How To Make Roasted Beets

Oven roasted beets have a tender texture and sweet, rich flavor. They’re super easy to make and such a great addition to so many recipes!

Roasted beets are almost a permanent fixture in my kitchen all year round – you’d be hard pressed to come over and not find some all ready to go. They are so great for tossing in salads, pickling, or glazed for a dinner side. 

They may take longer in the oven than a lot of other vegetables, but the prep involved is so minimal – you don’t even peel them first. The end result is tender and sweet!

Facts about Beets

• When buying beets, choose ones that are unblemished, firm but tender to the touch, not soft or mushy.
• Beets are so good for you! Loaded with potassium, iron, and fiber. And low calorie! 
• They’re so pretty! But they can also stain your clothes and skin, so have some food prep gloves or paper towels available.
• You can roast as few or as many as you like by themselves or in conjunction with anything else you might be cooking (bread, roasts, casseroles, etc.) The oven temperature is very forgiving.
• Size doesn’t affect the roasting method. It doesn’t matter what size the beets are – small or large – the time might vary, but the roasting method is the same.

Steps to make Oven Roasted Beets

1. Scrub them clean first – beets grow in the ground and are dirty, so make sure you wash them really well before they get cooked.
2. Lop off the leaves attached, but don’t toss them – treat them like you would spinach, kale, or your favorite leafy green.
3. No need to peel the beets before roasting – when they’re done cooking, their skins basically just rub off with little effort using gloves or a paper towel.
4. Roast them whole in foil – beets are super dense all the way to the center, so don’t bother cutting them. Wrap them loosely in foil, which helps them steam and concentrates their flavor.
5. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil – place your packets of foil-wrapped beets on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. This ensures an extra layer of protection in case any beet juice leaks.
6. Roast at 400 degrees F for about an hour – beets are done when a skewer slides easily to the center without any resistance. (If your beets are really small, start checking after 30 minutes. You don’t want them to dry out or scorch on the bottoms.)
7. When the beets are cool, trim the stems and root ends, then rub the skins off – they should slip off easily. If not, use a vegetable peeler, but be gentle.

How To Store Roasted Beets

Once roasted, cooled, and peeled, you can keep them whole or slice them up and refrigerate in airtight container for up to 1 week. They also freeze well for several months. Quarter, slice, or dice them and place in freeze-safe storage bags.

Roast up some beets and use them for all these Beet Recipes!

• Maple Glazed Roasted Beets
• Refrigerator Pickled Beets
• Pasta with Beet Cream Sauce

How To Roast Beets

How To Roast Beets

Oven roasted beets have a tender texture and sweet, rich flavor. They’re super easy to make and such a great addition to so many recipes!

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: how to make roasted beets, how to roast beets, roasted beets

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 73kcal

Ingredients

• 4 medium beets

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F with rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
• If the beets still have their leafy tops, cut off most of the leafy tops, but leave yourself enough to grip onto (about an inch). Wash and scrub the beets thoroughly.
• Individually wrap each beet loosely with foil (no need to dry them first) and transfer them to the baking sheet.
• Roast until you can easily slide a skewer to the center without any resistance, about 1 hour for medium sized beets. (If your beets are really small, start checking after 30 minutes. You don’t want them to dry out or scorch on the bottoms.)
• Let cool 15 minutes or so, then trim the stems and root ends. Use a paper towel or food prep gloves to rub off the skins. They will come off quite easily! (If not, use a vegetable peeler, but be gentle.)
• Quarter, slice, or dice your roasted beets for whatever recipe you're using them for.

Notes

1. Once roasted, cooled, and peeled, you can keep the beets whole or slice them up and refrigerate in airtight container for up to 1 week. They also freeze well for several months. Quarter, slice, or dice them and place in freezer-safe storage bags.
2. For other facts or tips, please refer to the full article.

Nutrition

Calories: 73kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 553mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 56IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg

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