These whole oven roasted beets are so easy and come out perfectly tender and sweet! Here’s how to make this humble root vegetable into a surprisingly delicious side dish.
Do you love the earthy flavor of beets? This nutritious, hot pink veggie is enjoying somewhat of resurgence in public opinion.
Here’s the best way I’ve found to cook beets: roasted whole. This oven roasted beets recipe takes about an hour, but it comes out beautifully sweet and tender. You don’t even need salt and pepper, they’re that good! I was floored at the flavor that comes out of baked beets. I love them with goat cheese as an appetizer, in a beet salad, or whizzed into bright pink beet hummus.
Choosing the best beets for roasting
When I’m at the farmers market or grocery store, I look for beets that feel firm and heavy for their size. The greens should look fresh, not wilted. (You can save the beet greens for sautés or my favorite beet greens recipe!)
Medium-sized beets work best here. They typically take about an hour to roast. If you end up with a mix of sizes, start checking the smaller ones around the 45-minute mark, and the larger ones may take up to 90 minutes.
Pro Tip: Golden beets and red beets can be roasted using the same method. If you roast both varieties together, wrap each beet in aluminum foil so the red beets don’t leak onto the golden ones.
How to make oven roasted beets: a tutorial
It takes about 1 hour to make whole oven roasted beets, but it’s well worth it for the flavor. I recommend roasting a big batch and storing it in the refrigerator for the week. Roasted whole beets will keep about 3 to 5 days in a sealed container.
Want to cut the time in half? Make Instant Pot Beets in just 30 minutes.
Step 1: Wash the beets. Trim off all but about 1 inch of the beet greens. Leaving on the stem while roasting helps keep the beets from “bleeding” out red juice in the oven.
Step 2: Rub the beets lightly with olive oil. Then place the beets in an oven-proof dish. You also can wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil and place them on a pan, baking sheet, or right on the oven grates.
Step 3: Roast the beets for 45 to 90 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork. The time depends on the size. Check every 10 minutes until they are tender. Medium beets generally take about 1 hour.
The easiest way to peel roasted beets
Once the beets are roasted, allow them to cool for a few minutes. Then place them under cool water and rub off the skins with your fingers.
Watch out: this process is a little messy! Your fingers will get a little stained with beet juice, and so might your kitchen if you’re not careful! It will wash off your hands eventually, but you’ll want to wipe up beet juice counter or sink stains immediately.
Storing leftovers
You can serve oven roasted beets immediately after baking. Or, store them refrigerated in a sealed container for 3 to 5 days. Keeping them whole (avoiding slicing) helps them to stay the freshest.
Ways to eat roasted beets
Making oven roasted beets is a great weekend project: throw them in the oven and roast while you catch up on laundry and Netflix. Or if you have a pressure cooker, you can make Instant Pot beets in 30 minutes. Once you’ve got baked beets, what’s your favorite way to eat them? Here are all my favorite beet recipes:
- Turn them into an appetizer with Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese
- Make a Beet Salad or Arugula Beet Salad.
- Mix up Beet Hummus, an electric pink dip that tastes just as lovely as it looks.
- Don’t have time for roasting? Try a Beet Smoothie or fire up the grill for Grilled Beets.
Dietary notes
This oven roasted beets recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Frequently asked questions
No, you don’t need to peel beets before roasting. The skin will actually help protect them from drying out during cooking. After roasting, the skin will slip off easily.
Roasting time depends on the size of the beets and your oven temperature. Generally, medium-sized beets take about 45-60 minutes to roast at 425°F (220°C). Larger beets may take up to 90 minutes.
Beets are done when they are easily pierced with a fork. You can also check by gently squeezing them – they should feel tender.
Yes, you can freeze roasted beets for later use. Simply peel and cut them into desired shapes, then store them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. However, we think they are best eaten freshly roasted.
Easy Oven Roasted Beets
Pin Recipe
Print RecipeThese whole oven roasted beets are so easy and come out perfectly tender and sweet: they’ve become our obsession! Here’s how to transform this humble root vegetable into a sweet, tender, and surprisingly delicious side dish.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8
- Category: Essentials
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: Beets
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 beets
- Olive oil, for rubbing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Wash the beets. Trim off all but about 1 inch of the beet greens (you can save them for later and use them in salads). Leaving on the stem helps keep the beets from “bleeding” out red juice in the oven.
- Rub the beets lightly with olive oil. Place the beets in a covered oven proof dish. (You also can wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil and place them on the oven grates).
- Roast the beets for 45 minutes to 1 ½ hours, depending on the size and freshness, until tender when pierced with a fork. Check every 10 minutes until tender; we’ve found medium sized beets take about 1 hour.
- Allow them to cool for a few minutes. Then place them under cool water and rub off the skins with your fingers. (It’s a little messy and your fingers will get a little stained, but it’s ok! The beet juice washes off.) Serve immediately, or keep them refrigerated in a sealed container for 3 to 5 days (keep them whole to stay the freshest).
from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/RTZ6791
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