The Trick To Cooking Flavorful Beets Is Seasoning Your Water

Looking for a way to add more flavor to beets? Sure, roasting may bring out their sweetness in a special way, but when you are in a time crunch and don't have that full hour, boiling, which is about a 20 to 30 minute endeavor, is the next best thing. To bring out all the earthy and sugary elements of this root vegetable, start with a full tablespoon of salt and pour it into the water so that, as the beets become tender, they can absorb the sodium.

Boiling beets does have a nice side benefit. Once they've cooked, their skins will slip right off. Simply, rinse them under some cool water and gently rub them. Slice them up, and your root veggies are ready to add a savory, sophisticated, and tasty bite to shrimp and beet winter salad with seared halloumi or a side dish of orange-kissed Balsamic-glazed beets. However, salt is not the only trick in your pantry for bringing out the flavor of beets.

Celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian revealed in an Instagram post that he uses a potpourri of seasonings and spices to draw out the true flavor personality of beets. After cutting off the tops, he places them in a bath of water that is filled with a drizzle of red wine vinegar, salt, coriander, peppercorns, and sugar. This concoction will infuse your beets with sweet and savory notes, as well as a little bit of spice. Zakarian's approach should inspire you to be adventurous and experiment with the herbs, seasonings, and aromatics you have on hand or enjoy cooking with. 

Don't limit yourself. Sage, salt, and minced garlic add a woodsy yet pungent element to your beets' overall taste. But don't forget the citrus zest, thyme, rosemary, mint, marjoram, or even a little lavender. Adding your favorite combo to salted water will impart big and subtle flavors that will have you want to eat beets all the time.