Golden beets get a gourmet makeover in this recipe, transforming into silky, tender slices drizzled with homemade teriyaki sauce. This easy, flavorful dish combines simple ingredients and bold flavors for a delicious and memorable meal.
Golden beets may not be the star of your veggie drawer, but this recipe will change that. We’re taking these earthy roots and turning them into something silky, tender, and absolutely delicious. It all starts with a simple salt-roasting technique that’s easy to master and totally worth the effort.
We begin by nestling the beets in a bed of salt and roasting them until they’re melt-in-your-mouth tender. This method brings out the best in beets and makes them shine in a whole new way.
Once transformed, these beets are thinly sliced and drizzled with a homemade teriyaki sauce (feel free to buy store-bought if you prefer), then sprinkled with nori dust and sesame seeds, adding a little crunch and burst of umami. It captures all of the five tastes beautifully!
Served over a bed of steamed rice, this dish feels like comfort food and makes simple ingredients feel really special. Whether you’re a beet enthusiast or just curious to try something new, these salt-roasted golden beets will win you over.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Golden beets take center stage in this dish, showcasing their silky texture and rich flavor. Here’s why you’ll fall in love with this recipe:
- Unique Cooking Technique: The salt-roasting method transforms tough golden beets into melt-in-your-mouth slices, highlighting their natural sweetness.
- Flavor Explosion: Drizzled with a homemade teriyaki sauce, these beets soak up a rich, savory glaze that’s irresistible.
- Simple Ingredients: With just a few pantry staples like soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil, you can create a gourmet dish that’s easy to prepare.
- Versatile and Nutritious: Served over steamed rice and paired with nori dust and sesame seeds, this dish is not only delicious but also packed with nutrients.
- Impressive Presentation: The vibrant golden beets, glossy teriyaki glaze, and sprinkle of nori dust make this dish as beautiful as it is tasty. It’s perfect for impressing guests or enjoying a special meal at home.
Golden beets truly shine in this recipe, turning humble ingredients into a delicious experience that’s both satisfying and impressive.
Key Ingredients
This golden beet recipe comes together with a few key ingredients that each play a crucial role in building flavor and texture. Let’s go over them!
- Brown Sugar: Adds a deep, caramelized sweetness to the teriyaki sauce, balancing out the savory elements. It helps create a glossy, rich glaze that clings perfectly to the golden beets.
- Mirin: A sweet Japanese rice wine that enhances the teriyaki sauce with its subtle acidity and rich flavor. Its sweetness harmonizes with the brown sugar for a well-rounded sauce.
- Sake (optional): Brings a light, floral note to the sauce, adding an extra layer of complexity. If you prefer, extra mirin works just as well to maintain the sauce’s balance.
- Soy Sauce: Provides the umami backbone to the teriyaki sauce, adding depth and a savory punch. It’s essential for that authentic teriyaki flavor.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: Infuses the sauce with a nutty, aromatic richness that complements the golden beets beautifully. A little goes a long way in adding depth to the dish.
- Minced Ginger: Adds a fresh, zesty kick to the teriyaki sauce, enhancing its complexity. Its warmth pairs well with the sweetness of the brown sugar and mirin.
- Golden Beets: The star of the dish, roasted to tender perfection and soaking up the flavorful teriyaki glaze. Their natural sweetness is amplified through the salt-roasting process.
- Coarse Salt: Used in the salt-roasting technique to transform the texture of the golden beets, making them silky and tender. It helps to draw out moisture, intensifying the beet’s flavor.
- Steamed Rice: Serves as a comforting base, soaking up the teriyaki sauce and providing a satisfying contrast to the golden beets. It makes the dish hearty and filling.
- Nori Dust (or sub with Ochazuke Wakame Seasoning): Adds a burst of umami and a hint of oceanic flavor, elevating the dish’s complexity. It’s a subtle touch that makes a big difference in taste.
- Sesame Seeds: Provide a crunchy texture and a nutty flavor, finishing the dish with a beautiful garnish. They add visual appeal and a contrasting crunch to the tender golden beets.
Each ingredient in this golden beet recipe works together to highlight the natural sweetness and tenderness of golden beets, creating a dish that’s as flavorful as it is impressive.
How To Make
Making this salt-roasted golden beets recipe is a breeze! Most of the time is inactive, so you can sit back and relax while the beets roast to perfection.
