Beet Tzatziki

by Michele Pesula Kuegler | August 21st, 2023 | Healthy Cooking, Recipes, Spreads & Sauces, Tapas Monday
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Prepare to be amazed by both its color and flavor.

What’s one to do on a hot summer Sunday afternoon when you spent the morning at a social gathering and don’t feel like cooking? For us empty nesters, the answer was walk downtown and enjoy a handful of tapas dishes and some wine.

Actually, it wasn’t even the cooking that I didn’t want to do, it was the shopping. Having had the gathering on the schedule, I wasn’t sure what the rest of the day would hold- neither calendar nor food wise. Thus, I arrived home hungrier and earlier than planned.

Recipe inspiration

We went to a nearby farm to table restaurant, Republic, that has a great menu of small plates. On their menu was beet tzatziki. As fans of both beets and tzatziki, that was a must order item. Paired with two other favorites of ours (North African Spiced Pickled Vegetables and Spicy Coconut Butternut), it was a tray of vegetable happiness.

Their beet tzatziki was bright and flavorful, and I instantly knew I had to figure out how to make this at home. Fast forward three days to a morning of recipe testing. I’d made tzatziki before, so I knew the base would be Greek yogurt and that I’d definitely season it with garlic. The next question was how to prepare the beets.

I decided that the best option would be to roast them, which would make them tender enough to be in a spread. To distribute the beets evenly and save my kitchen and myself from a gigantic mess, I shredded them in a food processor. (Note: that was a very good decision. I don’t want to imagine the mess a box grater would make.)

Recipe success

While regular tzatziki includes mint, I opted to omit it in this recipe. Beets have a stronger flavor than cucumbers (the main vegetable in plain tzatziki), so there was no need for additional oomph. Chilled and served with carrots, celery, and pita, this was a delightful dip. It also makes a fine spread for a sandwich, if you’re looking for a different condiment.

Give this dip a try. Maybe even try it on some kids. The bright color may induce them to try something they wouldn’t normally eat. However, don’t tell them it’s beets; rather it’s just fuchsia-colored dip.

You can find the recipe for Roasted Beets here.

Beet Tzatziki

Serves 6
Prepare to be amazed by both its color and flavor




Print

Total Time
2 hr 15 min

Total Time
2 hr 15 min

Ingredients
  1. 2 medium beets, roasted & peeled
  2. 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  3. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  4. 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  5. Salt & pepper
Instructions
  1. Assemble food processor with fine shredding disk.
  2. Place roasted and cooled beets in feeding tube, half at a time; shred.
  3. Combine yogurt, garlic, and lemon juice in a medium-sized bowl; mix well.
  4. Add shredded beets, and stir until combined.
  5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Notes
  1. Serve with cucumber or celery spears, carrots, pita wedges, or crackers.
Think Tasty https://www.thinktasty.com/

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