Tips and Recipes for Enjoying Beets

Its scientific name is vulgar beta, and despite the fact that there are different varieties, the one we know and consume the most is precisely the one that in Chile we call table beets. It is characterized by the fact that it hides a fleshy fruit under the ground and has a powerful and dark red color.

It is a characteristic product of autumn-winter in this part of the world. Among other things, its consumption is recommended for its high content of vitamin B, magnesium and potassium, as well as its proven benefits for the control of blood pressure and the good digestion of food.

Thus, it is more than advisable to consume beets. But of course, in a simple salad, they can surely get boring. Well done, however, they are able to convince the most cunning palates. Therefore, here we will see different ways of cooking, preparing and combining beets.

Although it is a vegetable that is usually eaten cooked, the truth is that eating it raw is fine. You have to take some precautions, yes, when choosing beets that will then be consumed in this way. First, medium or small sized beets should be preferred, as they are usually more tender. And secondly, it is more than advisable to prepare them grated or cut very finely, because large pieces can be a little hard in the mouth. Recipes with raw beets? Here are two.

Beets and grated carrots (for two people)

—4 beets

—2 carrots

—Salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil

Wash the beets very well, dry them, peel them and grate them. Then put them in a bowl. Then do the same with the carrots, put them in the same bowl, and finally season with salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice to taste. Stir well and serve.

Beet carpaccio (for two people)

—4 beets

—100 grams of parmesan

—½ cup of capers

—Salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil

Wash the beets, dry them and peel them. Then, using a mandolin, cut them into very thin slices. Then arrange them on a very large low plate and place the capers on top plus the grated cheese. Finish by seasoning with salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon to taste. Serve immediately.

This is the most traditional and well-known way of preparing beets. This involves washing them to remove any excess soil and then putting them in a pot with cold water and a pinch of salt, where they will cook in a covered pot for about an hour, or until the beets be tender. Then drain them and let them cool before peeling them. From there, you can make any recipe, like the one below.

Beets with cucumber and onion (for two people)

—3 beets, cooked and peeled

—½ peeled white onion

—½ cucumber, washed

—¼ cup sesame seeds

—Salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil

Cut the beets into thin slices and arrange them on a large deep plate. Cut the cucumber into very thin slices and lay it on the beetroot. Cut the onion into thin rings and place them on the cucumber. Season with salt, pepper, vinegar (whatever you prefer) and olive oil. Decorate with sesame seeds on top and serve.

Personally, it seems to me that the best way to prepare beets is in the oven. As it is not in water, its flavor is very concentrated once cooked, in addition to being very easy: peel the beetroot and place it in a previously oiled oven dish. They are seasoned with salt, pepper and olive oil, to finally cover them with aluminum foil and bring them to the hot oven for half an hour or until tender. They are then left to cool to room temperature – although they can also be eaten warm – and are thus ready for any preparation.

Beets with grapefruit segments and goat cheese (for two people)

—3 roasted beets

—1 grapefruit, quartered

—100 gr. feta goat cheese

—½ cup cashews

—Salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and olive oil

Cut the roasted beets into quarters and put them in a bowl. Add the grapefruit wedges and crumble the goat cheese on top. Season with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and olive oil to taste. Add the cashews, mix well and serve.

The truth is that there are many salads made with beets. It is a question of thinking or simply of seeing what we have in the kitchen to embark on a preparation. Thus, we can find combinations such as beetroot/boiled egg/onion/coriander, beetroot/purple cabbage, beetroot/arugula/tuna or even beetroot/green apple. And so on. Just use your imagination and combine flavors and textures.

In general, the combination of salt, pepper, olive oil (or whatever you prefer) and vinegar is perfect for any beet salad. But you can also replace the wine (or sherry) vinegar with balsamic vinegar, or use a truffled balsamic reduction, for example. Others will prefer to use lemon juice. In the end, it’s a matter of taste. But beware: as the beet is sweet, you have to know if the guests want to enhance it with the vinaigrette or rather tone it down with something tangy. This will always be the key to choosing the dressing for this type of salad.

This chickpea-based cream, so characteristic of Middle Eastern cuisine, can also contain beets, although the result changes a lot. In flavor and, of course, in color.

beet hummus

—1 cup chickpeas, cooked and drained (they can be the canned ones)

—1 roasted or cooked beetroot

—1 garlic clove, peeled

—1 tablespoon of tahini

—½ teaspoon ground cumin

-Sesame seeds

—Salt, pepper and olive oil

In a food processor, put the chickpeas, the quartered beets, the clove of garlic and the tablespoon of tahini. Process until everything is finely ground. Season with salt, pepper and a good drizzle of olive oil. Keep mixing until you get a very smooth mixture; if it gets dry, just add a little water from the chickpea container and start again. Serve with a few sesame seeds on top and a few drops of olive oil.

Beets can also be used to make a good soup or a good cream. In fact, there is the very famous borscht, this vegetable-based soup typical of several Eastern European countries that has beetroot as its protagonist — or beetroot, as we say in Spain. Well, simpler than borscht is the following recipe.

beet cream

—2 cooked or roasted beets, quartered

—1 garlic clove, peeled

—1 onion, peeled and quartered

—1 cup vegetable broth

—Salt, pepper, sweet paprika and olive oil

In a large pot, heat a little olive oil and brown the cooked beets with the clove of garlic and the onion, season with salt and pepper. Once the mixture begins to color, add the sweet paprika and stir for a few minutes. Then add the vegetable broth, cover the pan and cook until everything softens. Finally, transfer the contents to a blender and, very carefully, process until it reaches a creamy consistency. Serve immediately with pumpkin seeds on top.

The beet is, so to speak, a cousin of the Swiss chard, a vegetable that we buy in Chile for different preparations. For the same reason, its leaves can be treated in the same way: wash them very well, to remove all the dirt they may bring, then use them without problems in salads, stews, tortillas and everything you want.

*Product prices in this article are current as of August 2, 2022. Values ​​and availability may change.