Raise your hand if you love neon pink! Anyone? Bueller? Oookay, just me. How about this as a compromise? Naturally neon pink Beet Tahini Crostini. That’s more like it!
I kind of say this every year, but this summer has been pretty epic. It has been balmy by Austin standards (in the 90s!) so we’ve spent the days on boats, patio happy hours, parties galore and of course plenty of frolicking.
(Ooh baby!)
A few weeks ago, I found myself in a little funk. Which is weird for me. I’m pretty much always happy. What is this??? So I went back to my life philosophies: Do only things that bring you joy, rid yourself of negative people, live as if age doesn’t matter. Have. Fun. Always. Be. Awesome! Much better! So then I did the only thing I could think of. I splashed some bourbon in my coffee and whipped up these crostini.
My friends at Soom Foods (a trio of lovely sisters. And Jews!) sent me their tahini (and chocolate tahini!) to try. Whoa, this stuff sure is silky and delicious. Tahini (sesame paste) is a key ingredient in hummus, but there is no reason you can’t use it in everything!
I immediately thought of the beets I had in my fridge and made a little crostini topping. Crostini is a fancy word for stuff on toasted bread. Yum!
How gorgeous!
I combined the roasted beets with tahini, Greek yogurt, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.
I ate some with a spoon (quality control of course) and then the rest went on my toasted baguettes!
Pretty in pink. With a hint of green and brown! Perfect for your next happy hour, theme party, or just because crostini is happiness.
Beet Tahini Crostini
Ingredients
- 3 medium beets
- 1 baguette cut into 1/2 inch slices
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt I used 2%
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped walnuts for garnish
- Basil cut into a chiffonade, for garnish
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Place beets on a sheet of aluminum foil and then drizzle with salt, pepper and olive oil. Wrap tightly in the foil. Then cook for 1 hour in the oven until beets are fork tender.
- While beets are cooling, lower oven to 350 degrees F. Place sliced baguette on a foil line cooking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes or until browned. Immediately rub baguettes with one clove of garlic.
- When beets are cool, peel and place in a food processor with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 garlic clove, red wine vinegar, tahini, and Greek yogurt. Process and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spread beet mixture on baguette slices and garnish with walnuts and basil. Goat cheese would be delicious on here too!
I am a dork when it comes to cooking with beets. They always look white to me. How do I pick the ones that turn the terrific purple and pink colors? Did you peel your beets before you roasted them? It look that way in the pictures, but then it did not specify in the recipe.
Thanks so much!
-Monica
(MOT in Dallas!)
Well there are different varieties of beets, maybe you are buying yellow ones? There are purple and pink ones too! I peeled mine after roasting to maintain more of the color, but you can do either. Thanks!
awesome idea! looks so delicious and that beetroot colour looks divine.. love it!
Thanks, Thalia!!
Why aren’t your recipes kosher? With the title I expected that. Do you ever offer recipes that you suggest an alternative ingredient to make them kosher? Sara
Hi Sara- what about this recipe isn’t kosher? I don’t keep kosher personally, but I don’t have pork or shellfish on my blog and always give alternatives to the few unkosher recipes.