Anna Jones’s seasonal beetroot recipes | The modern cook (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to cook fresh beetroot? ›

Wash the beets gently, making sure that you don't tear the skins, then place in a pan of warm water, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until tender – around 20–30 minutes. Alternatively, you can steam whole beetroot or bake them in the oven for 2–3 hours at 150°C/gas mark 2.

To achieve the cardiovascular health benefits of consuming dietary nitrate, you can eat cooked or raw beets as well as getting dietary nitrate from other green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and lettuce.

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.

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.

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.

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. Add some hazelnuts and you're in heaven.

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

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.

Pairing beetroot with acidic components like red wine vinegar or citrus fruits like oranges can work beautifully. These can amplify its rich depth.

The two flavours meld together beautifully. I serve a beet and horseradish relish with freshly roasted beef. The same relish is excellent on a sandwich with thinly sliced beef and a little mayo. i also serve boiled beets with lemon juice and butter as a side dish with roar beef.

What is the most effective way to consume beetroot? ›

Eating beets raw or juicing and roasting them may be more beneficial than boiling them. Beetroots, commonly known as beets, are a vibrant and versatile type of vegetable. They're known for their earthy flavor and aroma. Many people call them a superfood because of their rich nutritional profile.

To boil beetroot, bring a pot of salted water to the boil. You can add some aromatics if you like, such as thyme, sage or garlic. Add whole, scrubbed beetroot to the water and cook until the beetroot is tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size.

Raw beets contain more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants than cooked beets (yes, you can eat beets raw!). Like many vegetables, the longer you cook beets—especially in water—the more the colorful phytonutrients leach out of the food and into the water.

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.

Roasting beets deepens their natural sugars while tempering bitterness. Bake whole, wrapped beets at 400°F for 60-75 minutes until easily pierced by a fork. Allow to cool before peeling and juicing. Incorporating roasted beets creates a smoother, mellower, almost nutty-flavored blended juice.