Our Favorite Beet Varieties

Photo: Johnny Miller

Earthy and Sweet

Even if you already love beets, you'll enjoy them even more when you grow your own. When you pluck them fresh from the soil, they give you three gifts: first, the beetroot itself, with flesh that's earthy yet sweet, dense yet tender, colorful as jewelry. Then the beet greens, which, when just-picked, are wonderfully vibrant, crisp-tender, bittersweet, and a little peppery. And third, the gardener's reward for time spent thinning the crop: baby greens from seedlings (sold as "microgreens" for fancy prices).

See More: Cooking with Beets

Photo: Randy Mayor

Golden Beets

Not a beet fan? This one might win you over. A little sweeter than darker varieties, it still has an alluring earthiness. Also, it doesn't stain everything purple-red.

Photo: Randy Mayor

Bull's Blood Beets

With its deep crimson color, this beet is often grown for its tender, sweet-spicy leaves. But the tasty flesh is intense red, often beautifully ringed with pink.

Photo: Randy Mayor

Chioggia Beets

Stunning red-and-white-striped flesh sets these apart and makes them great for shaving thin and raw into salads (the flesh turns uniformly red when cooked).