Hasselback Beets
Looking for a fun, fresh way to serve beets? Why not prepare them Hasselback style? You will have instant elegance and even the non-beet eaters in your house may be tempted to break off a piece and taste it.
I have always loved beets. I have fond memories of my mom serving beets fresh from her garden with a little bit of butter and salt. Pure deliciousness. My mom also often made Hasselback potatoes (called “Hasselbackspotatis” in Swedish, after Hotel Hasselbacken where they first appeared). Also, so good! But I would never have thought to combine the two until now…
Fast forward to 2015 and it seems that the Hasselback method is definitely having a moment. And while potatoes may be the ultimate classic Hasselback, this method is perfectly suited for a variety of other foods, including beets!
Making Hasselback beets is pretty similar to making Hasselback potatoes. (The main difference is that your hands and plates will get some splatters of pink!) You start by cutting thin slices that don’t go all the way through the beet. I like to put a thin cutting board behind the beets so that the knife hits that before hitting the main cutting board. (See photo below).
It’s also important to brush the beets with some fat during roasting. This will help prevent them from drying out and distribute the butter down all the nooks.
Beets, like potatoes, can take a good 50-55 minutes in the oven. But, fortunately, the end result will be worth the wait: A little crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and all around yummy.
Short on time? Beets lend themselves well to reheating, so why not prepare them when you have time and then reheat them later for dinner. Your family will be impressed!
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1 – Place cutting board behind beets when cutting to stop the blade from cutting all the way through.
5 – Garnish with fresh, chopped parsley and serve!
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- 4 medium beets
- 4 teaspoons butter, divided, plus more if needed
- Sea salt
- Fresh, chopped parsley
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Wash and peel the beets. Cut off part where stem was and use this flat area as the bottom of the beet.
- Place beets on a cutting board and cut thin slices about ¼ inch from bottom of the beet. (Place a thin cutting board behind the beets to prevent knife from going all the way through.)Rub a little butter onto the bottom of a baking dish. Place beets into dish and then add a little dab (about ½ to 1 teaspoon) of butter on the top of each.
- Roast for 20 minutes and then add a little more butter to each beet, using a pastry brush to make sure it gets evenly distributed. Roast for another 20 minutes and then brush again, you may be able to just dip brush into any fat on the bottom of the baking dish. Check doneness and then sprinkle with sea salt and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until soft when pierced. (Total roasting time about 50-55 minutes).
- Garnish with parsley and serve!
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