With lots of flavors and vibrant colors, this recipe is perfect as a light option for steamed rice and a side dish of Indian stir fry. It’s also suitable as a soup option to bring a lot of warmth during winter.
Why this recipe works
Beetroot rasam is a delicious and healthy soup recipe perfect for colder months. I agree to be sent email.
This South Indian soup brings the goodness of beetroot, tomatoes, and supporting spices. This rasam recipe is made without dal, making it an excellent option for those who avoid legumes. Since it does not need any dal, the dish does not take a long time to prepare from scratch. Beetroot rasam or saaru is easily customizable to your spice level preferences. Add green chili if you like it hot or a bit more jaggery to make it sweeter. This recipe is 100% vegan and gluten-free. Like my other rasam recipes like horse gram rasam and pepper rasam, this beetroot rasam is made using homemade rasam powder. You can serve beetroot rasam with sona masoori rice or even have it as soup. This rasam is not only healthy but also very delicious.
Ingredients note
Beetroot: I used fresh beetroot for this recipe. You can also use frozen beetroot, but I recommend using fresh beets if possible.Tomato: I used fresh chopped tomatoes for this recipe, but canned diced tomatoes can be used.Tamarind: This ingredient is critical for adding tartness to the soup. If you don’t have tamarind, you can use lemon juice or tamarind extract instead.Jaggery: Jaggery is a type of sugar that’s used in many Indian recipes. You can find it in most Asian markets or online. If you don’t have jaggery, you can use brown sugar instead.Rasam powder: This spice blend is readily available in most Indian markets or online. You can also make your own rasam powder using my recipe.
Instructions
Chop the steamed beetroot into small pieces and blend them with water into a smooth paste. Start by pressure cooking the beetroot. I cooked the beets with 3 cups of water in the Instant pot for 15 minutes. At the end of the timer, let the pressure release naturally. If you use a stovetop, cook the beets and water in a small pan over a medium flame until they are soft and mushy. This will take around 20-30 minutes. Let the cooked beetroot cool off, and then peel the skin off. In a separate pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add cumin seeds and urad dal, and let it fry for a few seconds. Add curry leaves or mint leaves and chopped tomatoes and cook until they’re soft. Once the tomatoes are cooked, add beetroot puree, water, tamarind paste, and jaggery. Let the rasam/saaru simmer for a few minutes. Add rasam powder and salt. Simmer for another minute on low flame, then turn off the heat. Add chopped coriander leaves. Serve beetroot saaru with rice and a side of Indian stir fry. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
If you don’t have tamarind paste, you can use lemon juice instead. Start with two tablespoons and adjust to taste.If you don’t have jaggery, you can use brown sugar instead. Start with one tablespoon and adjust to taste.If curry leaves are unavailable for you, add 5-6 mint leaves while tempering. This will also give a nice flavor to the beetroot rasam.If you find your rasam thick, add a cup of water and let it simmer for a few minutes.This rasam is made without toor dal, so I prefer a thicker consistency. If you want it soupier, add more water while boiling.You can also add turmeric powder, black pepper powder, and rasam powder.Using a pressure cooker instead of a stovetop would speed up the process.
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