Our 30 Best Beet Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the tastiest way to eat beets? ›

Delicious. Roasted with goat cheese. – The classic, all-time favorite preparation. Roast beets until they are tender and juicy, then eat them with some spicy greens and piquant goat cheese.

Steaming beets is a healthful cooking method because they retain most of their vitamins and minerals—they're not boiled out in water—and stay incredibly vibrant. Plus, steaming small beets or beet quarters is quick and easy for weeknights.

Sometimes beets are peeled before cooking. They may also be scrubbed and cooked until tender with their skins on; the skins slip off fairly easily after cooling. (Some people are happy to leave the skins on; they are fine to eat.) You can also pickle cooked beets.

Roast beets in foil to keep them juicy

The foil also prevents the beets from drying out and burning, allowing them to caramelize and intensify in flavor. To make simple roasted beets, remove the greens and wash the bulbs while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roasting beets gives them a sweeter, richer, and deeper flavor than boiling does.

Cure your vegetables as you would a piece of meat for a couple of days. This can be achieved by rubbing the vegetable or mushroom with salt at a concentration of 1.75% of the vegetable's weight, wrapping it tightly in plastic or vacuum sealing it, and letting it sit in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Beets are naturally sweet and earthy, making them a versatile vegetable to incorporate into your meals. By adding vinegar to the boiling process, you can elevate the flavors of beets and give them a delightful tangy kick.

Flavors that pair well with roasted beets:

Balsamic vinegar, as well as red wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar. Black pepper. Carrots. Creamy cheese and dairy, including feta, goat cheese, blue cheese, ricotta, crème fraîche, sour cream and plain yogurt.

Aita's favorite (and least messy) way to make beets is to roast them under a thick layer of salt. The salt draws out moisture, which will reduce the amount of juice, he explains. To do it, you'll need about a pound of kosher salt for every pound of beets you use.

You can even enjoy them raw, either sliced thinly or grated. Choose beets that feel heavy for their size with fresh, unwilted green leafy tops still attached, if possible. Because dietary nitrates are water-soluble, it's best to avoid boiling beets if you'd like to maximize their nitrate content.

How long do beets last in the fridge? ›

Store beets in a plastic bag in the refrigerator at or below 41 °F for 7 to 10 days. Beets may be frozen for up to ten months. For best quality and nutritive value, preserve only what your family can consume in 12 months. Select deep, uniformly red, tender, young beets, no more than 3 inches across.

Beets are naturally high in nitrates, which are turned into nitric oxide in the body. This compound lowers blood pressure by causing the blood vessels to relax and widen.

Steaming in the oven rather than baking helps preserve more of the healthy vitamins and minerals in beets. This method also helps beets better retain their beautiful, vibrant color.

Pair them with bright, fresh flavors- By adding vinegar, lemon juice, fresh herbs, tangy cheese or yogurt to your dish, you will help balance the flavor. This is why you commonly see roasted beets and goat cheese together.

Cooking beets won't give you the same health benefits because heat destroys betalain pigments and hampers nitrates, but it's still good for your health. To preserve the maximum health benefits, grate raw beets into salads or steam/roast beets just long enough to tenderize them.

White Detroit beet roots. White beet varieties are also known as albino beets or sugar beets since they are sweeter than their red, golden, and multicolored counterparts. Sugar from these beets is refined in much the same way as sugar from sugarcane, producing an indistinguishable product.

Below are my favorite ways to cook beets including steamed, boiled, or roasted beets! Beets are one of my favorite vegetables and can be enjoyed hot as a side dish or chilled in a salad. They're easy to cook and jam-packed with flavor!