How To Cook Beets
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Learn how to cook beets 3 ways with this simple step-by-step guide. Whether you want to make roasted beets, steamed beets, or boiled beets, this blog post will teach you how! Using these easy tested and perfected methods will give you delicious cooked beets every time.
Beets are a nutritional powerhouse and a delicious addition to salads, buddha bowls, soups, hummus, and more.
Table of contents
Beets are one of my favorite root vegetables. And when you learn how to cook them properly, I guarantee they’ll become one of your favorites too!
It’s easy to roast beets in the oven, boil them on the stove, or steam them on the stove. Depending on how I’m using the beets, determines how I cook them each time.
If I’m planning to make a salad, or adding the beets to a buddha bowl, I like to roast them for extra flavor. When planning to puree the beets into a soup, dip or hummus, I like to steam or boil the beets.
If you have a steamer basket, I recommend steaming over boiling the beets. They maintain more of their nutrients when steamed, making it the healthiest way to cook beets.
Beets are a great source of antioxidants. And they’re so rich in nutrients that they’re considered a superfood. They’re low in calories and fat, yet contain a decent amount of fiber, which can help with digestion.
Overall, beets are a wonderful addition to a healthy diet. And after reading this blog post, you’ll know how to cook them 3 ways, and I’ll give you plenty of ideas for how to serve them, and add them to your weekly menu!
How to roast beets
Roasting medium-to-large beets in the oven will take about an hour. The natural sweetness of the beets release as they roast. And seasoning them before roasting them will also give you extra flavor.
- Remove the stems and leaves from the beets. Don’t throw them away! Follow my instructions for how to use beet greens.
- Peel the beets, then place them in the middle of a large piece of aluminum foil.
- Drizzle olive oil over the peeled beets, then season with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Wrap the foil up and over the beets. Place them on a baking sheet and into a 400°F oven for 60 minutes, for medium-to-large beets. The beets used in this post are around 1/3 pound each. If your beets are much smaller, it might only take 40 minutes for them to roast. If the beets are smaller, I recommend opening the foil after 40 minutes and piercing one of the beets with a fork. If it’s easy to slide the fork in and out of the beet, that means it’s roasted and can be removed from the oven.
- Unwrap the foil and allow the beets to cool. For most recipes, you’ll want to use cooled, or cold beets.
- Slice or dice the beets. Once the beets are cool, transfer them to a cutting board. Either slice or cube the beets, depending on how you’re going to use them in a recipe. Use them immediately, or transfer them to an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
How to steam 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. Use a knife to trim the stems and greens off of the beets, then scrub the beets clean. Add them to a steamer basket above the boiling water on the stove. Make sure that the beets do not touch the water.
- Cover the pot, keep the stove on high and steam the beets for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and pierce one of the beets with a fork. If it’s easy to slide the fork in and out of the beet, that means it’s cooked and you can turn the heat off on the stove.
- Use tongs to remove the beets from the steamer basket and run them under cold water, then use your hands to peel the beets. The skin of the beets will easily slide off after they’re steamed. Place the peeled, steamed beets on a cutting board to cool.
- Once cooled, either store the beets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, or cut them into slices or cubes to use the steamed beets in a recipe immediately.
How to boil beets
Boiling beets is a good alternative to steaming beets, if you don’t own a steamer basket. Depending on the size of the beets, it will take around 40 minutes to boil whole beets on the stove.
- Trim the stems and greens off of the beets, then scrub the beets clean and place them in a large pot.
- Add 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar to the pot with 1 teaspoon salt, then fill the pot with water, enough to cover the beets.
- Place the beets on the stove over high heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat on the stove down to medium-high, so that the water continues to simmer. Boil the beets for 40 minutes, or until fork tender. After 40 minutes, pierce one of the beets with a fork. If it’s easy to slide the fork in and out of the beet, that means it’s cooked and you can turn the heat off on the stove.
- Use tongs to remove the beets from the boiling water and run them under cold water. Use your hands to peel the beets. The skin of the beets will easily slide off after they’re boiled. Place the peeled, boiled beets on a cutting board to cool.
- Once cooled, either store the beets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, or cut them into slices or cubes to use the boiled beets in a recipe immediately.
What’s the best way to cook beets?
- Best taste: roasted beets will give you the best taste. Roasting the beets releases the natural sweetness in the beets giving them great flavor. The beets are also roasted in olive oil, salt and pepper, which adds to the taste of the beets. You can also mix up the salt and pepper and season the beets with Italian seasoning, Greek seasoning or lemon pepper to change up the flavor.
