Equipment
Ingredients
Quick Pickled Red Onions
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 120 ml apple cider vinegar
- 120 ml water, warm
- 10 g granulated sugar
- 5 g fine sea salt
Roasted Beetroot
- 500 g beetroot, peeled and diced into 1.5cm cubes
- 15 ml olive oil
- 3 g ground cumin
- 2 g ground coriander
- 3 g fine sea salt
Beetroot Hummus
- 240 g canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 45 g tahini, well stirred
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 garlic, roughly chopped
- 30 ml olive oil
- 30 ml ice water
Taco Assembly
- 8 corn tortillas
- 50 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 10 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 20 g pumpkin seeds, toasted
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 255 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 30 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 598 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 6 mg
- Potassium
- 387 mg
- Calcium
- 96 mg
- Iron
- 2.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 66 mg
- Phosphorus
- 235 mg
- Zinc
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 14 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 7 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 9 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.15 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.10 mg
- Niacin
- 0.8 mg
- Folate
- 97 mcg
- Water
- 119 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine the warm water, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl or jar. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve, then add the thinly sliced red onion. Press the onions down so they are fully submerged. Set aside at room temperature to pickle.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and staining.
Place the diced beetroot on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 15ml of olive oil, sprinkle with the ground cumin, ground coriander, and salt, then toss thoroughly until the cubes are evenly coated.
Roast the beetroot in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, tossing halfway through, until the cubes are tender when pierced with a fork and the edges have begun to caramelize. Remove from the oven and measure out 100 grams of the roasted beetroot to use for the hummus. Leave the remaining beetroot on the tray to keep warm.
In a food processor, combine the drained chickpeas, the 100 grams of reserved roasted beetroot, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and 30ml of olive oil. Process for 1 minute until a coarse paste forms.
With the food processor continuously running, slowly pour the ice water through the feed tube. Continue to blend for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary, until the hummus becomes exceptionally smooth, light, and airy.
Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Warm the corn tortillas for 20 to 30 seconds per side until they become pliable, fragrant, and develop slight char marks. Wrap them immediately in a clean kitchen towel to steam and stay warm.
To build the tacos, spread a generous, swooping tablespoon of the vibrant beetroot hummus across each warm tortilla. Top with the remaining warm roasted beetroot cubes. Drain a few strands of pickled red onion and add them to the taco, finishing with a sprinkle of crumbled feta, fresh cilantro, and toasted pumpkin seeds.
Chef's Notes
- Using ice water in your hummus is a professional secret; it helps emulsify the tahini and olive oil, resulting in a significantly smoother and fluffier texture similar to whipped cream.
- Beetroot bleeds heavily. Wear an apron and use a plastic or non-porous cutting board to prevent bright pink stains on wooden surfaces.
- For the most vibrant hummus color, allow the roasted beetroot to cool for a few minutes before blending. Extreme heat can dull the bright magenta pigments.
- Reserve the chickpea liquid (aquafaba) from the can. It can be stored in the fridge and whipped into a vegan meringue or used as a foaming agent in cocktails.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store components separately. Hummus and roasted beets keep well; tortillas should be stored dry.
Freezer: 1 month — Hummus can be frozen, but the texture may alter slightly upon thawing. Do not freeze pickled onions or fresh garnishes.
Reheating: Warm the roasted beetroot in a skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Warm tortillas individually in a dry pan.
Troubleshooting
Hummus is grainy, heavy, or split
Cause: Insufficient blending time or lack of cold liquid to properly emulsify the tahini and oil
Fix: Add an extra 15ml of ice cold water to the processor and blend on high for another 2 minutes until it aerates.
Prevention: Ensure you are using ice cold water and blending for at least 3 minutes continuously
Tortillas crack and break when folded
Cause: Tortillas were not heated thoroughly or were allowed to dry out
Fix: Return cracked tortillas to a slightly damp pan for 10 seconds, though severe cracks cannot be perfectly fixed.
Prevention: Heat them until they puff slightly and immediately steam them inside a clean towel
Cultural Context
This recipe embodies the vibrant intersection of Middle Eastern and Mexican culinary traditions, a hallmark of modern fusion street food. Tacos act as a versatile edible canvas, adopting the earthy sweetness of Levantine-inspired beetroot hummus while maintaining the essential acidic bite and structural integrity of traditional Mexican antojitos through the corn tortilla and pickled onions.
