Healthy Beets Side Dish Recipes

Earthy and smoky have a natural affinity in this colorful and healthy side dish. The beets soften and take on flavor over the heat and then, in the last few minutes, an herby raspberry glaze adds a sweet sheen. A schmear of tangy goat cheese paired with the sweet and savory roots is the final piece of this well-balanced side.

The gorgeous colors of yellow and Chioggia beets shine in this recipe thanks to a white vinegar in the glaze. If you're using red beets, regular balsamic vinegar is also a good option. Serve with grilled steak or roasted salmon fillets.

Caraway, dill and vinegar turn roasted beets into a borscht-inspired side in this easy and healthy side dish recipe.

Don't toss those beet greens! In this healthy recipe, orange-glazed beets and garlicky beet greens are served alongside a cheesy spoonbread. If you've never tried a spoonbread--a custard-like cornbread--you're in for a treat. Serve this Southern-inspired recipe with oven-fried chicken or sautéed shrimp.

Sweet beets, peppery arugula and toasted pecans are blended together in this dairy-free, healthy pesto recipe. Try it spread on crostini or spooned over grilled chicken or pork.

This healthy and pretty beet salad recipe is dressed with a tangy-sweet maple-mustard vinaigrette. Use the leftover dressing for any salad later in the week.

This pickled beets recipe is super simple, yet full of big flavor. This is partly because we roast beets first (which concentrates their sweetness) and also add a healthy dose of fennel seeds for dynamite flavor. Once the beets sufficiently pickled, add them to salads or alongside your favorite grilled meats for a pleasant hit of acidity.

Tangy horseradish and dill dress pickled beets in this simple, colorful side dish. Make it a meal: Serve alongside Smorgastarta.

Precooked baby beets make this healthy vegetable side dish come together in a flash. If horseradish is too spicy for your taste, try stirring in chopped dill pickles instead.

This quinoa and roasted vegetable salad is an excellent side for chicken or steak, or skip the meat entirely and you've got a delicious vegetarian main dish. Leftovers are a perfect choice for lunch--just make an extra batch of dressing and add a touch to the cold salad before eating the next day.

A nutty, buttery crust filled with roasted root vegetables makes for a beautiful vegetarian crostata recipe perfect for the holidays. And since it's a free-form crust, you don't have to worry about perfection. A layer of feta whipped with lemon provides a bright, tart contrast. Best of all, each component can be made ahead, so the day-of assembly is easy as pie.

Raw shredded beets, pears and carrots make a crunchy, vibrant and sweet beet slaw. This healthy slaw is delicious on its own or as a topping for tacos, pork chops or grilled sausages.

Put a vegetarian spin on this classic Italian dish. Thin slices of beet, glossy with olive oil, make this salad look like beef carpaccio, especially if you use red beets.

This easy-to-make roasted beet and horseradish relish recipe is a great sandwich topper, burger condiment or zesty side for the classic German pairing of sauerbraten and spaetzle (pickled roast beef and egg noodles or dumplings).

This salad is a wonderful combination of roasted beets, fresh pears, and shaved Gouda cheese. Served on a bed of arugula in a mustardy dressing and topped with toasted slivered almonds, it's a refreshing side to serve with any meal.

Beets are packed full of vitamins and minerals, and they're delicious, too. Roasting beets brings out their natural sweetness. This healthy and full-of-flavor side dish combines beets with mild shallots.

Smashing vegetables creates cracks that soak up this savory vinaigrette for an easy and super-flavorful veggie side dish. You can try this technique with other root vegetables, such as parsnips and celery root, as well.

The sweetness of the roasted beets works well with tart grapefruit in this healthy beet salad recipe. Turn this beet salad into an entree by adding seared scallops or white fish, such as halibut or cod.

Roasting vegetables at high heat brings out their inherent sweetness; this recipe also includes a drizzle of maple-flavored syrup and a dash of orange juice to sweeten the pan even further.

Black-eyed peas' earthy, nutty sweetness gets oomph from tangy hot sauce. In this recipe, they're mixed with plenty of crunchy vegetables for a satisfying vegetarian salad.

Here multicolored beets are presented carpaccio-style (paper-thin slices) with a sprinkling of crumbled blue cheese. Once hard to find, beautiful varieties of beets, such as pink-and-white-striped ‘Chioggia,' electric-yellow ‘Golden Detroit' and ruby-red ‘Moneta,' are more readily available. Seek them out at farmers' markets or supermarkets that stock local, in-season produce.

The bulgur in this salad is inspired by kishk, a crumbly cheese made by fermenting bulgur in buttermilk and yogurt. Chef Reem Assil, owner of Reem's California in Oakland, prepares this quicker version by skipping the fermentation and using labneh or Greek yogurt instead. If you want extra tang, let the bulgur mixture sit for 24 hours before making the salad. Crumbled goat cheese can be swapped in for the bulgur mixture if you prefer.

Try a variety of beets in this dish. The simple Dijon vinaigrette really makes the earthy beet flavor sing.

Here delicate white fish is topped with crunchy breadcrumbs and diced pickled beets for a simple Danish dish that combines sweet, salty and sour flavors.