- Best texture: this is really a matter of preference. The softest texture will be the boiled beets, the roasted beets will be tender, but will still have a little “bite” to them. The steamed beets will be somewhere in the middle. If using the beets in a salad, or serving them as a side dish, I prefer the roasted or steamed beets. If pureeing the beets into a soup, dip, or hummus, I prefer the texture of steamed or boiled beets.
- Best overall: this really depends on what you’re using the beets for, but if you’re simply looking for the most flavorful way to cook beets, I recommend roasting the beets.
All in all, you can’t go wrong with any of these methods! If you follow my tips throughout this post, you’ll have perfectly cooked beets, no matter the method used to cook them.
Pro tips
- If roasting the beets, I recommend peeling them first with a vegetable peeler. This will allow the oil and seasoning to cook into the beets. And it won’t be removed when you peel the beets after they roast in the oven.
- If steaming or boiling the beets, I recommend peeling them with your hands after they’ve cooked. Steamed or boiled beets peel so easily after they’ve cooked, you can simply use your hands to peel them right off. Keeping the peels on the beets as they steam or boil will keep more of the vibrant color in the beets, rather than leaking out into the water or steamer basket.
- No matter when or how you peel the beets, I recommend using food-safe disposable gloves when peeling the beets. Otherwise, the beets will stain your hands red. Don’t worry though, if you don’t have gloves, the red tint will wash off in a few hours.
- I made each of these methods using 1 pound of beets, with 3 beets that are each approximately 1/3 pound in size. If your beets are smaller, you may have to adjust the cooking time down. If the beets are larger, you may have to add to the cooking time.
- No matter the cooking method, always use a fork to pierce the largest beet before removing it from the oven, or the stove. If it’s easy to slide the fork in and out of the beet, that means it’s cooked, tender and ready to eat.
- Try to purchase similar size beets to cook together. If one beet is really large and one is really small, they won’t cook at the same time. When shopping for beets, I recommend getting them as close in size as possible.
- This recipe can be made with any type of beet. The most common beets you’ll find at the grocery store are red beets, golden beets or chioggia beets (also called candy cane beets or striped beets). If using two different beets, I recommend cooking them separately if you want to keep the color of each of the beets.
- Roasted, steamed or boiled beets can be frozen for up to 3 months. After cooking the beets, make sure they’re completely cooled. Store them in a freezer-safe bag, or vacuum seal them before placing them in the freezer.
Ways to use cooked beets
You can use roasted, steamed or boiled beets in each of these recipes. I’ve noted below which cooking method I recommend for each recipe, but feel free to use whatever is easiest for you.
- Beet Hummus (pictured above) – you can make this recipe with roasted, steamed or boiled beets.
- Beet Salad (pictured above) – I usually like to roast the beets if I’m adding them to a salad. But you can also add steamed beets to this salad with arugula and feta cheese.
- Pickled Beets – I prefer using steamed beets for pickling, but any of the methods will work for this recipe. Pickled beets are a nutritious, delicious snack, and a great addition to salads and grain bowls.
- Stacked Beet Salad – for a fun spin on a traditional salad, try roasting, then slicing beets to make this stacked beet salad with herbed ricotta cheese.
- Beet and Burrata Tart – for a delicious and elegant appetizer, slice roasted beets, then add them to this simple tart recipe.
- Beet Bruschetta – roast the beets, then dice them into small cubes to make this beautiful and delicious appetizer recipe!
- Roasted Beet Pesto Pasta Salad – for a delicious spin on a summer pasta salad, roast and dice beets, then add them to this recipe.
- Balsamic Salmon Zoodle Bowls – roasted or steamed beets are a delicious addition to these healthy salmon bowls!
- Delicata Squash Salad – add roasted or steamed beets to this tasty fall salad.
Roasted or steamed beets are also a great side dish. Try serving them as a side with any of these delicious main dishes. Season them with a little salt and pepper. Or add even more flavor by drizzling them with lemon juice or flavored olive oil.
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How To Cook Beets
Learn how to cook beets 3 ways with this simple step-by-step guide. Whether you want to make roasted beets, steamed beets, or boiled beets, this blog post will teach you how! Using these easy tested and perfected methods will give you delicious cooked beets every time. Beets are a nutritional powerhouse and a delicious addition to salads, buddha bowls, soups, hummus, and more.
Ingredients
- 1 pound beets
For roasted beets
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For boiled beets
- ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
How To Roast Beets
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Remove the stems and greens from the beets. Don’t throw them away! Follow my instructions for how to use beet greens (coming soon!).
- Peel the beets, then place them in the middle of a large piece of foil.
