If you’re curious about trying a beet but have heard that they have an unpleasant taste, or are simply put off by their appearance, then our article will set the record straight on what beets actually taste like!
Beets have firm flesh and their color ranges from a deep red to deep purple, although some beets can have yellow or white flesh, and this can have an effect on the overall taste. For instance, golden beets are often slightly sweeter than red or purple beetroots.
Overall, beets have an earthy and somewhat sweet taste that makes them great in salads, whipped up into soup, or roasted as a unique side dish. Beets can also be fermented to make a popular probiotic drink called beet kvass.
But no matter how you consume beets, they are a tasty and healthy way to add flavor and vibrancy to a dish.
What Are Beets?
Beetroots are – as the name would suggest – root vegetables that are members of the Chenopodiaceae family that includes quinoa, spinach, and Swiss chard. Beetroot was traditionally grown in temperate climates in Europe, but is now grown all over the world.
Beets thrive in sandy, well-drained soil with exposure to full sun. Beets can also be used as a natural food coloring as well as juiced. If you want to give your salads extra crunch, we recommend beet greens.
Beets are also an excellent source of nutrients such as vitamins A and C, folate, and fiber, as well as nitrates that can reduce blood pressure.
Beets are also popular in European cuisine, Middle Eastern cuisine, and Indian cuisine. Plus, beets are fat-free and low in calories, so it’s an amazing component to a healthy diet.
Why Do Some Beets Taste Like Dirt?
There are a couple of reasons why beets can taste like dirt. One reason is that beets are full of geosmins, which is a compound that gives soil its earthy smell.
When rain falls on dry soil, it releases geosmin into the air, and this is why the smell of rain also has an earthy aroma. Beets are also full of other compounds that make them taste like dirt, such as beta-ionone and alpha-ionone.
Are Beets Good For You?
Beets are amazing sources of many vitamins and minerals like manganese and potassium, making them a valuable vegetable to have in your diet. Plus, beets are also a natural source of betaine, which is believed to reduce chances of developing heart disease.
Beets are also believed to be beneficial for exercise as the nitric oxide in beets boosts blood flow.
Is It Safe To Eat Beet Skin?
While it is safe to eat beet skin, most people would rather peel the skin off.
Is It Safe To Eat Raw Beets?
Yes, it is safe to eat raw beets, although the earthy taste of beets will be much more powerful when consumed raw.
How Do You Cook Beets?
While it may seem challenging to cook beets, it’s actually a lot easier than it looks! Below you’ll find five easy steps to cooking beets.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Step 2: Thoroughly wash the beets and cut off any leafy greens.
Step 3: Cut the beets up into uniform pieces so they’ll cook evenly.
Step 4:Put the beets on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil. For extra taste, add a couple sprigs of rosemary and some garlic cloves.
Step 5: Roast the beets in the oven for 30–40 minutes until tender.
Step 6: Take the beets out of the oven and allow them to cool before you peel them and serve.
How Should You Store Beets?
It’s important to store beets in dry conditions and away from light. However, you can store beets in the fridge for a maximum of two weeks.
How Should You Freeze Beets?
Beets can be frozen for a maximum of 6 months, and can be done following these three easy steps.
Step 1: Cut off the leaves and clean the roots.
Step 2: Dice or cut the beets into slices before placing them in a freezer bag or airtight container.
Step 3: Write the date that you’re freezing the beets on the container, or label them with the date.
How Do You Pickle Beets?
For more long-term storage, you can also pickle beets following these three easy steps. It’s important to note that the taste of pickled beets will differ depending on the pickling process.
Step 1: Wash the beets before quartering them or cutting them into slices.
Step 2: Put the beets in a container or jar with salt, spices, sugar, vinegar, and water.
Step 3: Make sure you sterilize the jar before the ingredients are added. You can store pickled beets in the fridge for a maximum of 6 months.
Final Thoughts
We hope our article has given you an idea of what beets taste like, so you’re well-prepared when you taste them for the first time! If you like the taste of beets, we also hope that our tips on cooking and storing beets were useful too!
Have you ever made something so delicious that you wished you could savor it forever?
Only to find that the recipe has now mysteriously vanished from your phone and the entirety of the internet. Yep, there’s not much more painful than that.
Hi, my name is Mark Williams and I have been infatuated with cooking since I was young. I would beg my mother to pull a chair up to the counter so I could watch what she was doing.
