Beetroot paratha is a delicious healthy Indian flatbread. In this recipe we will take the health quotient one notch up and make a simple beetroot paratha protein and iron rich.

Beetroot is a superfood that has tremendous well researched health advantages. It is known to improve blood pressure, reduce inflammation, promote detoxification, support brain health, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

Given these advantages, I wanted to include this superfood in my child’s diet. My husband and I enjoy roasted beetroot with simple salt, pepper and lemon but my child, even though he is not much of a picky eater doesn’t like to eat on it’s own.

More About Beetroot Paratha

Like every other mother, I wanted to search for an easy yet super nutritious way to feed him beetroot. I saw many recipes of beetroot paratha on the net but I was looking for ways to make it more wholesome.

So, with some hit and trails, I came up with this recipe which is not only easy to make and is tasty but takes a simple beetroot paratha to a whole new level of nutrition.

This recipe is perfect for those busy mornings where you want to pack a healthy school tiffin for your child or make breakfast for your toddler with little meal prep.

Let’s check out the ingredients list below.

Ingredients

1. Beetroot: This recipe doesn’t require you to cook beetroot first. Let’s make life easier! All you have to do is grate a small size beetroot.

2. Indian Cottage Cheese/Paneer: This is where the protein comes from. We get raw milk at home so I like to make my own paneer. You can check out my recipe here on How to Make the Softest Paneer at Home. But if making paneer at home is not your jam, you can totally source it from outside.

3. Ginger: I always always add ginger in parathas. It not only adds an awesome flavour but also is an excellent anti-inflammatory food and aids digestion. So don’t skip it!

4. Greens: Beetroot is rich in iron but to make it even more nutritious I like to add some form of greens. You can add ones that are easily available and are seasonal. It could be chopped spinach leaves, fenugreek (methi) leaves, carrot leaves. In this recipe I have added radish leaves. Green leafy vegetables are an excellent source of iron and I find this one of the best ways to include it in my child’s diet.

5. Onion: Optional but it adds some crunch and gives a bite to the paratha.

6. Wholewheat Flour: I have used khapli wholewheat flour here. You can use any flour of your choice.

7. Spices: I have used red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, ajwain (carom seeds) and amchur (raw mango) powder.

8. Leftover Dal (lentil): This is another way of adding more protein and nutrition to this humble paratha. Instead of kneading the dough with water, if you have leftover dal from last night, you can use that.

9. Ghee: I always prefer cooking parathas with homemade ghee. It makes them soft and adds a great taste. You can check out the recipe of Homemade Ayurvedic Cultural Ghee here.

How to Make Beetroot Paratha

step by step recipe

Making The Dough

1. Firstly, peel the skin of the beetroot and grate beetroot in a large plate.

2. To it add crushed or grated Indian cottage cheese or paneer.

3. Now add some minced ginger and whichever greens you want to add. I have added some chopped radish leaves here.

4. Add finely chopped onion and wholewheat flour. To this add the spices- ajwain, turmeric powder, garam masala, red chili powder and amchur powder.

*Tip: Since beetroot adds a subtle sweetness to the paratha, you may need to adjust the spices accordingly to achieve your desired level of spiciness.

5. To knead the flour use any leftover dal instead of water. This is just to add more protein and also accentuate the taste. However, if there is no leftover dal then you can simply add water and knead a soft non-sticky dough.

*Tip: Add leftover dal or water gradually. Start with little quantity and then gradually add more if required. This will safe you from getting a very wet dough.

6. Smear the dough with little oil or ghee. Cover and allow the dough to rest for 10-15 minutes.

*Tip: You can knead the dough at night and safe yourself time in the morning. Cover and refrigerate the dough after kneading. Do not forget to smear the dough with oil or ghee. This will keep the dough soft.

Cooking Beetroot Paratha

7. Make small balls. Roll out the dough to a diameter of about 3 inches and spread small amount of ghee on the surface. Sprinkle some salt and fold the dough to the shape you like. Dust it with some flour and then roll again. I prefer making square shaped parathas.

*Tip: Do not salt to the prepared dough. Always sprinkle salt when you are ready to roll the dough. Salt will eventually make the dough sticky because the greens and beetroot will react with salt releasing water. This tip especially works if you have a leftover dough which needs to be refrigerated.

8. Heat a tawa on a medium high heat. Place the paratha on it and cook one side for a minute. Flip and cook the other side.

9. Now drizzle some ghee or oil on top and cook. Flip to the other side and drizzle a tsp of ghee or oil and cook both sides till it gets nice golden spots.

10. Serve Beetroot Paratha with homemade butter, curd and lots of love. 🙂

Variations:

Vegan Option: To make it vegan, use tofu instead of paneer and use oil in place of ghee.
Gluten Free: To make it gluten free, you can totally use gluten free flour. This works great with Jowar (Sorghum) Flour.

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