Don't Dump That Canned Beet Juice Down The Drain – Save It For Your Salads Instead

Canned beets are a cost-effective, shelf-stable staple that eliminates the time-consuming work of preparing and cooking them. While you undoubtedly buy canned beets for, well, the beets, you should never get rid of the leftover liquid in the jar. Beets are often packed in water with salt or sugar, and whichever ingredients are used, there are a slew of creative ways to utilize the juice. But, salad dressing might be one of the best ways to repurpose extra canning liquid.

If you've ever cut beets, you know how easily their juices flow, often staining your hands maroon. Naturally, they impart their color and sweet, savory flavors into the canning liquid. While a sugary recipe will enhance existing sweetness, a briny liquid balances the beets' natural sweetness and emphasizes earthiness. Either way, this leftover beet juice will make for a colorful and flavorful salad dressing that can easily boost complexity.

The easiest way to transform beet juice into a salad dressing is by making a simple vinaigrette. Blend 3 tablespoons of beet juice with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar — fruity apple cider or red wine vinegar also work — along with 1/2 cup of high quality extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. If the beet juice you're using has sugar in it, you're good to go. But, if the canning liquid is briny, leave out the salt and drizzle in some honey or maple syrup.

If you prefer a creamier salad dressing, you can also add beet brine to recipes with a base of Greek yogurt, mayo, or even tahini. The sweet, rich flavor of the beet juice will enhance the decadence of the mayo, tanginess of the yogurt, or the nutty of the tahini, while also transforming a white (or off-white) dressing into a visually pleasing, bright pink dressing. In fact, you could even blend a couple of beets with the canning liquid, if you want an especially thick and luxurious dressing consistency.

Beets are a popular salad ingredient, so tossing a beet salad in beet dressing is a no-brainer — it'll help you make full use of the can in one go, too. Chef Curtis Stone does just that in a recipe for chewy beet salad that we've adapted. Otherwise, a kale and roasted beet salad with feta, walnuts and avocado can also sing with a beet vinaigrette. It's also the ideal dressing to pair with peppery or bitter greens, so you could try adding it to a citrusy arugula salad. Alternatively, a mayo-based dressing with dill, diced red onions, and apple cider vinegar would be an excellent potato salad dressing, whereas a beet and tahini-based recipe would pair well with a roasted vegetable salad of Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash.