Learn how to roast beets perfectly every time! My recipe is easy to make, and the roasted beets are always tender and flavorful. A delicious side dish!
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This roasted beets recipe is one of my go-to side dishes in the fall and winter. It’s delicious—the beets come out perfectly tender with a concentrated sweet and earthy flavor. It’s also really easy to make. Just wrap the beets in foil with a drizzle of olive oil, and roast until soft!
The roasted beets are wonderful on their own, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, or dressed up more with citrus juice, herbs, or balsamic vinegar. Serve them with any weeknight dinner, or add them to a holiday meal. These oven roasted beets keep well for days in the fridge, so they’re great for making ahead.
How to Roast Beets
If you’ve never roasted beets before, you won’t believe how easy it is! You can find the complete recipe at the bottom of this post, but here’s a step-by-step overview of how it goes:
First, preheat the oven to 400°F.
Then, prep the beets. Slice off the lush tops (use them to make this sautéed beet greens recipe!), and scrub the beets well.
Is it better to peel beets before or after roasting?
I like to peel beetsafter roasting.
It makes the prep for this roasted beets recipe quick and easy, and once the beets are cooked, the skins slip right off!
The skins also help hold in the beets’ natural moisture as they roast. With this method for how to roast beets, they come out perfectly moist and tender.
Wrap each beet in aluminum foil with a drizzle of olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper.
Place the foil-wrapped beets on a baking sheet.
Roast until fork-tender. The exact timing will depend on the size and freshness of your beets. Small beets may cook in as little as 35 minutes, while large beets may take an hour or longer!
Unwrap the beets and set them aside to cool.
When they’re cool to the touch, use your hands to slip off the skins.
- Tip: I like to do this step under running water for easy cleanup!
So easy!
How to Store Roasted Beets
I don’t recommend roasting most vegetables in advance, but roasted beets are an exception.
They keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and you can serve them chilled or reheat them in the microwave.
You can also freeze roasted beets for up to 3 months!
How to Serve Roasted Beets
Use the cooked beets in any recipe that calls for roasted beets, such as this beet salad or beet hummus, or serve them as a simple, delicious side dish on their own. Slice and season them with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, or dress them up with any of these garnishes:
- Drizzles of sherry or balsamic vinegar
- A splash of fresh lemon juice or orange juice
- Lemon or orange zest
- Chopped fresh herbs like fresh thyme, parsley, or chives
- Toasted nuts like walnuts or pistachios
- Crumbled feta or goat cheese
If I’m making this recipe for a special occasion, I often turn it into a larger composed side dish. I serve the beets alongside orange segments on a bed of peppery greens like watercress or arugula. I add drizzles of fresh orange and lemon juice, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar and top it all off with goat cheese and toasted walnuts. It’s always a hit!
How do you like to serve oven roasted beets? Let me know in the comments!
More Favorite Beet Recipes
If you love these roasted beets, try one of these fresh beet recipes next:
- Roasted Root Vegetables
- Roasted Golden Beets
- Kale Salad
- Roasted Beet Salad
- Beet Hummus
- Quinoa Burger
- Sautéed Beet Greens
- Or any of these 15 Fresh Beet Recipes!
Want more roasted veggies?Try my roasted broccoli, roasted cauliflower, roasted Brussels sprouts, or roasted carrots recipe next!
Roasted Beets
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 45 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr
Serves 4 as a side
This easy roasted beets recipe is a delicious side dish! Season the beets simply with olive oil, salt, and pepper, or try one of the serving suggestions in the blog post above.
Ingredients
- 6 medium beets, tops removed, scrubbed well
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Place each beet on a piece of foil. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap the beets in the foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast for 35 to 60 minutes, or until fork-tender. The timing will depend on the size and freshness of the beets.
Remove the beets from the oven, remove the foil, and set aside to cool. When the beets are cool to the touch, peel off the skins. I like to hold them under running water and slide the skins off with my hands.
Cut or slice the beets and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper, toss, and serve. Find more serving suggestions in the blog post above.
FAQs
As much as I adore Beet Salad, I rarely made it at home, because by the time I finished the beets, my hands, cutting board, and counter all were stained with telltale red juices. Then, I picked up a transformative piece of information: you do not need to peel beets when roasting.
