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Sautéed Beets

Christmas Eve Dinner Additions 90 min Medium 14 wyświetleń ~8.02 PLN - (0)
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Description

Braised beets are a traditional Polish side dish often served during Christmas Eve — aromatic, slightly sweet and sour, and glossy from the sauté. Made from boiled or roasted beets, sautéed onions, and a delicate roux of butter and flour, seasoned with sugar and vinegar. This dish pairs wonderfully with Christmas Eve dishes: carp, croquettes, kutia, or pierogi. It has a beautiful, intense red color, a velvety texture, and a balance of flavors between sweetness and acidity; after cooling, the flavors meld together, making the beets taste even better the next day.

Składniki (10)

Servings:
4
  • Beets (cooked, peeled) 800 g
  • Onion 1 szt.
  • Butter 40 g
  • Wheat flour 15 g
  • sugar 10 g
  • Wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) 15 ml
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.2 szczypt
  • Black pepper (ground) 1 szczypta
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Rapeseed oil (as a substitute for butter) 2 łyżki
  • Fresh dill (for decoration) 10 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~8.02 PLN (2.01 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparing the beets

1

Check if you have cooked and peeled beets. If not: wash the beets, trim the leaves (leave 2 cm of the stems to prevent color loss), place them whole in a pot filled with cold water so that they are covered. Add 1 teaspoon of salt (about 5 g). Cook over medium heat with the lid slightly ajar for 45–60 minutes depending on size: small 30–40 min, medium 45 min, large 60 min. Check with a fork — it should easily pierce the beet. If you prefer roasting: wrap the beets in foil and bake at 200°C for 50–70 minutes.

Ingredients: Beets (cooked, peeled)
Use a large pot with a lid. If the beets are of different sizes, the smaller ones will cook faster — you can take them out earlier. Check for tenderness with a fork to avoid overcooking.
2

After cooking, set the beets aside to cool slightly (5–10 minutes) so they can be handled. Remove the skin: hold the beet with a paper towel or use disposable gloves (they stain your hands). First, cut off the ends, then slide the skin off with a knife or peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut the beets into thin slices (~3–5 mm) or small cubes — slices will look nice on the plate, while cubes will absorb the dressing faster. Time: about 10–15 minutes.

Ingredients: Beets (cooked, peeled)
Use a cutting board and a sharp knife or peeler. If you want to be quicker: grate the beets on a coarse grater — however, slices look nicer.

Frying onions

3

Peel the onion and cut it into small cubes or thin half-rings (about 5 mm). In a large pan (preferably 26–28 cm), heat the butter (30 g) over medium heat. When the butter melts and starts to foam slightly, add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 4–5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and soft (it should be semi-transparent but not brown). If you are using oil instead of butter — use 15–20 g of rapeseed oil and proceed the same way.

Ingredients: Onion, Butter, Rapeseed oil (as a substitute for butter)
Use a wide skillet with a thick bottom to ensure even temperature. Do not fry the onions too much (browning will give a bitter taste). If you don't have a 26–28 cm skillet, use a smaller one, but reduce the amount of onions being fried at the same time.

Preparing the roux

4

Move the onion to the side of the pan to expose a section of the bottom. Add the remaining 10 g of butter (if using butter) and sprinkle the flour (15 g) evenly over the exposed section. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or whisk, combining the flour with the fat and onion, and cook for 1.5–2.5 minutes over medium heat until the flour loses its raw taste and lightly browns — the roux should be light brown, not dark brown. This step will create a delicate, smooth sauce base.

Ingredients: Wheat flour, Butter, Onion
Use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. If the flour starts to darken quickly, reduce the heat — too dark of a roux will add bitterness. If you prefer, you can prepare the roux in a small saucepan and add it later.

Combining ingredients

5

Add the chopped beets (800 g) to the pan. Pour in about 50–100 ml of hot water or a bit of the water from cooking the beets — start with 50 ml, you can add more later. Add sugar (10 g), wine vinegar (15 ml), salt (5 g), and pepper (1 g). Gently mix everything so that the roux coats the beets. Reduce the heat to low and cook covered for 8–12 minutes, stirring every 2–3 minutes. The dish should reduce slightly, the sauce should thicken and become glossy; the beets should be tender but not falling apart.

Ingredients: Beets (cooked, peeled), sugar, Wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), Salt, Black pepper (ground)
Use a nylon or silicone spatula to easily scrape the roux from the bottom. If the sauce is too thick, add hot water by the tablespoon. If it's too thin, cook uncovered for an additional 2–4 minutes.

Seasoning and finishing

6

Taste the beets and season: if they are not sour enough, add an additional 1 teaspoon (about 5–10 ml) of vinegar; if they are too sour — add a bit of sugar. Cook for another 2–3 minutes to let the flavors combine. If you are using fresh dill (optional), chop it finely and add just before serving (sprinkle on top).

Ingredients: Wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), sugar, Fresh dill (for decoration)
Season gradually — it's better to add a little more vinegar than to make the dish too sour. Use a small teaspoon to measure out the vinegar and sugar.

Setting Aside and Serving

7

After removing from heat, let the beets sit for 10–20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve the beets warm or at room temperature — they are often served slightly chilled on Christmas Eve. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with chopped dill (optional). Total time: preparation and cooking about 60–90 minutes (of which active work is about 30–40 minutes).

Ingredients: Beets (cooked, peeled), Fresh dill (for decoration)
If you prepare the dish a day in advance, gently reheat it over low heat with a little water before serving or serve at room temperature — the flavors will meld.

Fun Fact

💡

Beets have been cultivated since ancient times; in Polish cuisine, they have become particularly popular as an addition to the Christmas Eve table due to their durability and the possibility of being prepared in many ways — boiled, roasted, pickled, or sautéed.

Best for

Wigilia Świąteczny stół Obiad rodzinny

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the beets as a side dish for Christmas Eve dishes (carp, croquettes, dumplings). They pair well with fatty fish, neutralizing their flavor and adding freshness. Spoon them onto the plate and sprinkle with finely chopped dill. They can be served with pieces of pickled onion for a contrast in textures.

🥡 Storage

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. The flavor intensifies during storage — after 24 hours, the beets are often tastier. For reheating: warm gently over low heat with a little water to avoid drying out; they can also be served cold.

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