For The Teriyaki Sauce
Whisk together the sauce ingredients, then sauté ginger in sesame oil. Add the sauce mixture, simmer until it thickens, and chill.
For Roasting the Beets
Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a baking dish with a layer of coarse salt. Trim, rinse, and place the beets on the salt, then roast for 2 hours. Allow them to cool slightly, peel, slice thinly, and marinate in sesame oil and coconut vinegar.
To Serve
Spoon steamed rice into bowls, toss the beets with teriyaki sauce, and place them over the rice. Sprinkle with nori dust, scallions, and sesame seeds, and serve with steamed broccoli or your favorite green vegetable.
Different Ways To Serve
This versatile dish can be enjoyed in many creative and delicious ways. Here are a few ideas to make the most of your salt-roasted golden beets with teriyaki sauce and nori dust:
- Classic Bowl: Serve the beets over a bed of steamed rice, garnished with nori dust, chopped scallions, and sesame seeds, alongside steamed broccoli or your favorite green vegetable.
- Vegan Sushi Bowl: Combine the beets with sushi rice, avocado slices, cucumber, shredded carrots, and edamame. Drizzle with extra teriyaki sauce and sprinkle with nori dust and sesame seeds for a colorful and satisfying plant-based sushi bowl.
- Grain Bowl: Serve the beets over quinoa or farro with roasted chickpeas, steamed kale, pickled red onions, and a dollop of tahini sauce. The combination of textures and flavors makes for a hearty and nutritious meal.
- Buddha Bowl: Create a vibrant Buddha bowl by pairing the beets with brown rice, avocado, sautéed mushrooms, shredded cabbage, and a spicy peanut dressing. Top with fresh herbs like cilantro or basil for an extra burst of flavor.
- Fancy Swirl: To create a swirl pattern, arrange the beet slices in a long, overlapping row. Once you have about 5-6 inches of beet slices, roll them up to form a swirl.
Won’t My Beets Taste Salty From Using So Much Salt?
You might be wondering if all that salt will make your beets too salty. Rest assured, they won’t. Here’s why:
- Skin Protection: The beets are roasted with their skins on, which acts as a natural barrier. This prevents the salt from penetrating the flesh of the beets.
- Moisture Lock: Salt-roasting is an excellent technique for locking in moisture. The salt creates a crust that surrounds the beets, cooking them evenly and preserving their natural juices.
- Enhanced Flavor, Not Saltiness: Instead of making the beets salty, the salt-roasting process enhances their natural sweetness and earthy flavors. The salt draws out excess moisture, concentrating the flavors without making them salty.
By roasting the beets in their skins and encasing them in salt, you achieve perfectly tender and flavorful beets without any unwanted saltiness. The salt works its magic by cooking the beets gently and evenly, ensuring a delicious result every time.
For More Recipes That Use Beets, Be Sure To Check These Out!
- Roasted Beets with Balsamic and Thyme
- Vegan Beetroot Burgers
- Roasted Root Vegetables
- Beet Tartare with Mango Yolk
FAQs
If you prefer not to use sake in the teriyaki sauce, simply use an extra 1/4 cup of mirin. This will maintain the sauce’s sweetness and depth of flavor.
For salt-roasting beets, coarse salt or kosher salt works best. These types of salt provide a stable bed for the beets to roast evenly and help lock in moisture.
Absolutely! You can prepare the teriyaki sauce in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week. This makes it convenient to use whenever you’re ready to serve your salt-roasted golden beets.
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Golden Beets With Teriyaki Sauce And Nori Dust
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 2 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
for the teriyaki sauce (yields 1 cup):
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup sake (or use an extra 1/4 cup of mirin if you prefer)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
for the beets:
- 1 lb golden beets (approximately 3 small beets)
- 2 cups coarse salt, plus more if needed
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon coconut vinegar
for serving:
- Steamed rice
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
- 1 teaspoon nori dust (grind 1/4 sheet nori in a coffee grinder) OR ochazuke wakame seasoning, to taste
- 2–4 scallions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Steamed broccoli or other green vegetables
Instructions
to make the teriyaki sauce:
- In a bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, mirin, sake, and soy sauce. Set aside.
- Warm the toasted sesame oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced ginger, ensuring it’s well-coated with oil. Sauté for 1 minute.
