Swedish Beetroot And Apple Salad – Rödbetsallad

Freshly cooked beetroot and crispy apple combine in a creamy dressing to make this traditional Swedish beet salad. It’s is a classic side dish, that adds color to any buffet table or as part of a Julbord (Swedish Christmas table). You’ll also find it’s a common everyday topping for open sandwiches like a Swedish Meatball Sandwich.
My first experience with Rödbetsallad was a disappointing ready-made packet from the store; it was more sauce than beets. Since then, I’ve always made my own, and beetroot is a traditional crop here in Sweden, readily available year-round. Our whole family loves this salad!

If you enjoy Swedish cuisine you might also like to check out this Authentic Swedish Meatball Recipe, this Classic Swedish Meatball Sandwich and this simple Swedish Lingonberry Jam. All of which are great recipes for the Swedish holiday season!

Ingredients

• 1 Pound/ 500g  Beetroot – you can also use precooked or even pickled beets. 
• 1 Small apple. –  Crispy apples like Granny Smith apples are ideal as they are a little tart, but any apple works fine to add sweetness. 
• 1/2 Cup Crème fraîche – For a lighter sauce, you can use Greek yogurt. 
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard – alternatively, wholegrain mustard. 
• 1/2 Teaspoon Sea salt 
• Pinch of freshly ground black pepper  
• Optional: Some traditional beetroot salad recipes call for some pickled flavor which you can add using 3-4 finely chopped pickles, or a little pickled red onion. Some of our kids prefer it without so we dont include it in our family recipe.
• If you find that the sauce is too thick, you can thin it out with a little olive oil, 2 tablespoons of water, or a splash of heavy cream.

Method

1. Scrub the beetroot clean under running water and remove the top and tails.

2. Boil the beets in lightly salted water until softened. /approx 20 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. You can test this by piercing the beet with a fork. Drain and leave aside to cool completely before handling.

3. In a Small bowl, combine the crème fraiche, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper.

4. Peel and finely chop the apple, discarding the core.

5. When the beetroot has cooled enough to handle, carefully peel and finely dice.

6. Combine the diced beetroot, apple, and creamy sauce together in a large bowl. Transfer to a serving dish and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Serving suggestions

-A Swedish Jul Bord almost always includes beetroot salad, but this salad is enjoyed all year round here in Sweden, not just during the holiday season!

-Our favorite way to eat beetroot salad is together with Swedish meatballs, or as a Swedish Meatball Sandwich on rye bread. 

-But it’s equally delicious served with grilled chicken or pork.

-It also makes a great sandwich topping or can be served with Swedish knäckebröd (Swedish rye crisps).

Storage

This salad keeps well for up to five days in the refrigerator. The flavours will marinate beautifully, and you can have fun finding new ways to use up any leftovers.

Variations

This salad is seasoned simply using salt and a little black pepper, but I’ve learnt that every Swedish family makes their beetroot salad slightly differently. Here are a few examples of easy variations that you can try.

• Many recipes for Swedish beetroot salad use pickled beetroot. If you would like to add just a little pickled flavor, you can add a little finely chopped pickled red onion.

• Some recipes use mayonnaise instead of crème fraîche or sour cream ( which I find makes the dressing too ‘heavy’.) You can also use 50:50 mayonnaise and crème fraîche.

• Try using different coloured beetroot, like yellow or polka beets, for variation.

• Roasted beetroot is naturally a little sweet and a great alternative if you’re not a huge fan of beets. 

• A little grated horseradish adds a ton of flavor and a little kick. (This is my favorite variation.)

• If you’d like to enjoy this salad on its own rather than as a side dish, add some feta cheese and some cooked pasta to make it more filling. 

• Swedes LOVE dill! And a tablespoon of fresh dill added to the dressing also makes this dish a great complement to fish or prawns.