Roasted Beet and Horseradish Soup

Steps

1. 1

   Prep beets and onions

   • Scrub fresh beets under cold running water to remove soil.
   • Trim the tops and roots, leaving about 1 inch of stem.
   • Cut beets into halves or quarters depending on size, aiming for roughly 2-inch pieces so they cook evenly.
   • Peel 2 medium onions and cut each into quarters, keeping some layers intact if possible.
   • Place the prepped beets and onions on a large sheet pan.
   • Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss gently to coat evenly.
   • Season generously with 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt and 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper on both sides.

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   Ready when: Vegetables are evenly coated with oil and seasoned on all sides

   Tip: Cut the beets into uniform sizes so they cook at the same rate; aim for pieces similar in size to the onion quarters

2. 2

   Roast until caramelizedOven 425°F / 220°C

   • Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
   • Arrange the seasoned vegetables in a single layer on the sheet pan with space between pieces for even roasting.
   • Roast for 30–35 minutes until the beets are very tender (a fork should pierce the center easily) and the onion edges are golden brown with visible caramelization.
   • Some darker or charred edges on the vegetables are desirable for depth of flavor—don't worry about them.

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   Ready when: Beets are very tender when pierced with a fork; onion edges are golden brown and caramelized

   Tip: If your oven has hot spots, rotate the sheet pan halfway through (at 15 minutes) to ensure even cooking

3. 3

   Cool and peel roasted beets

   • Remove the sheet pan from the oven and let the vegetables cool on the pan for about 5 minutes until cool enough to handle but still warm.
   • Hold a warm beet in your hand and gently rub the skin with a dry paper towel or clean cloth.
   • The thin, papery skin will slip off easily because the beet was roasted.
   • Discard the skins.
   • Cut the peeled beets into 1-inch chunks; you'll have about 3 cups of beet pieces.
   • Leave the roasted onion pieces as they are; they'll break apart naturally during blending.

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   Ready when: Beet skins slip off easily with gentle rubbing; beets are cut into 1-inch chunks

   Tip: Wear a kitchen towel or thin gloves while peeling to avoid staining your hands; beet juice is stubborn to remove

4. 4

   Simmer beets and broth

   • Pour 4 cups (950 ml) of vegetable broth into a large 4-quart pot.
   • Add 1 bay leaf.
   • Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the broth to a boil, about 3–4 minutes.
   • Once boiling, stir in the roasted beet chunks and roasted onion pieces.
   • Reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
   • During this time, the flavors will meld and the vegetables will fully soften, infusing the broth with deep beet flavor and natural sweetness.

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   Ready when: Broth is at a gentle, consistent simmer with small bubbles; vegetables are warm and soft

   Tip: Avoid a hard rolling boil, which can make the soup look cloudy instead of vibrant; maintain a gentle simmer throughout

5. 5

   Puree until smooth

   • Turn off the heat and allow the soup to cool for about 2 minutes.
   • Using an immersion blender, carefully submerge the blending wand into the center of the pot, below the soup's surface.
   • Turn on the blender to low or medium speed and move the wand from the bottom of the pot upward, sweeping side to side, for 3–4 minutes until the entire soup is completely smooth with no visible beet or onion chunks.
   • The soup should be a uniform, vibrant deep red.
   • (Alternative: If using a standard blender, carefully transfer the hot soup in 2–3 batches, filling the blender only halfway each time.
   • Blend until completely smooth, then return to the pot.)

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   Ready when: Soup is completely smooth and uniform throughout with no visible vegetable pieces; color is a uniform deep red

   Tip: When using a standard blender with hot liquid, cover the lid with a clean kitchen towel to catch splatter; never fill the blender more than halfway

6. 6

   Season with horseradish

   • Peel a piece of fresh horseradish root and finely grate 3 tablespoons (about 45 g) on a microplane or box grater.
   • (Note: Horseradish fumes are strong; work in a well-ventilated area or near a fan.) Place the grated horseradish in a small bowl and add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar; stir to combine.
   • Pour this mixture into the soup and stir well with a wooden spoon for about 1 minute until fully incorporated.
   • Taste the soup.
   • Horseradish intensity varies by root freshness, so adjust to your preference: if it tastes too sharp or peppery, add 1 tablespoon sugar or ¼ cup additional broth to mellow it; if you want more horseradish kick, add another teaspoon of grated horseradish.
   • Season to taste with additional salt and black pepper.
   • Once satisfied with the seasoning, place the pot back on the stove over medium-low heat and simmer for 2 minutes more to warm through and marry the flavors.

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   Ready when: Horseradish is fully incorporated throughout; soup is hot and steaming; flavors are balanced to your taste

   Tip: Horseradish potency varies between roots and even by storage time; taste frequently and adjust gradually, as it's easy to overpower the delicate beet flavor

7. 7

   Finish and serve

   • Ladle the hot soup into individual bowls, filling each about three-quarters to full (about 1.5 to 2 cups per serving).
   • Top each bowl with a generous dollop of sour cream (about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons).
   • Sprinkle a pinch of finely chopped fresh dill over the sour cream and soup.
   • The cold sour cream creates a beautiful visual and textural contrast against the vibrant red soup and also helps balance the horseradish's heat.
   • Serve immediately while the soup is hot.

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   Ready when: Soup is portioned into bowls and topped with sour cream and dill

   Tip: Chop the dill and have the sour cream ready while the soup is simmering in the previous step to save time during plating