- Drizzle olive oil over the peeled beets, then season with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Wrap the foil up and over the beets. Place them on a baking sheet and into the oven for 60 minutes, for medium-to-large beets. The beets used in this recipe are around 1/3 pound each. If your beets are much smaller, it might only take 40 minutes for them to roast. If the beets are smaller, I recommend opening the foil after 40 minutes and piercing one of the beets with a fork. If it’s easy to slide the fork in and out of the beet, that means it’s roasted and can be removed from the oven.
- Unwrap the foil and allow the beets to cool. For most recipes, you’ll want to use cooled, or cold beets.
- Slice or dice the beets. Once the beets are cool, transfer them to a cutting board. Either slice or cube the beets, depending on how you’re going to use them in a recipe. Use them immediately, or transfer them to an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
How to Steam Beets
- Add 2 inches of water to a large pot on the stove over high heat and bring the water to a boil.
- Trim the stems and greens off of the beets, then scrub the beets clean.
- Add the beets to a steamer basket above the boiling water on the stove. Make sure that the beets do not touch the water.
- Cover the pot, keep the stove on high and steam the beets for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and pierce one of the beets with a fork. If it’s easy to slide the fork in and out of the beet, that means it’s cooked and you can turn the heat off on the stove.
- Use tongs to remove the beets from the steamer basket and run them under cold water, then use your hands to peel the beets. The skin of the beets will easily slide off after they’re steamed.
- Place the peeled, steamed beets on a cutting board to cool.
- Once cooled, either store the beets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, or cut them into slices or cubes to use the steamed beets in a recipe immediately.
How to Boil Beets
- Trim the stems and greens off of the beets, then scrub the beets clean and place them in a large pot.
- Add 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar to the pot with 1 teaspoon salt, then fill the pot with water, enough to cover the beets.
- Place the beets on the stove over high heat and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling, turn the heat on the stove down to medium-high, so that the water continues to simmer. Boil the beets for 40 minutes, or until fork tender. After 40 minutes, pierce one of the beets with a fork. If it’s easy to slide the fork in and out of the beet, that means it’s cooked and you can turn the heat off on the stove.
- Use tongs to remove the beets from the boiling water and run them under cold water. Use your hands to peel the beets. The skin of the beets will easily slide off after they’re boiled. Place the peeled, boiled beets on a cutting board to cool.
- Once cooled, either store the beets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, or cut them into slices or cubes to use the boiled beets in a recipe immediately.
Notes
- The nutritional information listed above is for roasted beets with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- If roasting the beets, I recommend peeling them first with a vegetable peeler. This will allow the oil and seasoning to cook into the beets. And it won’t be removed when you peel the beets after they roast in the oven.
- If steaming or boiling the beets, I recommend peeling them with your hands after they’ve cooked. Steamed or boiled beets peel so easily after they’ve cooked, you can simply use your hands to peel them right off. Keeping the peels on the beets as they steam or boil will keep more of the vibrant color in the beets, rather than leaking out into the water or steamer basket.
- No matter when or how you peel the beets, I recommend using food-safe disposable gloves when peeling the beets. Otherwise, the beets will stain your hands red. Don’t worry though, if you don’t have gloves, the red tint will wash off in a few hours.
- I made each of these methods using 1 pound of beets, with 3 beets that are each approximately 1/3 pound in size. If your beets are smaller, you may have to adjust the cooking time down. If the beets are larger, you may have to add to the cooking time.
- No matter the cooking method, always use a fork to pierce the largest beet before removing it from the oven, or the stove. If it’s easy to slide the fork in and out of the beet, that means it’s cooked, tender and ready to eat.
- Try to purchase similar size beets to cook together. If one beet is really large and one is really small, they won’t cook at the same time. When shopping for beets, I recommend getting them as close in size as possible.
- This recipe can be made with any type of beet. The most common beets you’ll find at the grocery store are red, golden or chioggia beets (also called candy cane beets or striped beets). If using two different beets, I recommend cooking them separately if you want to keep the color of each of the beets.
- Roasted, steamed or boiled beets can be frozen for up to 3 months. After cooking the beets, make sure they’re completely cooled. Store them in a freezer-safe bag, or vacuum seal them before placing them in the freezer.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 268kcal (13%)Carbohydrates 44g (15%)Protein 7g (14%)Fat 9g (14%)Saturated Fat 1g (5%)Polyunsaturated Fat 1gMonounsaturated Fat 6gSodium 1517mg (63%)Potassium 1488mg (43%)Fiber 13g (52%)Sugar 31g (34%)Vitamin A 155mg (3%)Vitamin C 22mg (27%)Calcium 78mg (8%)Iron 4mg (22%)
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