This vegetarian dish demonstrates how roasting transforms beetroot into something far more appealing than the boiled versions that often turn people away from the vegetable. According to The Guardian, chef Jackson Boxer has created a recipe that pairs roasted beetroot with pickled raisins and blue cheese, showcasing how the vegetable's natural sweetness works beautifully with sharp, salty accompaniments.
Many people develop an aversion to beetroot because they have only experienced it boiled until soft and mushy, a cooking method that strips away its character. Roasting offers a completely different outcome: the beetroot cooks gently in its own juices, which preserves and intensifies its earthy, natural sweetness rather than leaching flavour away. This approach also dramatically improves the texture, creating a more appealing result. The vegetable's inherent sweetness makes it an ideal partner for acidic dressings and pungent cheeses that cut through richness.
Boxer, who is chef and owner of several London restaurants including Vesper, which was named Restaurant of the Year at the 2026 House & Garden Awards, brings his culinary expertise to this elegant vegetarian plate. Vesper is a 70-seat restaurant on Exmouth Market, and Boxer also serves as culinary director of other establishments across London and near Cheltenham.
How should you prepare the beetroot?
Begin by heating your oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Wash all the beetroots thoroughly under running water, then use a small, sharp knife to trim away the tops and tails. Rub each cleaned beetroot all over with olive oil and flaky sea salt, then wrap each variety separately in tinfoil parcels, ensuring they are sealed tightly so steam cannot escape during cooking.
Place the wrapped beetroot parcels on a suitable oven tray and roast for 45 minutes, until the tip of a sharp knife can be inserted into the core with no resistance. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for approximately 30 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, peel away and discard all the skins—if you use latex gloves, you should be able to do this simply by rubbing the surface with your hands. Cut each beetroot from top to bottom into quarters, then cut each quarter in half lengthways.
What about the pickled raisins?
The raisins must be prepared the day before serving. Combine apple cider vinegar, black peppercorns, allspice berries, bay leaves, sliced shallot, whole fresh jalapeño chilli, halved red chilli (with stalk, pith and seeds removed), garlic cloves, and fresh oregano sprigs in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from the heat and leave to cool for 30 minutes. Strain the liquor into a jug and discard the spent solids. Submerge the golden raisins in the brine, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
How do you make the toasted pumpkin seeds?
While the beetroot cools, prepare the pumpkin seeds. Finely chop fresh rosemary needles and gently warm extra-virgin olive oil in a small pan. Remove from the heat, add the rosemary, and leave to infuse for 20 minutes. Spread the pumpkin seeds in an even layer on an oven tray and toast in a 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly toasted and aromatic. Pour the rosemary-infused oil over the seeds, season with flaky sea salt, toss to coat, then transfer to a plate lined with kitchen towel to drain.
What goes into the dressing?
The dressing brings all the elements together with balanced acidity and richness. Mix sherry vinegar with 100g of the raisin pickling liquid, then whisk in extra-virgin olive oil until the mixture emulsifies. Stir in minced shallots, ground black pepper, and flaky sea salt. This dressing should be made just before assembly to ensure the flavours are fresh and bright.
How do you assemble the dish?
Arrange the still-warm roasted beetroot on a platter, keeping the different varieties separate if you have used multiple types. Fold through the strained pickled raisins and sprinkle generously with the toasted pumpkin seeds. Finely grate the frozen blue cheese all over the top—a farmhouse blue such as Brunswick Blue works particularly well—and serve immediately while the beetroot retains some warmth.
What are the ingredient quantities?
For the pickled raisins, you will need 500g apple cider vinegar, 8g black peppercorns (about 1 tablespoon), 4g allspice berries (about 2 teaspoons), 2 bay leaves, 1 medium peeled and sliced shallot, 1 fresh jalapeño chilli left whole, 1 large fresh red chilli split in half lengthways with stalk, pith and seeds discarded, 2 garlic cloves, 12 sprigs fresh oregano, and 300g golden raisins.
For the roasted beetroot, gather 1.2kg beetroot (ideally an equal mix of at least three varieties such as cylindra, badger flame and candy, though standard purple beetroot works well), 60ml olive oil, 20g flaky sea salt, and 100g vegetarian soft blue cheese, frozen, to finish.
For the toasted pumpkin seeds, prepare 5g rosemary needles (about 3 teaspoons), 25g extra-virgin olive oil, 100g pumpkin seeds, and 2g flaky sea salt (about half a teaspoon).
For the dressing, combine 50g sherry vinegar, 100g raisin pickling liquor, 100g extra-virgin olive oil, 50g minced shallots, 2g ground black pepper (about half a teaspoon), and 2g flaky sea salt (about half a teaspoon).
How long does preparation take?
The recipe requires 10 minutes of preparation time, with the raisins pickling overnight, 2 hours of cooking time, and serves 4 people. Planning ahead is essential because the pickled raisins must be prepared at least one day in advance, making this a dish suited to entertaining where you can complete the pickling stage well ahead of your guests' arrival.
Boxer's approach to this dish reflects broader trends in vegetarian cooking that move beyond simple boiling or steaming. He has partnered with Eduardo Yishima to relaunch Notting Hill's Taqueria as TAQ following the restaurant's closure in February 2026 after 20 years of trading, demonstrating his commitment to revitalizing established culinary concepts. His restaurants across London and the Cotswolds showcase his philosophy of elevating simple ingredients through thoughtful technique and flavour combination.
