Pan Fried Beets with Creamy Mint Sauce (Dairy-Free, 30 Minute Recipe) (2024)

Home Uncategorized Pan Fried Beets with Creamy Mint Sauce (Dairy-Free, Keto, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, 30 Minute Recipe)

By: Cristina Curp, FNTP

2 CommentsThis post may contain affiliate links.

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These Pan Fried Beets with Creamy Mint Sauce are elegant and quite delectable. This recipe is easy, flexible, oh-so-satisfying, and totally lacking in dirt taste.

Pan Fried Beets with Creamy Mint Sauce (Dairy-Free, 30 Minute Recipe) (1)

Table of Contents

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1 This is not your average beet recipe

2 How to create a dairy-free cream sauce

3 Why you should eat these Pan Fried Beets with Creamy Mint Sauce

5 Tips for pan frying in cast iron

6 Pan Fried Beets with Creamy Mint Sauce (Dairy-Free, Keto, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, 30 Minute Recipe)

This is not your average beet recipe

If you’ve tried beets in the past and you were turned off by the dirt undertones, this recipe is going to blow your mind. The pan-fried beets in this recipe develop a beautiful caramelization, creating a delicious semi-sweet chip that contrasts the savory and tangy creamy sauce (that gets a pop of brightness from mint). The flavors in this recipe are crave-worthy — it’s a stunning veggie dish that is perfect to serve alongside a roast or steaks, or you can serve it as a plant-based appetizer.

Pan Fried Beets with Creamy Mint Sauce (Dairy-Free, 30 Minute Recipe) (2)

How to create a dairy-free cream sauce

For this recipe, I used Miyoko’s Dairy Free Cream Cheese for the sauce; I like the plain version. If you can’t find Miyoko’s where you live, then you can use my Dairy Free Cream recipe. I have a cashew base and a cauli base so you can make it nut free too.

If you do well with dairy, you can use regular cream cheese or sour cream if you please. The star of the sauce is really the mint, so whatever base you use, don’t skip the mint!

Pan Fried Beets with Creamy Mint Sauce (Dairy-Free, 30 Minute Recipe) (3)

Why you should eat these Pan Fried Beets with Creamy Mint Sauce

Beets are loaded with vitamins and nutrients, and this easy beet recipe is the best way to enjoy them. Flavor and nutrient density, it’s a beautiful marriage.

Let’s look at the nutritional benefits of beets:

  • Fiber — may improve digestion and gut health
  • Folate — important for tissue growth and cell function
  • Vitamin C — an antioxidant, important for immune health and skin health
  • Manganese — an essential trace element, important for hormone health
  • Potassium — helps reduce blood pressure, an electrolyte that helps keep you hydrated
  • Iron — an essential mineral, important for the transport of oxygen in red blood cells

Beets are also a good source of inorganic nitrates, which have been found to significantly reduce resting blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, improve endothelial function, and reduce arterial stiffness (source).

Pan Fried Beets with Creamy Mint Sauce (Dairy-Free, 30 Minute Recipe) (4)

Tips for pan frying in cast iron

I’m a diehard cast iron fan, and I do everything with my cast iron. The key to getting perfectly caramelized beet slices for this recipe is to follow my cast iron pan frying tips:

  1. The oil is ready when you dip a wooden spoon in and it sizzles
  2. Make sure each slice has full contact with the surface of the pan (lay flat, not crowded, cook in batches)
  3. Add more fat if you don’t see a sizzle — it’s okay, fat is our friend
  4. Rotate the pan every few minutes, especially if you notice one side cooks faster
  5. Don’t flip until you see a nice brown/sear
  6. Always cook on medium, and give it a while to heat up

These tips are a great guideline for any time you fry in cast iron. Don’t be afraid, the end result is worth the learning curve!

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Pan Fried Beets with Creamy Mint Sauce (Dairy-Free, 30 Minute Recipe) (5)

Pan Fried Beets with Creamy Mint Sauce (Dairy-Free, Keto, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, 30 Minute Recipe)

★★★★★5 from 1 review
  • Author: Cristina
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Vegetables
  • Method: Fry
  • Cuisine: Appetizer, Side

Scale

Ingredients

For the Beets

For the Sauce:

  • 6 ounces dairy free cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup minced fresh mint
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Instructions

  1. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat (I use a 15-inch).
  2. Use a potato peeler to peel the beets and slice them in to ¼ inch thick slices. Melt half of the ghee in the skillet. When hot, place one layer of sliced beets in the skillet so they all lay flat (you will have to do this in batches).
  3. Pan fry for 5 minutes then flip and cook another 5 minutes, drizzling 1 teaspoon of the aminos over them in the last 2 minutes. Transfer to plate and repeat with the remaining beet slices.
  4. While the beets cook, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Set aside.
  5. When you’re done cooking the beets and you have transferred them all to a plate, add the garlic slices to the skillet. Tilt the skillet up so all of the fat pools together and the garlic slices are fully submerged in the fat, hold it here, letting the garlic fry until golden brown.
  6. Spoon the garlic chips over the beets. Serve the mint cream on the side and sprinkle more garlic chips over that too! Enjoy!

Recipe Notes:

net carbs per serving: 9.9g

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 351.6
  • Fat: 30.5g
  • Carbohydrates: 15.3g
  • Fiber: 5.4g
  • Protein: 6g

Keywords: beet recipe, fried beets, dairy free cream sauce, low carb side dish, plant based meal, 30 minute meal

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About Cristina Curp, FNTP

Hey There! I'm Cristina and I believe that you can heal your body through food! After living with a painful autoimmune disease and obesity most of my life, I said enough! I jumped head first into the world of ancestral health, and learned how to optimize my diet to get the most out of life! Read More...

