Beetroot Recipes

Known for its striking colour, beetroot is a delicious vegetable and very versatile in cooking. It's packed full of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and fibre. Take a look at some of the tasty ways you can cook beetroot:

• Eat it raw - Beetroot can be eaten raw, either grated or thinly sliced, and added to salads or sandwiches for a crunchy texture and earthy flavour.
• Boiling - Place whole beetroots in a pot of boiling water and cook for 30-60 minutes, depending on their size, until they are tender when pierced with a fork.
• Roasting - Wrap each beetroot individually in foil, drizzling with a bit of olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper if desired. Place the wrapped beetroots on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 45-60 minutes, or until tender.
• Steaming - Place the beetroot in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam for 20-30 minutes until they are tender.
• Grilling - Cut your beets into slices or wedges. Brush the beetroot slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill them under medium heat for 10-15 minutes on each side, or until they are tender and have grill marks.

Because of its dark colour and juices, beetroot has the potential to stain the skin temporarily. A simple rub with lemon juice should remove this.

Wrapping the root in foil when handling and storing also helps to prevent staining. If your chopping boards or containers become stained, try squeezing lemon juice on the board and wiping with a clean sponge.

Add one tablespoon of vinegar when boiling the vegetable to minimise the odour and help preserve the vibrant colour. As it has a natural sodium content, the vegetable doesn't need any added salt when cooking.