This easy beetroot relish is a delicious and versatile condiment that you can enjoy straight from the jar or serve with a cheese platter, or in sandwiches.
Moreover, this colorful and tasty beet relish adds a nutritional boost and a spicy little kick to your dishes. I like that you can customize the flavors. We use a sweet and sour vinaigrette made of apple cider vinegar, salt, and sweetener that transforms earthy beetroot into a flavorful condiment.
While beetroot is popular in autumn and winter, we enjoy beetroot all year long with cold cuts, cheese platters, sandwiches, or as a common topping for burgers like this ultimate burger. It also pairs wonderfully with warm dishes like Ham in a Roaster.
Why you will love this Beetroot Condiment?
- A delicious way to sneak more veggies and add extra nutrition into your meals without overpowering your dishes. Even picky eaters will enjoy it!
- Since beetroot relish is often served with festive meals, it makes a wonderful holiday gift. Pack it in a jar with a ribbon for a unique and thoughtful homemade gift
- Beets are rich in antioxidants, fiber, and essential vitamins. This beetroot relish recipe is not only tasty but also a wholesome addition to dishes like Greek Cypriot Pork Tavas.
Ingredients to make Red Beet relish
Beets
Red beets are rich in fiber, potassium, manganese, and vitamins C and B. Their antioxidants, especially betalains, help fight free radicals and provide protection against chronic diseases.
While I often use roasted beets in recipes like beet sauce, beetroot salad, or chips, in this beetroot relish recipe, I cooked the beets instead of roasting them. A vinaigrette, together with apples, mellows their earthy taste and creates a mix of spiciness with sweet and sour notes. I also used a similar technique when making this beetroot horseradish relish.
The beetroot relish recipe is easy to make. The only little difficult part is grating the beets without messing up your hands and cutting the board with a vibrant red color. Use gloves when handling beets if you don’t want to stain your hands, and remember to wash your knife and cutting board immediately.
Onion
This is optional, but I like using red onion for its mild sweetness and color, which adds a nice touch to the relish.
apples
Apples help to balance the earthy flavor of the beets. I prefer Granny Smith and Braeburn for their tanginess and crisp texture.
Ginger
Fresh ginger adds a zesty kick, but dried ginger can work as well
Vinaigrette
For the vinaigrette, I used honey, but you can substitute it with brown sugar, raw sugar, or maple syrup. Apple cider vinegar adds tang, but you can swap it with lemon juice or vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and add mustard seeds. You can also use this Homemade Whole Grain Dijon Mustard. I added the honey after the cooking process to maintain its benefits.
Beet Relish Recipe
First step: Prepare the veggies
Start by slicing off the tops and peeling the beets using this peeler. I used a food processor to grate the beets and apples, but you can also use a hand or box grater (here are the box grater and hand grater I recommend). Finely chop the ginger and red onion.
Second Step: Cook the Veggies
Place the grated beetroot, apples, ginger, onion, and mustard seeds in a medium saucepan with 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-20 minutes, or until the beets are tender. Unlike chutney, relish ingredients should maintain their texture and bite, so avoid overcooking them. Once done, remove any excess water and set it aside.
Third Step: Make the Vinaigrette
In 1/2 cup of warm water, mix the apple cider vinegar and honey. Pour the vinaigrette over the cooked beet mixture.
Fourth Step: Let It Sit
Stir well to coat all the ingredients with the vinaigrette. Let the relish sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
How to store
Pour the relish into the jars with airtight lids and store in the fridge for up to a month. I like to use these jars that I sterilize by boiling them in water for 10 minutes or running them through a hot dishwasher cycle. If you want to store it longer, consider canning the relish in sterilized jars. This will extend its shelf life for several months when kept in a cool, dark place.