16 of the Best-Ever Beet Recipes (2024)

There are many delicious methods for preparing beets, from roasting to pickling to eating them raw, steamed, or sautéed. And thanks to its sweet-but-earthy flavor, this root veggie pairs well with plenty of foods and seasons. They taste (and look) just as perfect sliced and served on top of a spring salad as they do slow-roasted next to a pork tenderloin with potatoes.

We've rounded up some of our favorite easy-to-make beet recipes that you can serve at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even dessert. FYI: Beets are delicious baked into muffins with tahini. If you didn't know, now you know.

This Clever Cooking Trick Will Seriously Upgrade Your Roasted Vegetables

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German Beet-and-Potato Salad

16 of the Best-Ever Beet Recipes (1)

To make the base dressing for this take on German potato salad, mix apple cider vinegar with whole grain mustard, and then add beets for a hit of color (and something fresh). Don't skip the bacon: it adds rich, salty flavor that perfectly balances out the acidic dressing. You can make this one ahead—it's even better the next day.

Get the recipe: German Beet-and-Potato Salad

02of 16

Smørrebrød With Yogurt, Beets, and Eggs

16 of the Best-Ever Beet Recipes (2)

Smørrebrød is an open-faced sandwich from Denmark, where densely seeded bread is slathered with butter and piled with artfully arranged toppings like pickled herring, cheese, eggs, and herbs. In this lighter version, yogurt swaps in for the butter, and a fresh marinated beet salad adds a deliciously refreshing twist. You'll finish the dish with jammy soft-cooked eggs and capers.

Get the recipe: Smørrebrød With Yogurt, Beets, and Eggs

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Cauliflower Rice "Risotto" With Beets

16 of the Best-Ever Beet Recipes (3)

This creamy, delicious risotto recipe does double duty as a healthy weeknight staple. The best part? It comes together in just 15 minutes.

Get the recipe: Cauliflower Rice "Risotto" With Beets

Beet Tahini Muffins

16 of the Best-Ever Beet Recipes (4)

Here, nutty tahini pairs with pure maple syrup for a delicious, delightful muffin recipe that no one will know is hiding a secret (healthy) ingredient: beets.

Get the Recipe: Beet Tahini Muffins

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Marinated Beet Toasts With Yogurt

16 of the Best-Ever Beet Recipes (5)

This recipe for marinated beet and yogurt toasts is super easy to prepare. Simply combine Greek yogurt with horseradish, olive oil, salt, and pepper; and then divide it among toasted whole-grain bread slices. Top with each with marinated beets, radishes, and chives. It tastes as pretty as it looks.

Get the Recipe: Marinated Beet Toasts With Yogurt

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Beet-Pickled Eggs

16 of the Best-Ever Beet Recipes (6)

These beet-pickled eggs pair perfectly with traditional ingredients you'd serve on a charcuterie board—like salty cheeses, sausages, fresh-cut stone fruits, and any snappy summer crudité you like.

Get the recipe: Beet-Pickled Eggs

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Beets, Spinach, and Goat Cheese Sandwich

16 of the Best-Ever Beet Recipes (7)

If your beets come with beet greens, use them instead of the spinach in the recipe.

Get the recipe.

08of 16

Beet Pasta With Hazelnuts and Beet Greens

The base for this colorful sauce comes from fresh beets that get cooked until tender. The hazelnuts and greens add depth and complexity to this naturally vegan recipe.

Get the recipe: Beet Pasta With Hazelnuts and Beet Greens

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Chilled Beets With Sour Cream

16 of the Best-Ever Beet Recipes (9)

For the prettiest dish, look for beets in an array of colors at your local farmers' market.

Get the recipe.

10of 16

Roasted Chicken and Beets With Couscous and Yogurt Sauce

16 of the Best-Ever Beet Recipes (10)

Roast the beets and chicken in the oven at the same time for a low-effort meal.

Get the recipe.

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Watercress, Beet, and Fennel Salad

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The tender roasted beets contrast nicely with the peppery watercress and crisp fennel.

Get the recipe.

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Watercress Salad With Beets and Feta

16 of the Best-Ever Beet Recipes (12)

Salty feta complements the sweet, earthy beets.

Get the recipe.

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Pork Chops With Roasted Beets and Oranges

16 of the Best-Ever Beet Recipes (13)

To minimize stains on your hands, use a paper towel to hold the beets as you peel them.

Get the recipe.

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Quinoa and Vegetable Salad With Tahini Dressing

16 of the Best-Ever Beet Recipes (14)

Yes, you can eat raw beets—just peel and coarsely grate them, then toss into a salad.