- Pour the mixture from the bowl into the saucepan, whisking initially to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a small boil, then reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Allow the sauce to reduce for 30-35 minutes, whisking occasionally, then remove from heat.
- Chill the teriyaki sauce to thicken before using. If it becomes too thick, microwave it for a few seconds to loosen it up.
to slow roast the beets:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Pour the coarse salt into a glass baking dish large enough to hold the beets in a single layer.
- Trim the stems from the tops of the beets, but do not slice off the tops of the beets themselves. Trim any tails, ensuring you don’t cut off the base of the beets.
- Rinse the beets and place them into the salt while still wet. Make sure each beet has a good layer of salt on the bottom and does not touch the bottom of the dish directly.
- Place the dish in the oven and roast for 2 hours.
- Remove from the oven and allow the beets to cool slightly before removing them from the salt. Peel and slice them thinly with a mandoline or sharp knife while they’re still slightly warm.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the sesame oil and coconut vinegar together. Toss the thinly sliced and still-warm beets into the mixture to coat. Cover and allow to marinate for a few hours or overnight.
to serve:
- Spoon the steamed rice into two bowls. Toss the beets with the desired amount of teriyaki sauce and place them over the rice.
- Sprinkle with nori dust, and garnish with chopped scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with steamed broccoli or another green vegetable of your choice.
Notes
Storage Tip:
Store leftover salt-roasted golden beets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat gently or enjoy them cold in salads or grain bowls.
For A Meatier Beet:
For a different texture, place one cup of salt in the bottom of the baking dish. Place the other cup of salt in a bowl. Rinse an unpeeled beet, then pack as much salt as possible around it in the bowl, then place it on the bed of salt in the baking dish. Ensure there is enough salt on the bottom to prevent the beet from touching the dish. Repeat with the remaining beets and roast for 2 hours.
To Make A Fancy Presentation:
To make a swirl pattern, lay the sliced beets on a long row so they are overlapping each other. Once you have about 5-6 inches of beet slices laid out, roll them up to create a swirl pattern.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Vegetables
- Method: Salt-Roasted
- Cuisine: American
Images of beet bunches and teriyaki sauce are sourced from Canva.
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This post was last updated on September 23, 2024.
Jocelyn Graef says
Just have to say it: Your site is one of the very best for interesting food and stunning photography. I’ve been following you for years and have appreciated your taste and recipes tremendously. All due respect for your art(s) and elevating the vegetable.
Keep it up and thanks.
erin wysocarski says
Jocelyn, thank you so much for your very kind feedback … it means the world to me that you like our content! <3
A. Ku says
Hi Erin. Would there be a quite marked difference in the final result if one were to just “gently steam” the beets until the desired texture is achieved, instead of salt roasting? Other than any slight saltiness that may result from your method (though it seems there wouldn’t be), I wonder. Thanks in advance.
erinwyso says
Yes, there would! Salt roasting gives a completely different texture than steaming. You can mandoline salt-roasted root veg, as it has a denser, drier texture throughout — steaming just uniformly softens everything up.
Since the skin is left on during salt-roasting, then peeled, salt is not acting as a seasoning agent here, but rather as a way to encase the root veg and lock in just the right amount of moisture during baking.
De Aun Tollefson says
Gorgeous dish, Erin! I would love to try this, but I’m a bit unclear on the distinction in the directions between slow roasting the beets in the first method, versus the “meatier” version. Would you be so kind as to clarify?
erinwyso says
Hi De Aun! To make the beets more meaty, you’ll be packing wet salt all over them, as opposed to just setting them on top of a bed of salt. Hope this helps and you enjoy the recipe. 🙂
steve lassoff says
That is about the most beautiful vegan dish I have seen! I wouldn't even attempt to make it, someone needs to open a restaurant.
Caitlin M says
this looks fascinating! i definitely want to try this technique.
morestomach.com says
this is really interesting. it doesn't make the beets salty roasting it in it?
erinwyso says
No, the skin is left on during roast time, and is thick enough so the salt doesn't get through.
The Yogi Vegetarian says
What a gorgeous dish, and so beautifully presented; thank you 🙂 Will have a go at salt roasting our homegrown red beets.
Maikki says
Such a pretty dish and awesome food styling! 🙂