A.K.A

beetroot

What is it?

Full of sweetness and saturated color, beets become tender and full-flavored when cooked—an ideal ingredient for salads, side dishes, and soups. And although we think of beets mainly as root vegetables, in truth, the whole plant is edible. You can use the small, tender leaves raw in salads, and sauté, or braise the larger leaves as you would Swiss chard or kale. While most of us are familiar with red-purple beets, there are also golden and striped beets (the latter known asChioggia beets), as well as white ones. Your best bet for finding such varieties is at the farmer’s market.Baby beetsare beets harvested when young. These tiny beets will cook more quickly.

How to choose:

Look for smooth skins and tails that aren’t too shaggy. If the greens are attached, that’s a good sign of freshness in general, but look specifically for the bunch with the brightest and greenest leaves.

How to prep:

Leave beets whole and unpeeled when boiling or steaming to retain their juices. After they’re cooked, the skins rub off easily with a paper towel. For roasting, peel and cut them first so they get nice and browned. Consider wearing plastic gloves when handling beets, especially cooked ones, as their juices can stain hands, as well as dish towels, cutting boards, and counters.

How to store:

Kept in a cool place, beets will last for weeks. Store both roots and leaves in a loosely closed plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

Recipes

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  Recipe

  Salad of Frisée, Fuji Apple, and Marinated Beets

  The beet “noodles”—long, spaghetti-like strips of the root vegetable—are increasingly available at supermarkets and add to this salad’s festive feel.

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  Recipe

  Beet-Berry Smoothie Bowl

  This beautiful red bowl packs a nutritional punch with help from the beets, hemp seeds, and yogurt. If you don’t like the texture of raw beets, steam them before adding…

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  Recipe

  Sunny Side Up Aussie Lamb Burgers with Roasted Root Vegetables

  This burger is bursting with bright colors and flavors, from the tangy pickled red onions to the sweet roasted vegetables, savory lamb and a rich sunny-side-up egg topping it all…

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  Recipe

  Salmon Lox with Onion Jam and Avocado

  A traditional beet cure (also called gravlax) gives the salmon a beautiful jewel-toned gradation of color that adds a real wow factor when serving.

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  Recipe

  Roasted Beet Gnocchi with Brown Butter-Sage Sauce

  These gnocchi have a subtle beet flavor that’s a little earthy and a little sweet. The simple brown butter sage sauce shows off the gnocchi’s vibrant hue.

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  Recipe

  Sweet-and-Sour Pickled Beets with Spring Onions

  These beautiful magenta pickles, spiced with juniper, clove, bay leaf, and cinnamon, are delicious alongside simple roast chicken or fish. Spring onions will lend a mild onion flavor, while scallions…

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  Recipe

  Chopped Roasted Beet and Blue Cheese Salad

  Fresh dill, bright scallions, and a tangy vinaigrette breathe new life into the classic combination of beets and blue cheese. Dill sprouts, available at some specialty markets, add an extra…

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  Recipe

  Beet and Ricotta Gnocchi

  These beautiful gnocchi show off a rich red color. The flavor of the gnocchi is earthy but not intensely beet-y, and the texture is soft and delicate. They pair well…