Roasted Beets with Horseradish Crème Fraîche

Inspired by the dry-roasting method from How to Dress an Egg by Ned Baldwin, Liz Mervosh showcases how to roast beets to perfection in a Dutch oven. Here, raw beets, which are tougher root vegetables, are dry-roasted until tender inside a Dutch oven lined with parchment paper and covered with foil. The enameled cast-iron bottom of a Dutch oven protects the beets from scorching, and the foil used to cover the top insulates the steam. To speed things up on a weeknight, cook the beets and make the crème fraîche ahead of time, and store them separately.

Frequently asked questions

How do I cook beets?

Beets are a versatile vegetable. You can roast beets for soups, salads, or mains. You can also pickle beets, or enjoy them raw in smoothies. The most common way to roast beets is on a baking sheet in the oven. To make this recipe, however, F&W recipe tester Liz Mervosh forgoes the baking sheet and uses a Dutch oven and a dry-roasting method instead. After adding the beets to the Dutch oven without any additional liquid, the Dutch oven is tightly covered with foil before going into the oven. The enameled cast iron of the Dutch oven and foil act as heat insulators while evenly distributing the heat inside the pot, which results in perfectly cooked beets.

Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

To avoid staining your hands, peel the beets using a paring knife, or rub off the skins with a paper towel. 

Suggested pairing

Our wine editor recommends a citrus-driven, minerally white such as a Smith-Madrone Riesling with this dish, which pairs well with the dressing's acidity and horseradish's piquancy.

Make ahead

Store the cooked beets and crème fraîche mixture in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to four days. Let both come to room temperature before serving.