Steamed beets are a nutritious, visually stimulating side dish and the basis for the traditional soup known as borscht. If you have bad memories of eating the canned version, it is worth investing the time and effort to make your own fresh steamed beets to experience their superior texture and flavor and experiment with varieties in a rainbow of colors.
Types of Beets
Beets range in size, shape, color and flavor depending on their variety and how long they have been allowed to grow. Detroit Dark Red and Chioggia beets are heirloom varieties, meaning that they have not been bred for industrial production. Detroit Dark Red is deep crimson while Chioggia features concentric stripes of white and pink when sliced. Golden beets are a sunny shade of yellow. Avoid the canned variety; these can contain added sugar. Instead, find fresh beets in the produce section, near the root vegetables.
Nutritional Value
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, two small cooked beets, about 2 inches in diameter apiece, contain 9.96 grams of carbohydrates, 7.96 grams of sugar, 305 milligrams of potassium, no fat, 2 grams of fiber and 44 calories. Steamed beets are also a good source of vitamin C, with 3.6 milligrams, iron, with 0.79 milligrams, and magnesium, with 23 milligrams. The USDA recommends that vegetables comprise one-fourth of your daily food intake; beets can help fulfill that requirement.
How to Steam Beets
Wash beets thoroughly. Leave their skins in tact. Place them in a steamer that is resting above a pot of boiling, salted water and cover them with a lid. Allow them to steam for 30 to 60 minutes, or until they are completely cooked. Allow beets to cool in their skins, peeling them just before using them in a recipe.
Recipes
Steam beets in a variety of colors and allow them to cool. Remove their skins and slice them as thinly as possible, preferably using a mandolin. Arrange them in an artfully overlapping manner on a plate and dot them with dollops of goat cheese. Drizzle the plate with olive oil and finish the dish with a sprinkling of toasted walnuts, salt, pepper and chopped parsley. Make a bright pink beet risotto by preparing risotto in the traditional manner, then stirring in chopped steamed beets before removing the risotto from the stove. Steamed beets may also be served on their own with a dash of flaky sea salt, for a sweet, nutrient-rich snack.
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