Beet
Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris
Earthy and sweet with distinctive geosmin (soil-like) undertone; golden beets are milder; flavors deepen with roasting.
About Beet
The beet is the deep-red root vegetable with earthy, sweet flesh that defines Eastern European, Russian, and Middle Eastern cuisines (borscht, beet salad with feta, beet hummus). The earthy flavor comes from geosmin — the same compound that gives soil its distinctive smell — which polarizes eaters into 'love beets' and 'hate beets' camps. Beyond the standard red beet, golden beets (yellow flesh, milder flavor), Chioggia beets (red-and-white concentric ringed flesh), and white beets are widely available in farmers markets. The greens are excellent cooking greens — closely related to Swiss chard — and shouldn't be discarded when buying bunched beets.
Variety profile
Common uses
- Borscht
- Roasted beet salad with goat cheese
- Pickled beets
- Beet hummus
- Beet-and-citrus salad
Editorial notes
Roast beets in foil with skins on, then peel after cooling — the skins slip off easily. Don't peel raw beets (impossible without staining everything).