Turkish Beetroot & Yoghurt Dip

By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: November 13, 2019

Last Updated: February 9th, 20243 Comments on Turkish Beetroot & Yoghurt Dip

Turkey, a land of mezze – small plates to feed the soul. One such treasure is this vibrant dip made from the humble beetroot. A triumph of flavour, texture and colour – sweet, earthy delights with every scoop.

A bowl of beetroot dip scattered with herbs and yoghurt, served with flatbreads

My Turkish Beetroot & Yoghurt Dip (Kiz Güzeli) is a simple, delicious way to prepare this precious vegetable. Soft, creamy, sweet and earthy. Not to mention beautiful to look at! It's little wonder that it's one of my most prepared dishes for a shared Mediterranean feast.

It's a main stay on any Turkish Mezze table - I ate copious amounts in Istanbul - watching the World go by at many a restaurant. Once you take that first scoop with a flatbread, you'll drift into a beetroot trance only to suddenly come back to earth and wonder where the last 2 hours went, and where did all that Beetroot dip go to?

What is Kiz Güzeli?

In Turkey, this beetroot dip known as Kiz Güzeli and a very common mezze dish throughout the country. It's a smooth puree-style dish made from red beets and yoghurt which gives it a vibrant pink appearance.

It's typically served alongside an array of other puree style preparations like babagannuş, muhammara, haydari, havuç tarator, humus, tarama, fava puree and more.

Usually an elaborate display of each puree is arranged on a single platter and served with copious amounts of flatbreads to dip and scoop to your heart's content.

A bowl of beetroot dip scattered with herbs and yoghurt, served with flatbreads

Why it works

It's easy - making this Turkish beetroot dip is so simple, a matter of whizzing everything together until smooth.

It's a showstopper - who can fail to not gasp at the appearance of this! We eat with our eyes, and this dish looks SO appealing! It's always the star of the show on the table. And the taste matches the appearance, let me add.

Stuff you'll need

Making Beetroot & Yoghurt dip is pretty easy, all you need is some kind of food processor. I use a stick blender/immersion blender as it creates way less mess - especially when cooing with beetroot, which is rather similar to paint! Here are the key flavours:

  • Beetroot - I'll either roast my own or buy the handy, pre-cooked ones. This is the star flavour in all its earthy, sweet deliciousness.
  • Yoghurt - plain yoghurt adds the creaminess and being white, creates a pinker hue to the dip.
  • Extra virgin olive oil - creates a little emulsion which adds to the creaminess. Use a good quality, extra virgin olive oil.
  • Cumin - cumin and beetroot are a marriage made in heaven. The earthiness of both together is magic.
  • Lemon - a spritz of sharp citrus at the end lifts and freshens the dip.
  • Herbs - Dill and parsley are scattered over the finished dish for a contrasting clash of colour and a fragrant, grassy addition to enhance the dip even further.
The ingredients for Turkish Beetroot & Yoghurt Dip.

Step by Step

There's not a lot to do here, but the texture is important, so it's good to see what you should be looking for.

  1. Step 1 - Add all the ingredients (except the herbs) into a bowl or food processor.
  2. Step 2 - Blitz into a smooth puree. That's it, told you it was easy.

Now all that's needed is for you to spread it onto a plate or shallow bowl and and drizzle over a little more yoghurt - for this stage I'll dilute some yoghurt with a little milk to make it easier to drizzle. Then I'll liberally scatter over some herbs and a a little more extra-virgin olive oil just before serving.

NOTE: If you're roasting your own beetroot, you should add 1 hour onto the cooking time. To roast, I pierce each beet and then wrap in foil. I'll roast for 1 hour (depending on their size) or until a knife slides through the flesh without any resistance. I'll wear gloves to peel the beets.

An immersion blender blends all the ingredients for a Turkish beetroot & yoghurt dip.
The blended beetroot & yoghurt dip

Serving and storing suggestions

Serve on its own or alongside more Turkish salads and small plates. Always supply breads or raw vegetables to dip into the salad.

  • Fridge - You can keep this Turkish beetroot & yoghurt dip in the fridge (in an airtight container) for 4-5 days no problem. Bring it up to room temperature for 30 minutes or so before serving for better flavour.
  • Freezer - You can freeze this dip for up to 2 months - defrost thoroughly and bring up to room temperature before eating. I must say though, that I do prefer this dip fresh, I'll let you be the judge.
A bowl of beetroot dip scattered with herbs and yoghurt, served with flatbreads

Ready to get started?

With a dish so easy to make at home, you'll soon add it to your repertoire of 'no-fuss' dinner party dishes for sure. It always garners a small ripple of applause and I never reveal to my guests just how easy it is to make. I'll bask in my glory until every last scoop of this magenta marvel is fought over. "Rica ederim" (you're welcome!).

Any Questions? (FAQ)

Have a question about Turkish mezze like this Kiz Güzeli? Let me know in the comments.

What is Turkish beetroot dip called?

In Turkey, this beetroot & yoghurt dip is called Kiz Güzeli.

Is beetroot dip healthy?

Yes! It's a very healthy choice. Beetroot is a superfood, and is packed full of goodness. It's low in calories and a great choice if you're looking to fill up. Just be careful not to eat too much bread alongside as that can often notch up more calories.

A bowl of beetroot dip scattered with herbs and yoghurt, served with flatbreads

 

A bowl of beetroot dip scattered with herbs and yoghurt, served with flatbreads

Turkish Beetroot & Yoghurt Dip

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5 from 5 votes
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Recipe by Lee
Course Appetizer, Dip, Snack
Cuisine Turkish
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Servings (adjustable) 6
Calories (per serving) | 105

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place cooked beetroot in a food processor, along with all the other ingredients. Blend for 1-2 minutes until very smooth.
  • Spread over a platter or shallow bowl
  • Mix a little extra yoghurt with a little milk to make it more runny then drizzle over the surface of the dip.
    Sprinkle liberally with the herbs then drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil and some black pepper. That's it, you're done.

If cooking beetroot from raw

  • Preheat oven to 200ºC.
    Trim the stalks and wrap each beetroot in foil separately - skin on and place on a baking tray. Bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes until the beets are soft through (pierce with a sharp knife). Unwrap the foil and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
    Cover your hands in a plastic bag, or wear rubber gloves and peel the beetroot. The skin should come away very easily. Leave to cool completely before using.

Notes

  • Extra flavour - Sprinkle this salad with a little feta cheese for a perfect salty counterbalance to the sweet, earthy beetroot.
  • A tasty salad dressing - Dollop a little of this dip over a platter of peppery rocket leaves or watercress and top with some lightly roasted walnuts or pine nuts for a simple, flavoursome salad.
  • Make a yellow dip - yellow beets will make a delicious alternative to red.
Storage
  • Fridge - You can keep this dip fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container.
  • Freezer - This salad is best eaten fresh, but will freeze for up to 2 months. Be sure to completely defrost before using. For better flavour, bring up to room temperature.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 105kcal (5%) | Carbohydrates: 5g (2%) | Protein: 1g (2%) | Fat: 9g (14%) | Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 35mg (2%) | Potassium: 152mg (4%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 3g (3%) | Vitamin A: 27IU (1%) | Vitamin C: 7mg (8%) | Calcium: 18mg (2%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)
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