This easy beetroot relish recipe is a delicious way to use up beets. It can be used in the same ways as a chutney or jam, and makes a beautiful addition to sandwiches, burgers, salads, cheese boards, and more!
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I see you, people out there who have a bunch of beets you need to use up (or maybe you intentionally bought a lot of beets because you love them like me). This recipe is my gift to you!
Speaking of gifts, I also made this beetroot relish with the holiday season in mind. With its vibrant red color, it would make a really fun Christmas gift!
Throw in a batch of my Classic Thumbprint Cookies with Carrot Jam (another great way to use a veggie in a jam) and some Easy Baked Parsnip Chips, and you’ve got an amazing gift for your neighbors, mailmen, teachers, and more.
Or, you can just keep it all for yourself. I honestly wouldn’t blame you, because it’s SUPER delicious! And it has a lot of other things going for it too…
Reasons to Love Beetroot Relish
- That color though! [insert heart eye emoji here]
- It’s sooo versatile. You’ll want to eat it on everything!
- Once you grate the beets and throw them in a pot with the other ingredients, you can pretty much let it cook and forget about it. I love recipes like that.
- The relish has hints of apple and ginger, and believe me…they are such great companions to earthy beets.
How to Make Beetroot Relish
The key to any good relish is making sure the ingredients are finely chopped. You want them to cook down and get even smaller and blend right into each other.
So first, slice off the tops of your beets and remove the skin with a swivel peeler. Then use a hand or box grater to slice the beets. Once you get started, you can actually do this very quickly. Here is the the box grater and hand grater I recommend.
Next, add the beets to a large pot. Dice the red onion, apples, and ginger, and throw them in there too. Pour in the sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt and water. Stir it all up!
Finally, cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let it cook for ~30 minutes, or until the beets are tender and have cooked down. And there you have it – grated beetroot relish!
How to Use Beetroot Relish
There are just SO many ways to use this sweet, earthy, and zesty beet jam/chutney/relish. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Spread on toast with butter or whipped cream cheese.
- Put on top of sandwiches, burgers, fish, or tacos.
- Served with a cheese or charcuterie board.
- Mixed into oatmeal or yogurt.
Expert Tips and FAQs
- Use gloves when handling beets if you don’t want to stain your hands, and remember to wash your knife and cutting board right away. I usually forget to do this, but the red color comes out after a few really good soapy washes.
- Feel free to adjust the seasonings to your liking! Add more ginger for a zestier relish, more apples and sugar for a sweeter jam, or add some garlic for a savory option.
Can you freeze beetroot relish?
Yes, this relish freezes well. Transfer it to airtight containers and store in the freezer. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before using it.
How long does beetroot relish keep?
This recipe can last in the freezer for up to 3 months or in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
More Veggie Condiments
If you like this recipe, I bet you would love these!
- Pickled Red Cabbage
- Healthy Creamy Jalapeno Sauce
- Radish Green Pesto
- Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce
- Hidden Veg Pasta Sauce
I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.
Beetroot Relish
Equipment
- Hand or box grater
- cutting board and knife
- Large pot with lid
Ingredients
- 3 large beets - trimmed and peeled
- 1 red onion - finely chopped
- 2 apples - cored and finely chopped
- 2 to 3 tablespoon fresh ginger - finely chopped
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt - more to taste
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Use a coarse hand or box grater to shred the peeled beets.
- Add them to a large pot with the onion, apple, ginger, salt, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and water. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let the relish cook for ~30 minutes. Take off the lid and simmer for another 10-15 minutes to let some of the excess water evaporate.
- Remove from heat and carefully pour out any liquid that's still left in the pot. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Transfer to glass jars or airtight containers, and enjoy!
Notes
- Store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks or in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Serve on sandwiches, burgers, taco, fish, toast, yogurt, oatmeal, or charcuterie boards.
Nutrition
Hope you enjoy this as much as I do!
Lizzie
Wends
Here in South Africa,we eat this as a side veg to a BBQ or any meal in the summer really. We also cook it whole,then peel it (it peels easier when cooked),then grate it,add salt and pepper and can it in the vinegar solution.
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Yum! Sounds delicious!
Miguel Mori
the picture of the ingredients is very Helpful
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
I’m glad to hear it!
sophie
can I use normal vinegar for this recipe.
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Sophie, yes you can!
Joni Dietrich
Can this relish be canned? Or what would need to be added in order to can it?
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Joni, this recipe does not include the proper techniques for making it canned/shelf-stable. Here is more information on safely canning relishes if you are interested: https://www.fcs.uga.edu/docs/FDNS-E-43-18.pdf