Find me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest

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2 Comments

  1. Bree says

    After making this recipe, I can’t imagine having beets prepared any other way!

    Reply

  2. Vanessa says

    This was divine!

    Reply

Pan Fried Beets with Creamy Mint Sauce (Dairy-Free, 30 Minute Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

How do you add flavor to cooked beets? ›

Roasted beets with orange juice (squeeze it over the roasted beets just before serving) will taste delicious. Or try Parmesan, feta, or blue cheese. A drizzle of walnut oil makes for a nutty addition.

What makes canned beets taste better? ›

One way to liven up canned beets is to give them a splash of citrus juice. According to research from the journal Chemical Senses, citric acid on the tongue can evoke the olfactory sensation of fresh citrus flavor. Basically, you're borrowing some freshness from a lemon and transferring it to your canned beets.

How to cook beets with no mess? ›

Aita's favorite (and least messy) way to make beets is to roast them under a thick layer of salt. The salt draws out moisture, which will reduce the amount of juice, he explains. To do it, you'll need about a pound of kosher salt for every pound of beets you use.

How do you speed up cooking beets? ›

Cutting beets into quarters or wedges will speed up roasting time but still produce an intensely sweet flavor.

How to make beets taste delicious? ›

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir shredded beets in hot butter until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Pour water over the beets, cover skillet with a lid, and simmer beets until completely softened, about 10 minutes. Stir balsamic vinegar with the beets; season with salt and pepper.

How do you make red beets taste better? ›

If you're boiling them, add plenty of salt (as if you were boiling pasta) and about a quarter-cup of red wine vinegar to the water. If you're roasting, you can adjust the flavors afterwards. Try marinating them with citrus zest, garlic, scallion, vinegar, and again, plenty of salt.

Do canned beets lower blood pressure? ›

Beets and beet juice are high in nitrates, substances that turn into nitric oxide inside your body. Your body naturally produces nitric oxide, which is crucial for blood vessel health. Nitric oxide relaxes and widens your arteries, allowing more blood to flow through and significantly lowering blood pressure.

Are canned beets still healthy? ›

With only a few exceptions, canned beetroots have about the same nutritional value as fresh beetroots. Fresh beetroots have double the phosphorus, potassium and folate, but 1 cup of sliced, canned beetroots has 14 percent of the recommended daily intake of folate and 4 percent of phosphorus and potassium.

Is it healthy to eat canned beets everyday? ›

Can you eat beets everyday? It's always best to follow a varied diet. Eating a small amount of beetroot every day is unlikely to do any harm, but a high intake could lead to low blood pressure, red or black urine and feces, and digestive problems for anyone with a sensitivity to the nutrients.

What is the healthiest way to cook beets? ›

Oven-Steaming

Steaming in the oven rather than baking helps preserve more of the healthy vitamins and minerals in beets. This method also helps beets better retain their beautiful, vibrant color.

What is the healthiest way to eat beets? ›

Roast Them

Roasting is an overall healthy cooking method with minimal vitamin loss, particularly vitamin C. Roasted beets are rich and sweet with slight mineral flavors. Remember to avoid long cooking times and high temperatures, as these can reduce nutrients. Try using smaller bulbs if you want to prepare them faster.

Should beets be washed before cooking? ›

Trim off beet tops, leaving 1 inch of stem and roots to prevent bleeding of color during cooking. Wash thoroughly. Sort for size. Cover similar-sized beets with boiling water and cook until tender (about 25 to 30 minutes).

How long do beets have to be cooked? ›

Add enough water to cover the beets completely, bring water to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until fork tender, about 30-40 minutes, depending on the size. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and peel under cool running water.

Why do you put vinegar on beets when boiling them? ›

Place the beets in a large pot and add water to. cover and 2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar. This. will help to keep the beets from bleeding.

How do you cook beets for maximum benefits? ›

Roast Them

Roasting is an overall healthy cooking method with minimal vitamin loss, particularly vitamin C. Roasted beets are rich and sweet with slight mineral flavors. Remember to avoid long cooking times and high temperatures, as these can reduce nutrients. Try using smaller bulbs if you want to prepare them faster.

What flavors go best with beets? ›

Also ingredients like dark chocolate, nuts, coffee or roasted onions have earthy flavors and pair well with beetroot. This could be explained by the presence of 'pyrazines', which are aromatic structures formed during the process of roasting ingredients. These pyrazines also contain an earthy smell.

How do you make beets more palatable? ›

My favorite way to cook beets is to roast them, which gives a sweeter, richer, and deeper flavor than boiling does. Another advantage is that they don't bleed as much, especially if they're roasted whole.

How to eat beets yummy? ›

You can also grate raw beets to add flavor and texture to recipes like veggie burgers and falafel. Or you can cook them whole and purée them for a silky sauce, soup, or dip—including the most gorgeous hummus you've ever seen.

How do you make beets taste like meat? ›

Cure your vegetables as you would a piece of meat for a couple of days. This can be achieved by rubbing the vegetable or mushroom with salt at a concentration of 1.75% of the vegetable's weight, wrapping it tightly in plastic or vacuum sealing it, and letting it sit in the fridge for 2-3 days.

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