Get the recipe.

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Garden Dog

16 of the Best-Ever Beet Recipes (15)

Beets and hot dogs may seem like an odd combination, but the pickled vegetables add a lively zing.

Get the recipe.

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Poached Salmon Salad With Beets

16 of the Best-Ever Beet Recipes (16)

Make sure to slice the raw beets very thinly so they'll be tender enough to eat.

Get the recipe.

16 of the Best-Ever Beet Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What makes beets taste better? ›

From roasting and grilling to adding spices and glazes, there are many ways to elevate the flavor of beets. Pairing them with acidic, sweet, and salty ingredients, as well as various spices, can alter your perception of the humble vegetable for the better.

Why not peel beets before roasting? ›

No need to peel before or after baking. The skin, which is perfectly edible, just seems to disappear during the baking process. The trick to pan-roasted beets is to drop the temperature a bit. I always roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and pretty much all the other veggies at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Is it better to boil or roast beets? ›

My favorite way to cook beets is to roast them, which gives a sweeter, richer, and deeper flavor than boiling does. Another advantage is that they don't bleed as much, especially if they're roasted whole. Incidentally, to get beet stains off your hands, wet them, rub them with coarse salt, then wash with soap.

How to prepare beets healthy? ›

Roast Them

Roasting is an overall healthy cooking method with minimal vitamin loss, particularly vitamin C. Roasted beets are rich and sweet with slight mineral flavors. Remember to avoid long cooking times and high temperatures, as these can reduce nutrients. Try using smaller bulbs if you want to prepare them faster.

What is the most delicious way to eat beets? ›

You can use cooked beets in salads, to make hummus or to blend into smoothies. They can be diced for slaw, quartered for a grain bowl or mashed to make a dip or spread. Their thick and chewy texture is even great in a galette or quesadilla.

Why do I feel better after eating beets? ›

Red beets contain a group of phytonutrients — betalains — which support detoxification by pushing toxins out of your body. Betalains also have anti-inflammatory properties which can help reduce the chronic inflammation in the body (Clifford, A. et al.

What is the best cooking method for beets? ›

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. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place prepped beets and 3 tablespoons to ¼ cup water in a shallow baking dish.

How long do beets last in the fridge? ›

Do not trim the tail. 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.

Why do you soak beets? ›

It is the WSC content of beet pulp which is reduced in the soaking and rinsing process.

Is it good to drink the water after boiling beets? ›

Yes, you can. It's completely safe to drink water that has been used to boil beetroots.

Are roasted beets still healthy? ›

Some benefits of eating beets may include lower blood pressure and better athletic performance, among others. Eating beets raw or juicing and roasting them may be more beneficial than boiling them.

Should you salt the water when boiling beets? ›

How to Boil Beets. Trim the stems and greens off of the beets, then scrub the beets clean and place them in a large pot. Add 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar to the pot with 1 teaspoon salt, then fill the pot with water, enough to cover the beets.

How to make beets taste good? ›

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place each beet on a piece of foil. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap the beets in the foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast for 35 to 60 minutes, or until fork-tender.

What are the pros and cons of beets? ›

While it may seem like a good idea to have beets daily because of their benefits, you may need to exercise caution when eating them. Eating beets or drinking beet juice may lead to kidney stones, a potential food allergy, or stool or urine color changes.

How do you get the most benefits from beets? ›

Most studies on the health benefits of beets are based on drinking its juice, but beets also can be beneficial when consumed raw, in salads, boiled, baked, turned into chips or eaten dried. Beets can be pickled so they can be enjoyed year-round.

What gives beets their flavor? ›

Their “earthy” flavor comes from a compound called geosmin, which is also the same compound that we associate with the smell of “fresh rain” and “forest soil”. Some people are much more sensitive to this compound than others, that is why some people say they taste like dirt, and others love them.

What can I mix with beet juice to make it taste better? ›

For this juice recipe, we combine beets with lemon, ginger, and cucumber. Beets are sweet and earthy, lemon and ginger add zing, and the cucumber makes it super refreshing and hydrating. It's so delicious, I could drink it every day!

How to cook beets so they don't taste like dirt? ›

Try marinating them with citrus zest, garlic, scallion, vinegar, and again, plenty of salt. "Beets need a sharp, strong note," he explains, to both counteract and complement their muted, dirt-like undertones.

What flavors complement beets? ›

Herb & spice matches:
  • anise seeds (star anise)
  • basil.
  • caraway seeds.
  • chevril.
  • chives.
  • cumin.
  • curry powder.
  • dill.
Nov 18, 2015

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