Do love beets have to be refrigerated? ›
Are Love Beets Cooked Beets able to be stored at room temperature when unopened? Yes! Our vacuum-packed plain Cooked Beets are pantry friendly until opened! Once opened they should be stored in the fridge.
Is it better to boil or roast beets? ›
My favorite way to cook beets is to roast them, which gives a sweeter, richer, and deeper flavor than boiling does. Another advantage is that they don't bleed as much, especially if they're roasted whole. Incidentally, to get beet stains off your hands, wet them, rub them with coarse salt, then wash with soap.
What is the tastiest way to eat beets? ›
You can use cooked beets in salads, to make hummus or to blend into smoothies. They can be diced for slaw, quartered for a grain bowl or mashed to make a dip or spread. Their thick and chewy texture is even great in a galette or quesadilla.
How do you roast beets without making a mess? ›
Time to get wrapping! Place each trimmed beet on a piece of foil that's big enough to wrap the beet up. Then, rub the beet lightly with a little olive or avocado oil; you don't need much, just a small coating. This will help the skins to slip off, ultimately, after roasting.
Does roasting beets destroy nutrients? ›
Like many vegetables, the longer you cook beets—especially in water—the more the colorful phytonutrients leach out of the food and into the water. Retain the good-for-you nutrients in beets by roasting them or sautéing them instead. Or lightly steam them for just a few minutes, suggests Doyle.
Are love beets good for you? ›
Beets contain two important nutrients that can help lower blood pressure: potassium and nitrates. Potassium helps flush sodium out of the blood to lower blood pressure. Nitrates are converted to nitrite, and then to nitric oxide in the body, which also helps to relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure.
Can you leave roasted beets out overnight? ›
You can leave the beets on the counter at room temperature (if it's cool) for a few days, if not using them right away, or store them in the fridge for up to 10 days. Be sure to use the beet greens within a day or two, as they don't keep well.
How are love beets cooked? ›
Our certified organic freshly cooked beets are vacuum-packed and cooked sous-vide to maintain their freshness. Our certified organic freshly cooked beets are vacuum-packed and cooked sous-vide to maintain their freshness.
What makes beets taste better? ›
Steaming will retain more nutrients than boiling. Slow-roasting beets in a foil packet or covered baking dish takes away much of the earthy taste and intensifies the flavor, but you will still have a bit of bleeding and nutrient loss.
Health benefits of beets include more stamina during exercise, heart disease and stroke prevention, and lower blood pressure. You can roast, grate, or put them into soups and salads. If you're prone to kidney stones or gout, avoid beets or limit how much you eat.
Which is better, steamed or roasted beets? ›
While roasting yields flavorful results, steaming beets makes their skin easier to peel off and makes them tender and more pleasant to eat.
Is it okay to eat beets every day? ›
Can you eat beets everyday? It's always best to follow a varied diet. Eating a small amount of beetroot every day is unlikely to do any harm, but a high intake could lead to low blood pressure, red or black urine and feces, and digestive problems for anyone with a sensitivity to the nutrients.
Can dogs eat beets? ›
Yes! Beets are safe for your dog to eat in moderation and are a healthy source of vitamin C, fiber, folate, manganese, and potassium. These vitamins and minerals are good for your dog's digestion and immune system as well as a healthy skin and coat. While it's rare, some dogs can be allergic.
Why is vinegar added in water for boiling beetroot? ›
Directions. Place the beets in a large saucepan and add water to cover and the lemon juice or vinegar. This will help to keep the beets from bleeding. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Do you cook beets with the skin on or off? ›
Size matters: tiny beets might be ready in 10 minutes where large ones might take up to 40. Keep checking whichever method you're using. Don't remove the beet skin before cooking. It's really not necessary and it's much easier to do so after cooking.
Can you eat roasted beets with the skin on? ›
Sometimes beets are peeled before cooking. They may also be scrubbed and cooked until tender with their skins on; the skins slip off fairly easily after cooling. (Some people are happy to leave the skins on; they are fine to eat.) You can also pickle cooked beets.
What is the best cooking method for beets? ›
Steaming beets is an easy way to cook beets. It's also the healthiest way to cook them, so they maintain the most nutrients possible. You will need a steamer basket or steamer pot for this method. Add 2 inches of water to a large pot on the stove over high heat and bring the water to a boil.
