Got the feeling – Five
Oh yes! You might not expect this from me, but I really like this song. It’s upbeat, catchy, and has this unapologetically positive vibe that just works for me. It’s one of the reasons it lives in my special cooking playlist. Yes, I have special playlists for cooking. And yes, I highly recommend it. Good music can seriously boost your spirit when you’re cooking for friends, family, loved ones, or just yourself.
And like the title already secretly gave away, today it’s all about beets. Or beetroot, if you want to be proper about it.
Anyone who has ever cooked with beetroot knows the struggle. That deep red color sticks to everything. Your hands. Your cutting board. Your soul. Don’t even get me started on clothes. I once turned a pristine white chef jacket into a pink abstract artwork after a small incident with a beetroot crème.
One crystal-white jacket down the drain. Oh well. You live, you learn.
But the real reason I want to talk about beetroot today is memory. And health. And the fact that beets deserve way more love than they get. Let’s discover what does beetroot taste like.
Krootjes, Meatballs, and Comfort on a Plate
My mother used to make something very special that I absolutely loved. When I was younger, before I worked in kitchens, I was a very picky eater. Meatballs, cauliflower, potatoes, chocolate sprinkles on bread… and my mother’s beetroot side dish called krootjes. That was basically my entire menu.
The krootjes always came with meatballs and mashed potatoes. Warm. Familiar. Comfort food in its purest form.
Every time I cook with beetroot now, that memory comes back. Not in a dramatic way, just quietly. That kind of comfort that sits somewhere deep inside you and reminds you where you came from. And that’s probably why I’ve always been fascinated by beets. They’re earthy. Grounding. Honest. And they don’t try to impress, they just show up and do their thing.
Earthy, Bold, and Deeply Underrated
Beetroot grows underground, and somehow that makes sense. It’s not flashy by nature. It doesn’t scream for attention. But once you give it space, it delivers.
And yes, besides being delicious, beets are also very good for you. They’re packed with vitamins like folate (B9), vitamin C, potassium, and iron. They’re rich in antioxidants and nitrates, which help improve blood flow and support heart health. That’s why athletes love beet juice, it helps with endurance.
Basically, beets are quietly doing a lot of work in the background while pretending to be humble.
Not All Beets Are the Same
Let’s clear something up: beetroot isn’t just red.
- Red beets are bold, earthy, and slightly sweet. The ones most of us grew up with and the ones that stain everything.
- Yellow beets are milder, a bit nuttier, and less intense. Friendlier, you could say.
- Chioggia beets (the pink-and-white ringed ones) are playful and subtle. They look dramatic but taste surprisingly gentle.
Same family. Different personalities.
What Does Beetroot Taste Like
Beetroot has a natural sweetness and deep earthiness that almost asks for contrast. On its own, it can feel heavy. Pair it right, and suddenly it wakes up.
Beets like tension. Sweet versus sour. Soft versus sharp. Earthy versus bright. Once you understand that, pairing beetroot stops being a guessing game and starts feeling intuitive. That contrast often comes from acidity, something as simple as a squeeze of lemon can completely wake beetroot up.
The classics (for a reason):
- Beetroot + acidity, vinegar, citrus, anything sharp. Acidity cuts through the sweetness and keeps beetroot from feeling sleepy. Without it, things can get heavy fast.
- Beetroot + dairy, fat softens the earthiness and turns beetroot from intense into comforting. It calms everything down.
The uncommon but brilliant ones:
- Beetroot + bitter greens, bitterness adds backbone and keeps beetroot from becoming too polite.
- Beetroot + smoke, smoked salt, smoked cheese, or a bit of char pulls beetroot into deeper, darker territory and makes it feel almost meaty.
The surprise pairing:
- Beetroot + citrus zest, not the juice, just the zest. That little hit of perfume lifts beetroot in a way you don’t expect and suddenly makes everything feel lighter.
Timing still matters. Add acidity at the end if you want brightness. Earlier if you want depth. Raw beets are crisp and fresh, cooked beets are soft and grounding, roasted beets turn almost caramel-like. Same ingredient. Different moods. What you do with it changes what does beetroot taste like on your plate.
Even You Can Grow These (Yes, Really)
If you’ve ever thought about growing your own beets, let me make this very clear: this is one of the easiest wins in the garden. Beets are forgiving. They don’t ask for much. They don’t need constant attention. And they don’t get dramatic if you forget about them for a day or two.
They like loose, well-drained soil, preferably not too heavy or compacted. If the soil is too hard, the beets struggle to grow nicely and start doing their own weird abstract shapes. (Still edible. Just less photogenic.)
They enjoy cool to mild temperatures, which makes them perfect for spring and autumn. Full sun is great, but they’ll also tolerate partial shade without complaining. Water them regularly, but don’t drown them. Moist soil is good. Swamp conditions are not.
And here’s a small bonus most people forget: you can eat the leaves too. Beet greens are delicious and slightly bitter, kind of like a tougher spinach. One plant, two harvests. Not bad at all.
Pulling your first beet out of the ground is deeply satisfying. Dirt under your nails, bright color revealed, instant reward. Highly recommended for the soul.
One Weird but True Beet Fact
Here’s a fun one: sometimes after eating beets, your pee turns pink or red. It’s called beeturia. It’s harmless. It just means your body processed the pigments quickly. No need to panic.
It’s just the beets saying goodbye.
Why Beets Deserve Another Chance
Beetroot is the kind of ingredient that gets overlooked fast in the kitchen, but if you dig deep, pun fully intended, you know it has earned its place. Not just for its versatility, but for its ability to work with so many other ingredients and bring playful color to the plate.
It’s earthy. It’s bold. It’s comforting.
And it’s been waiting patiently underground this whole time.
So, if you’ve ever avoided beets because of stains, childhood trauma, or bad cafeteria memories, maybe give them another shot. Taste them again. Play with them. Let them surprise you.
And I’m curious, what’s your beetroot memory? Love it, hate it, or still undecided? Tell me about it.
That’s it for me today.
Keep digging deep because sometimes the best things are hiding just below the surface
Yohan