RecipesSouth African 
Beetroot Salad
A tangy, vibrant South African salad of cooked beetroot in a sweet vinegar dressing.
Ingredients
- 4 medium beetroots
- 1 small onion, finely sliced
- ¼ cup vinegar (brown, apple cider, or white)
- 2 tbsp sugar or honey
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt & pepper
- Optional: fresh parsley, mustard seeds, orange zest
Method
- 1
Boil whole beets for 30–40 minutes OR roast at 200°C until tender. Slip skins off once cooled.
- 2
Cut into rounds or bite-sized pieces.
- 3
Mix vinegar, sugar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Heat slightly to dissolve sugar.
- 4
Add onion slices and optional parsley. Pour dressing over warm beets.
- 5
Chill before serving for deeper flavour.
Swaps & variations
- Add feta and rocket
- Add grated carrot and cabbage for a slaw
- Add cumin for earthy flavour
- Add oranges and mint for a fresh summer salad
Storing & freezing
Keeps 4–5 days refrigerated. Do not freeze cooked beetroot salad (texture becomes watery).
Grow it yourself
- Beetroot: Sow directly (beets dislike transplanting); prefers cool seasons; keep soil moist; thin seedlings early
- Onions: Start from sets or seed; full sun and loose soil
- Parsley: Prefers partial shade in hot areas; keep soil consistently moist
- Use garlic spray for aphids on beet leaves
- Rotate beetroot beds yearly to prevent soil fatigue
- Add wood ash around seedlings to deter cutworms
- Encourage ladybirds to manage soft-bodied insects
- Beetroot: Harvest golf-ball to tennis-ball size; leaves are also edible; twist stems instead of cutting
- Onions: Harvest when tops dry and fall over; cure before storing
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