We get really creative with beets on the farm, just a quick glance the page for beets is evidence of that! This isn’t the first beet sandwich we’ve made, but this is definitely one of the easiest. The idea for this sandwich actually came from an evening of beef burgers and a vegetarian guest. It seemed like the one of the easiest things to do would be to just roast up a beet, slice it, grill it and slap it on a bun. And it was.
The first step is baking the beets. For a lot beet preparations I start by wrapping the beets in foil and baking them in the oven whole. It takes a lot of time, but I like the texture of the beets and they’re really easy to peel, once they cool the skins slip right off! Toss these in a bit of oil and vinegar with salt and epper and that’s all you need to do before heading out to the grill. These are paired with a tangy scallion spread, we used Greek yogurt, but goat cheese or mayonnaise would work great. If you want to make a vegan version try vegennaise or a cream cheese substitute.
Grilled Beet Sliders
2 large to medium beets, stems and tails left intact
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
a few grinds black pepper
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1 teaspoon grated garlic
salt
juice from 1/2 a lemon
rolls or hamburger buns
lettuce
Preheat the oven to 400°F
Scrub the beets clean and fold them into a foil packet: lay a rectangle of foil down and put the beets on one side. Fold the top over and then crimp the sides and top. Their should be a little room in there for the beets to steam. Bake beets 1 hour – 1 1/2 hours (cooking time will vary based on the size of the beets). Beets are done when a fork slides in easily.
Let beets cool until you can handle them, then use your fingers to rub the stem, skins, and tail off. Your fingers will be a little red, but it washes off quickly. Slice the beets into thick slices, about 1/2 inch thick. You’ll want 4 wide, thick slices, save any leftovers for a salad or snacking. Toss the 4 largest slices in a bowl with the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Preheat grill to high and grill the beets 1 or 2 minutes per side until dark grill marks appear. Grill buns if desired.
Combine spread ingredients in a small bowl, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
To serve: Spread one half of the bun with the spread, top the other with lettuce and then the beet.
