Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Aside from borscht, I can't stand the taste of beets. However, we are trying to move towards a more plant-based diet and beets seem to be one of those 'wonder' foods. My darling loves them, so I am the problem.

Do you have some DELICIOUS recipes you will share? Or, can you point me to some sources?

P.S. I'm counting on you Fuzzy as I am a BIG fam of most things I've tried from your repertoire.

Beets are one food I can't stand, and I think it's a genetic thing, like cilantro, as I've found a few others that get the same taste. Simply put, to me, they taste like DIRT! I've even tried growing different varieties, to no avail. And it's not something with root vegetables - only beets. Is that why you can't stand them?

I was at a wine pairing dinner last weekend, and one of the side dishes was a yellow beet risotto. The chef cubed yellow beets about 1/4-1/2 inch dice and added them to a very nice risotto. I assume the beets were precooked before adding.

If you used red beets, the color would bleed a lot, which may be either a good thong or a bad thing................

SS - Great typo!

Pepperhead - I replied previously but don’t see it.
Your analysis is exactly correct. We did 23andme a few years back and found we are both VERY sensitive to cilantro m- no mention of beets.

I do love borscht.

Come on Fuzzy, I know you have a few recipes from holiday meal preps from the past

Do you dislike beets even roasted? Honestly, one of the best ways to eat beets in season is to roast them in the oven until they soften; peeled, sprinkled with a little salt, wrapped in foil, roast for 40m-75m depending on how big they are. Take them out, drizzle them with balsamic.

If that's not your speed, try beet-ziki. Roast a beet, or steam one, or buy some pre-cooked and vac-packed (NOT canned). Grate it on a cheese grater, making about 1/2 cup of grated beet. Mix with 1 cup of greek yogurt, 1 small clove garlic, grated or mashed, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 tbs olive oil. Put in fridge for flavors to develop for at least 1/2 hour. Glorious fuschia color, lovely dip for pita.

Or, try the Georgian version, knowns as pkhali: http://fuzzychef.org/georgian-holiday-feast-part-i/

Beet, cucumber, and potato salad is a traditional Russian thing, but if you don't generally like beets it's not gonna win you over: http://fuzzychef.org/russian-thanksgiving-part-2/

Also, if you can get them, try golden beets. They have a less "earthy" flavor than the red ones, and you might like them more.

Oh, and one more thing: beets are actually a summer vegetable, but you see them served most often in the winter, which means they've been cellared for months. They're not at their best; try some summer beets next summer.

Also also: red chard is beet greens (from beets with very small bulbs and huge leaves). So any nutritional value beets have, red chard has too.

I can't stand the taste of any beet dish. When I was in Russia, I tried it a few times thinking it might be better there. But, nope (none of their food was better there!) I am also trying to eat more plant-based, but I just figured there are lots of other veggies out there to work with. Unfortunately, my husband loves beets.

Tonight I will make Serious Eats version of borscht.
Oddly, it is comforting to find ‘others’ out there.

It's a common dislike. Red beets have an "earthy" flavor that's really not reproduced in any other vegetable.

Like I said, though, try golden or chiogga beets; that flavor is much less pronounced in those.