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.
More Easy Bread Recipes
If you love this try some more bread recipes
And to go on your bread!
- Homemade butter
- Plum Jam
- Mixed Berry Jam
- Crab apple jelly
- other easy jam recipes
Beetroot bread loaf
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- 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.
- Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until stretchy. Place the dough back in the bowl, and cover. The dough is wet, so it's easiest to mix in a stand mixer.
- Allow to rise for hour or so, until light and puffy, and doubled in size.
- Knock back and form into a loaf shape. Transfer to a buttered 500g loaf tin, cover, and leave to proof, for another hour or so.
- Bake at 200°C/Gas mark 6 for 40 minutes. It's done when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Notes
- This recipe is 3 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion
- As well as buttering the loaf tin, I also line it with silicon paper to guarantee an easy
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.
Lisa
Made your beetroot bread twice before & now 3rd one on first proofing. 1st time I made it I went with your stated size tin (within comments) & the dough overflowed during 2nd proofing, so I’ve used a 9″×5″ tin since. I don’t use fresh beetroot & substitute for canned baby beets grated. Has a lovely taste yet not overpowering, nice soft crust, slices really well & obviously a repeated baked bread here. Thank you for sharing your recipe. :)
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.
Lynne
Beetroot is one of my favourite vegetables. This sounds and looks wonderful.
Trevor Ball
We really enjoy making homemade bread and it always gets eaten so quickly. Great recipe, certainly a keeper. Thanks.
Diana Black
This is a family favourite in our house. Really good with soup.
Kristy D
Such a lovely looking bread with the color and marbling. I bet it’s really tasty too.
Samantha
I’m still a fan of Bake Off and watched it last night, it was the bread episode. I shy away from making it myself, but finding recipes like this gives me inspiration. What a wonderful idea, it is so pretty and it must taste amazing.
Harriet
This looks so rustic and tasty. The marbling effect if brilliant. Such a good use of beetroot.
Amber
This is so impressive and not at all difficult to make. I do enjoy the rustic texture and flavour of homemade bread. Makes it really tasty.
Penny
Yummy and delicious is how I would describe this bread, it tastes wonderful and everyone in the family enjoyed it.
Pamela
Did I miss it somewhere that its listed what size loaf pan is used for this bread? I’ve looked and looked and can’t seem to find it anywhere. Did I miss it? Thanks.
Ed
Pamela
I used a 6″ x 4″, 500g tin.
Jana
It is an easy and very delicious recipe. Baked this bread already three times and it comes out also very good with vegan milk alternatives. Thank you for sharing!
Helen Best-Shaw
So pleased you re enjoying the recipe.