These Asian roasted beets are paired with tea infused noodles and a bold red wine. Hints of sweet cocoa and spicy gochujang make it the perfect winter dish.
- 4 medium sized beets, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1.5 pounds)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 to 8 bags pu erh tea, see note (<-affiliate)
- 8 oz noodles
- Cacao nibs, for topping
- Sliced green onions, for topping
- Sesame seeds, for topping
- 2 bags pu erh tea (<-affiliate)
- 1 teaspoon cacao nibs
- 2 teaspoons gochujang paste (<-affiliate)
- 2 teaspoons doenjang paste (<-affiliate)
- 1 teaspoon cooking liquid from noodles
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
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Heat oven to 350°F.
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Toss beets with olive oil and place on a bake sheet or roasting pan. Roast beets for 25 to 35 minutes until tender.
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While beets are roasting, add tea bags to boiling water in a small saucepan. Let steep 10 to 15 minutes until tea is very dark.
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Remove tea bags and bring the tea to a boil.
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Cook noodles according to package directions.
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Cut open the tea bags and pour the loose tea into a spice grinder. Add 1 teaspoon cacao nibs. Cover and grind until you have a fine powder.
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In a small jar or bowl, combine ground tea and cacao nibs with gochujang and doenjang. Whisk in 1 teaspoon of cooking liquid from the noodles with 1/2 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil.
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Divide cooked noodles among 4 bowls.
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Toss roasted beets with the dressing and spoon over the noodles.
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Sprinkle with cacao nibs, green onions, and sesame seeds before serving.
Seasoned Secret
I recommend a ratio of 2 tea bags per cup of water used for cooking the noodles. The key is to add the tea bags to the boiling water before adding the noodles. Some noodles absorb the flavor of the cooking liquid more than others.
Gluten-Free
I haven’t used them, but I was able to find gluten free doenjang and gluten free gochujang on Amazon. And be sure to use gluten free noodles like rice noodles or mung bean noodles.
Omnivore
Add grilled pork or barbecue chicken to this dish to best complement the flavors of the asian roasted beets and the wine.
Check the Fridge
If you can’t find doenjang, you can opt for miso paste instead. I recommend red or white miso for this dish. This article is a great overview of the difference between the two.