Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim beet greens and scrub beets. Wrap each beet in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast 45–60 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife. Allow to cool slightly, then peel with your hands or a paring knife and roughly chop. Measure 2 cups chopped for the recipe.

In a food processor or high-speed blender add the roasted chopped beets, drained chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic clove, ground cumin, 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt and black pepper.

Pulse to combine, then blend continuously. While blending, add 1 tablespoon of reserved chickpea liquid or water at a time (up to 3 tablespoons) until the hummus reaches a smooth, creamy consistency. Scrape down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust: add more salt, lemon, or cumin if desired.

Transfer hummus to a shallow serving bowl and use the back of a spoon to make a shallow well in the center for garnish.

Feta Finish & Garnish

Crumble 1/2 cup feta evenly over the hummus, focusing some into the center well. Drizzle 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over the hummus and feta. Sprinkle chopped dill or parsley if using. Optionally crack a little fresh black pepper over the top.

Crisps & Veggies for Serving

Prepare pita: heat a skillet over medium-high or preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). If frying: heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet until shimmering, then fry pita wedges 1–2 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Drain briefly on paper towels and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. If baking: brush pita wedges with olive oil, sprinkle salt, and bake 8–10 minutes until crisp.

Wash and cut cucumber, celery, and carrots into sticks for dipping. Arrange the vegetables and pita crisps around the serving bowl of hummus.

Serve: place the hummus bowl on a platter with the pita crisps and vegetable sticks. Encourage guests to scoop hummus topped with feta and olive oil onto pita or veggies.