Beets are a cool season vegetable crop. This root veggie grows quickly and has many different varieties which showcase deep red, yellow or white bulbs of different shapes. They can survive frost and almost freezing temperatures, which makes them a good choice for northern gardeners and an excellent long-season crop. Don't throw away those green parts of the beet! You can use them in salads or cook them too. Here are two great recipes I found from Bon Appetit:
Marinated Beets with Pistachios and Taragon - Serves 6
- 1 pound baby yellow or red beets, trimmed, scrubbed
- ½ cup Sherry or red wine vinegar, divided
- 2 tablespoons plus ¼ cup olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- ¼ cup raw pistachios, chopped
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh tarragon
Preheat oven to 425°. Combine beets, ¼ cup vinegar, 2 Tbsp. oil, and ¼ cup water in a baking dish; season with salt. Cover with foil and steam until beets are tender, 40–50 minutes. Let cool slightly. Rub off skins with paper towels; cut beets into quarters (or ½” wedges if larger).
Toss beets with shallot, thyme, remaining ¼ cup vinegar, and remaining ¼ cup oil in a large bowl; season with salt. Let sit at least 2 hours. Toss with pistachios and tarragon just before serving.
Do Ahead: Beets can be marinated 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
Big Batch Oven Steamed Beets - Serves 4
- 4 pounds red beets, scrubbed, halved if large
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Handful of thyme, 1 sprig rosemary, and/or 2 bay leaves
Preheat oven to 425°. Toss beets with oil in a 13x9” baking dish; season with salt and pepper. Add whatever herb you're using and ¼ cup water. Cover pan tightly with foil (you want steam to build up in there) and roast beets until a paring knife slips easily through flesh, 60–75 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in covered pan, which will help loosen the skins. Rub off skins with paper towels.
Do Ahead: Beets can be steamed 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.
