Beets get the full luxe treatment here. First, they’re roasted, then torn into chunks and cooked in a sticky maple-Dijon-balsamic glaze until lightly charred. The craggy crevices of the torn beets allow them to absorb all the flavors of the tangy glaze, which mellows some of their natural sweet earthiness. The char brings a subtle smokiness, adding a dynamic twist. Once glistening, the beets are plated on a schmear of dreamy and fatty pistachio butter, which slices right through any earthy funkiness. Finally, they’re dappled with fresh mint to brighten them up.
This is my all-time favorite beet dish, and it’s guaranteed to win over even the biggest beet skeptics. You can make this a heartier meal by serving with the optional cooked lentils and a hunk of seeded whole-grain bread. Or serve it over farro or crispy quinoa.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 3 as a main, 6 as a side
Ingredients
Glaze
Pistachio Butter
Beets and Assembly
Preparation
Glaze
Step 1
In a small bowl, whisk together 2½ Tbsp. pure maple syrup, 1½ Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp. aged balsamic vinegar, 1½ tsp. apple cider vinegar, ⅛–¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, 1 tsp. kosher salt, and several cracks of freshly ground black pepper. Add 2 Tbsp. of water, stir, and set aside.
Pistachio Butter
Step 2
Roast 3 cups (390 g) raw, unsalted shelled pistachios at 350º until lightly browned and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly before blending.
Step 3
Blender option: Add the pistachios to a high-powered blender. Start on low speed, then work your way up to high, using a tamper or a spatula to push down the nuts as the blender churns. As the machine heats up, take breaks to avoid overheating. Once the nuts look like almond flour, use a spoon to get underneath the blades to loosen any stuck pistachio butter or dump it out into a bowl, then add it back to the blender. Keep blending. The mixture will turn into a paste, then eventually into a thick but liquidy nut butter. Once you reach this stage, add the ½ heaping tsp. fine sea salt and blend again until super smooth and somewhat pourable. Taste, adding more salt as needed. This process will take 10–20 minutes, depending on your blender strength and age. Reserve until ready to use.
Food processor option: Add the pistachios to a food processor. Blend, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom every minute. If your machine heats up, take breaks. After a few minutes, the pistachios will form a ball, but just keep going and the machine will break it up. Keep blending until it’s smooth, creamy, and the consistency of a thick nut butter. Add ½ heaping tsp. fine sea salt and blend to incorporate. This process should take 6–10 minutes. Reserve until ready to use.
Do Ahead: Store the pistachio butter in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Beets and Assembly
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 425°. Trim any beet greens and most of their attached stalks (leave some stalk intact to prevent the beets from “bleeding” in the oven) from 1½–2 pounds (680–910 g) medium red or golden beets (about 6 beets). To keep the beets juicy, do not trim any skinny beet tails. Wash and scrub the beets well.
Step 5
Rub the beets with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil so they have a thin coating and transfer to a baking dish or ovenproof pan with a tight-fitting lid. Pour in 1 cup water and cover tightly with foil (or the lid). Roast for 45–60 minutes, until fork-tender (medium beets usually take 60 minutes; smaller beets, 45 minutes).
Step 6
Meanwhile, make the lentils (if using). Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and season with several pinches of salt. Add ½ cup (100 g) French green lentils or black beluga lentils and cook at a decent simmer until tender but still a bit al dente, 17–20 minutes. Drain well and set aside to dry off.
Step 7
When the beets are cool enough to touch, run them under cool water and peel off the skins (wear food-safe gloves if you don’t want pink hands for a few hours). Cut off any stems and tough bottoms. Use your hands to tear the beets into roughly 1" pieces.
Step 8
In a 12" skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the torn beets and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. Flip and cook until nicely charred in spots, turning only every 2 minutes, 6–8 more minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the reserved glaze (stand back to avoid splatter). Return the pan to medium heat. Cook, gently stirring the beets into the glaze, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 2–3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
Step 9
To serve, schmear the reserved pistachio butter on a large serving plate. Spoon the glazed beets on top, adding the reserved glaze if desired. If adding lentils, spoon them around the plate. Garnish with ½ cup (8 g) fresh mint leaves, chopped and season with a bit of flaky sea salt and a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice.
