Beetroot crisps: why beetroot makes such good crisps
Beetroot is a Swiss winter vegetable with a strong colour and an earthy taste. What makes it special as a crisp and how we process it.
Almost everyone in Switzerland knows beetroot, usually boiled and sliced in a salad. As crisps it is less common. Yet it has everything a good vegetable snack needs: a strong colour, a taste of its own and enough natural sweetness to keep it from being bland.
Randen, Rote Bete, beetroot
In Switzerland beetroot is called Randen; in Germany it is Rote Bete or Rote Rüben. It is the same root either way. Swiss beetroot is harvested from late summer into autumn and keeps well. That is why it is available from the region even in winter, when other vegetables travel further.
Where the colour comes from
The deep red comes from betalains, natural pigments in the plant. They are sensitive to strong heat. Fry beetroot at a high temperature and the red quickly turns a dull brown. Because we vacuum-fry, at a lower temperature, the colour is largely preserved. What is red in the bag is the beetroot itself.
What beetroot crisps taste like
Beetroot tastes earthy, and it stays that way as a crisp. On top of that comes a light sweetness that becomes more noticeable when fried. If you are used to potato crisps, beetroot crisps taste stronger and less salt-driven. Many people eat them on their own, but they also go well with cheese at an apéro or with a yoghurt-based dip.
Beetroot or carrot?
Alongside the beetroot crisps we make carrot crisps from the same farm. Carrot is milder and sweeter, beetroot earthier. If you cannot decide, take the mixed pack, half beetroot and half carrot, as a pack of 6 or 12.
Beetroot crisps: earthy, slightly sweet, deep red
Carrot crisps: mild, sweetish, orange
Both: 80 g per bag, no artificial flavourings and no colourings