How to Roast Beets

Learn how to roast beets yourself in the oven to use in salads, appetizers and just as a great side dish. Very little prep needed.

Beets are one of the newest veggies that I have grown to enjoy more and more.  After my Beet Salad find over the summer, I have made them much more often.

It took me a while to find the love, but I am even enjoying them as a side dish now with a little balsamic vinegar.

I think what took me so long was that my husband used to add them to his smoothies raw. He always want me to try his concoctions and I usually oblige. But every time he added to beets, all I could think of was it tasted like dirt.  Just a little too earthy.  I couldn’t do it.

But cooked beets, I can do!

There are several ways you can cook beets. you can boil them, steam them, microwave them. My favorite way is to roast them because the sugars kind of caramelize and the flavors are so much more rich and delicious.

 

I prefer to NOT use the aluminum foil wrapped around each beet method.  Aluminum foil heated can leach chemicals into the food your are cooking.

So I like to just line a pyrex baking dish with parchment paper.  Place several beets on top of the paper and then cover the whole baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.

Then simply bake until done. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the beets. Anywhere from 45 minutes up to 2 hours.  After checking him first at 45 minutes,  check them every 20 minutes by giving them a little squeeze with an oven mitt. I didn’t want to pierce them with a fork too many times since that would let out the juices.

I pierced them with a fork when I thought they were softer to touch.

TIP: Use disposable gloves when peeling the beets so your finger don’t get stained by the juices.  The skin peels off easily.  (If you don’t have gloves, you could also use a folded paper towel.)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

While the oven is preheating, gently scrub the beets and pat them dry. (do not trim the ends)

Line a baking dish with parchment paper (or foil if you’d like).

Place the beets in a single layer on the lined baking dish.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.

Roast for 45 minutes to 2 hours (larger beets may take longer).

Flip the beets every 30 minutes to roast evenly.

After cooking, uncover the beets and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.

Then cut off the beet stems and tails.

Peel the skin from the beets while they are still warm. (I use latex gloves to keep from staining my fingers) 🙂

Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

ENJOY!!

Don’t miss a recipe or fun tip! Subscribe to the To Simply Inspire newsletter.

 

Try these other roasted veggie recipes too: