Forget everything you thought you knew about beets—sugar beets are the sweet, unassuming cousins of the dinner plate variety, and picking them yourself in the Netherlands is an absolute breeze. Picture this: you’re standing in a vast, green field under a big Dutch sky, the soil still a little damp from the morning mist. You grab the leafy top of a sugar beet, give it a firm wiggle, and pop—up comes a chunky, white root that looks like a pale potato but tastes like a secret. It’s the perfect activity for a lazy Saturday with friends, especially if you enjoy getting your hands a little dirty while laughing at who can find the biggest one. Kids love it too, because pulling a beet out of the ground feels like winning a small, earthy treasure hunt. Just remember to bring a sturdy bag or basket—these bad boys can get heavy, and you’ll want to take home more than you planned.
How to Use Your Sugar Beet Haul at Home
Once you’ve rinsed off the dirt and admired your haul, you’ll notice sugar beets aren’t your typical roasting vegetable. They’re incredibly sweet and firm, with a texture that holds up well to cooking. For a simple start, scrub and boil them until tender (about 45 minutes), then slice them into chips for a healthy snack, or grate them raw into salads for a crunchy, sweet kick. But the real fun begins when you transform them into something special.
Two Cooking Recipes
1. Roasted Sugar Beet & Apple Mash
Peel and cube about 500g of sugar beets, then toss them with a diced apple, a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Roast at 200°C for 40 minutes until soft and caramelized. Mash everything together with a knob of butter and a splash of apple cider vinegar. It’s a side dish that makes pork chops or sausages feel like a fancy dinner—sweet, tangy, and comforting.
2. Sugar Beet & Caramelized Onion Tart
Slice 300g of peeled sugar beets very thinly (use a mandolin if you’re brave) and toss with olive oil, salt, and thyme. Arrange them in a spiral over a sheet of puff pastry, leaving a border. Dot with caramelized onions (cook two onions slowly in butter for 20 minutes) and a few crumbles of goat cheese. Bake at 200°C for 25 minutes until golden. Serve warm—it’s like dessert and dinner had a delicious, slightly cheesy baby.
One Cocktail Recipe
Sugar Beet & Gin Fizz
Juice two medium sugar beets (a juicer is best, but grating and squeezing through a cloth works in a pinch). Combine 60ml of your juiced beet with 50ml of gin, 25ml of fresh lemon juice, and 15ml of simple syrup. Shake with ice, strain into a tall glass, and top with soda water. Garnish with a thin slice of beet. It’s outrageously pink, earthy, and surprisingly crisp—perfect for when you want to pretend you’re at a fancy bar but you’re actually in your kitchen wearing your picking overalls.