How to toast hazelnuts:
- Roast raw hazelnuts in a 350F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until they start to turn golden and become very fragrant (sometimes this can take up to 20 minutes, depending on the oven). Let cool for a bit, then add to the center of a kitchen towel, gather it up to seal, and rub the nuts around to get most of the skins off.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Roast/cook 3 medium beets
- Toast 1 cup hazelnuts
- Make the dip
Substitutions:
- Easily sub the hazelnuts with toasted pecans or walnuts.
- To make nut-free, try using toasted pumpkin seeds.
- Skip the orange juice and stick to just lemon.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Use leftovers as a sauce for bowls. I love smearing leftover sauce on the bottom of a bowl and topping with roasted veggies and protein for a delicious bowl.
- Stir yogurt into leftovers for a yogurt beet dip.
- Spread it onto sandwiches.
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