People either love or hate beets. I personally love them. But, I have met people who swear they taste like dirt. If you are an avid dirt eater or reside in camp “I love beets,” then here’s a couple of tips for ways to use them up or preserve them:
Preserving
- The great thing about beets is that they store reaaaallly, reaaaally well. So, preserving them becomes just about storing them in a way that they won’t go bad before the next growing season comes around and you can replenish your stocks. I’ve written an entire post on storing them, so just clickety click on the link above to find out the details.
- Can them. Pickled beets are basically awesome. They are easy to make, but be aware, you need to let them sit in their jars for about 2 months before cracking them open to get all of the flavors to come out.
- Freeze them. This is a great option if you want to roast them in meals throughout the winter. To freeze them, just trim the tops, cook them in boiling water for about 30 minutes–a little longer if they are larger beets. Then peel them {remove the stem and tap root if you haven’t already}, then slice or cube them. Lay them out on a cookie tray flat to freeze {that way they don’t stick together}. Once they are frozen all of the way through, put them into freezer safe bags and store them in the freezer until you are ready to eat ’em up.
- Make dehydrated beet chips. Want to healthify your chips? Beet chips are the way to go. Just wash the beets really well, cut off tops and roots, then slice them. The food processor works best if you have one. Then, toss them in a little olive oil and salt {or whatever seasonings float your boat} and lay them flat on dehydrator trays {or cookie sheets if using the oven}. Let them dry for about 10-12 hours. If you are using the oven, do the same at 140 degrees. When you are done, store them in an airtight container.
Ways to Enjoy Them Fresh
- For a quick and easy appetizer, try Roasted Red Beet & White Bean Hummus. It’s like a nutritional powerhouse dip that you can serve with veggies or tortilla chips.
- Roasted Beet Salad with Oranges and Walnuts might seem like a weird combination, but I promise, it is delicious. This cold salad on a warm day is a perfect side dish.
- Grated Raw Beet Salad is an easy way to whip up a side dish with minimal prep work.
- If you want to taper down the “beet” flavor try mixing it them with potatoes. This Roasted Beet, Potato, and Walnut Salad does an amazing job of combining all of the flavors.
How about YOU, what is your favorite way to enjoy beets?
~Mavis
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Kayla says
Try mashed, cooked beets with pureed strawberries. Dehydrate and make fruit leather. It makes the leather really red and my kids happily eat it.
Lisa L says
I love Beets! And I do think they taste like dirt, but it a good way. Earthy and real.
GBMAXX says
Today I love beets. For over forty years I hated beets, because all I ever had was those crapy canned beets as a kid. Yes they tasted like dirt and something worse! They my lovely wife and I went out for an anniversary dinner while we were in Pittsburgh. I ordered a salad with dinner and it came sliced roasted beets drizzled with olive oil. From that moment on, I have been hooked on their earthy goodness. I love beets, but there pretty pricy around here.
Amanda @ centsiblyrich says
I usually pickle the beets, but didn’t want to take the time with my latest round, so I just boiled and sliced them, then I cooked an onion in butter until translucent and added the cooked sliced beets with a little salt and pepper. My daughter who “hates” beets ate them this way.