“Beets are one of the most underrated vegetables. We often remember them when making traditional dishes, but in fact, they are a very convenient product for the modern kitchen: cooked beets are ready to use, they don’t require long processing, and when combined with cheese, nuts, yogurt, chickpeas, or citrus, you can quickly create a completely different flavor. This is a good example of how you can make a dish that looks festive and is not boring for a low price,” says Luka Lesauskaitė, head of public relations, in a “Rimi” press release.
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Why do beets deserve more attention?
Beets stand out from other root vegetables with their bright color – given by natural pigments called betalains. Because of them, even a simple dish with beets looks more elegant: thinly sliced carpaccio, spread, or warm salad immediately gains a more restaurant-like appearance. Moreover, beets can be not only dark red – there are also yellow, white, or variegated varieties.
In the kitchen, beets are valued for their sweet, earthy flavor, which pairs especially well with contrasts. Acidity, such as lemon or balsamic vinegar, gives them freshness, salty ingredients – feta or goat cheese – highlight the sweetness, and nuts and seeds add crunch. Therefore, dishes that taste very different from usual salads can be quickly prepared from cooked beets.
As the cold soup festival approaches, beets naturally return to the spotlight, but they can be much more than just an ingredient in pink soup. Representatives of the retail chain share three ideas for what to make from cooked beets when you want to eat quickly and inexpensively.
For beet carpaccio with feta, nuts, and honey-mustard dressing, you will need:
- Cooked beets
- Feta or goat cheese
- Walnuts or sunflower seeds
- Arugula or other favorite salad greens
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp mustard
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation. Slice the beets thinly and arrange them on a plate. Crumble feta or goat cheese on top, sprinkle with toasted walnuts or sunflower seeds, and add some arugula.
For the dressing, mix olive oil, lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour over the beets. For a fresher, more festive flavor, orange slices or pomegranate seeds also work well.
For beet spread with Greek yogurt and nuts, you will need:
- Cooked beets
- Greek yogurt
- 1–2 cloves of garlic
- Walnuts
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- To serve: toasted bread
Preparation. Grate the cooked beets with a fine grater. Mix with Greek yogurt, minced or pressed garlic, chopped walnuts, salt, and pepper.
Spread the mixture on toasted bread. For a fresher taste, you can add a little lemon juice, or for a stronger flavor, sprinkle a pinch of smoked paprika.
For roasted beets with chickpeas and yogurt sauce, you will need:
- Cooked beets
- 250 g cooked chickpeas
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Cumin or smoked paprika
- Greek yogurt
- Lemon
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- To serve: pita, lavash, rice, or couscous
Preparation. Sauté chopped onion with garlic in a pan. Add drained chickpeas and diced cooked beets. Season with cumin or smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
Cook for a few minutes until the beets warm up and lightly brown. For the sauce, mix Greek yogurt with lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
Place the beets with chickpeas on a plate, top with the yogurt sauce. Serve with pita, lavash, rice, or couscous. Enjoy!
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