Beet or Beetroot bread is an easy to make loaf that looks just amazing. Tastes great too and Egg Free!
I had a real surprise the first time I made this beetroot bread. Taking inspiration from our easy root vegetable bread, we grated raw beetroot into the flour, added yeast, salt, and water as usual and started kneading. The dough turned a pronounced deep pink colour, and we thought that it would probably change on baking to an uninspiring brown. How wrong we were! We were delighted to see when we cut the loaf for the first time that the grated beets had resulted in an amazing striped colour scheme.
It works best when made, as the loaf above has been, with 100% white flour – this really emphasizes the contrast in colours between the pieces of beetroot and dough. I think I’m going to have to remake this for next Halloween as a blood splattered loaf perhaps? And of course the added beetroot does add that all important extra veg and is a small effortless step towards a better diet.
Perfect as a ghoulish hamburger bun for a party. I’m really not a fan of the way brioche has taken over as the dough of choice for hamburger buns. All the added butter means that while it’s a soft bun, it also doesn’t keep any structural integrity, and it’s far, far too easy to just poke my thumb through. Not what you want when trying to eat a properly greasy hamburger.
This loaf is as straightforward as carrot and parsnip root vegetable bread. There’s quite a lot of liquid, so it’s a very sloppy dough, and best whacked into a stand mixer with a dough hook for kneading. If you want to hand knead this then reduce the amount of liquid slightly – to about 210 ml in total. Then just follow the usual breadmaking recipe – allow to rise, knock back and form into a loaf shape, transfer to a loaf tin and allow to proof, then bake.
As noted above, the dough does turn a rather remarkable pink before being baked. Don’t stress, though; the final result will be a spotty masterpiece.
If you want to make bread and don’t have the time you will love our “Emergency” no yeast bread recipe.
Oil or butter to grease the loaf tin?
I now grease my loaf tins with butter rather than oil. I find it makes it far less likely that the loaf will stick in the tin; my bread now normally comes out on the first shake.
- 100 ml milk
- 145 ml water lukewarm
- 1 sachet dried or quick yeast
- 2 tbs oil rapeseed or similar
- 350 g strong white bread flour
- 150 g beetroot grated
- 1 tsp salt
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Add the yeast to water and milk and whisk in until dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and bring together to a rough and shaggy dough.
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Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until stretchy and pliable. Place the dough back in the bowl, and cover.
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Allow to rise for hour or so, until light and puffy, and doubled in size.
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Knock back and form into a loaf shape. Transfer to a buttered loaf tin, cover, and leave to proof, for another hour or so.
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Bake at 200°C/Gas mark 6 for 40 minutes. It's done when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- This recipe is 3 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion
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If you love beets and beetroot you may like our easy to make beetroot spaghetti which an perfect easy after work dish…
…or our green beetroot smoothie
Heidi Roberts
You had me at beetroot!! Love adding it to recipes!
Rebecca
You have reminded me yet again that I really want to make some bread! I was going to try your root vegetable loaf, but this one looks so interesting, I think the children would love pink bread. I have a love hate relationship with beetroot, it used to be one of my favourite veg, then I made the mistake of juicing it and suddenly I wasn’t so keen!
Helen
I can imagine undiluted beetroot juice might be a little bit too much. Good luck with the bread – all those bits of extra veg all add up.
Rhian Westbury
I’d have never thought about adding vegetables into bread, although I do disagree with the brioche argument, I think they’re perfect for burgers x
Helen
I just think that some brioche really is so insubstantial.
Agness of Run Agness Run
I love beets, but I must admit that I know only a few recipes how to use it in my dishes. This bread seems so palatable, Helen.What kind of milk do you use for this recipe?
Helen
I am fairly sure we used semi skimmed or 1%.
Sheri
This is very different and I would have not thought to make this. I love baking bread. I have tried a beetroot smoothie and it is delish.
Helen
Beetroot is such a great vegetable to use, the flavour and colour are wonderful.
Emma
I love beetroot but everyone else in my family despises it! I might make this for them and try to win them over with it. Sounds yummy and looks delish!
Helen
The beetroot flavour isn’t as strong in the bread and the texture is totally different, so you may be on to a winner with this one and your family.
Rebecca | AAUBlog
wow, I have never thought to use beetroot before, but I do love it. The marbling in the bread looks fantastic
Helen
The colour and marbling is so effective.
Jazmin Williams
This looks and sounds delicious! Never heard of Beetroot bread before
Helen
Vegetables in bread is a great way of adding some good nutrition.
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
I love using beetroot in recipes but had only recently tried beetroot bread and loved it – will definitely be giving yours a try, it looks delicious.
Helen
Such a good use of beetroot, so pretty and tasty.
Shashi at Savory Spin
I adore beets – they lend such a glorious color to baked treat and this loaf is proof! Delicious!
Helen
I love the pretty marbling effect.
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables
Wow I’ve never tried baking with beetroots before! This bread is so pretty though! So festive!
Helen
Beetroot are so good to use in baking and making.
Julia
Oh this sounds interesting! Gotta give it a go! Did you use active dried yeast in this recipe?
Helen
Any dried yeast! Updated the instructions to reflect this.
Super Busy Mum
I have never heard of beetroot bread before, but it’s very pretty!
Helen
Vegetable bread is so tasty, well worth trying out.
Amelia Jenkin
My six year old is a very fussy eater, and getting enough veggies in to his diet is a nightmare. But he loves beetroot! So I know he would love me to make this.
Erin
I love adding veggies to bread. The marbling effect is so pretty too.