Chioggia beetroot

Chioggia beetroot is a striking beet with red-and-white rings inside and a gently sweet, earthy flavour. Its “candy stripe” pattern makes it a favourite for salads, carpaccio and colourful plating.

Latin name: Beta vulgaris
Origin: Chioggia (Veneto), Italy
Life cycle: biennial (usually grown as an annual)

Description

Chioggia is a traditional Italian beet variety that often looks like a regular red beet on the outside, but reveals distinctive concentric rings when cut. The pattern is best preserved when eaten raw; with boiling, the rings usually fade and the flesh can turn more pink.

In the kitchen

The flavour is mild, lightly sweet and earthy. Slice Chioggia beetroot paper-thin for carpaccio, grate it raw into salads, or roast wedges with olive oil and thyme. It pairs beautifully with goat’s cheese, feta or burrata, citrus (orange or lemon), nuts (walnut, hazelnut) and fresh herbs such as dill, parsley or chives.

For maximum colour, serve it raw or only lightly cooked. Pickling works too, though the striping becomes more subtle.

Storage & preparation

Store Chioggia beetroot in a cool, dark place. Remove the greens (leave a small piece of stem) to reduce moisture loss. Once cooked or roasted, keep it in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days.

You can boil, steam or roast it. Roasting concentrates the flavour; steaming keeps it firmer. After cooking, the skin rubs off easily—slice just before serving for the clearest rings.