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Learn the easiest way to oven roast beets and discover new ways of serving them! Our step-by-step guide will teach you everything you need to know about roasted beets.
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These Oven Roasted Beets are so versatile and can bring a colorful and tasty addition to all sorts of recipes. Toss these tasty root vegetables into a roasted beet salad, layer on sandwiches or wraps, make roasted beet hummus to serve with vegetables. Oven roasting is so easy and brings out natual, vibrant flavors. Before you turn your nose up at beets, try oven roasting – I promise it’s a game changer!
Ingredients in Oven Roasted Beets
Simplicity is the name of the game when it comes to ingredients for oven roasted beets. It’s a perfect meal prep item to make ahead of time so you can use in all kinds of recipes. Here’s all you need:
- Red beets – for this batch I use three large red beets and three large golden beets.
- Golden beets – again, I prefer to use large beets for this recipe, but try to get them all about the same size. Small beets will work just as well. You can slice them into even pieces, or leave them whole.
- Olive oil – I like using extra virgin olive oil because it’s light and doesn’t cover up the natural flavors of the beets. You can use avocado oil as well.
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- You can also add extra seasonings and herbs like fresh parsley, fresh thyme, or dill.
Benefits of Beets
Beets, also known as “beetroot”, are considered to be a super food. They are chock full of nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants. Beets have a tendency to reduce inflammation, help with immunity, and improve digestion. They are especially high in fiber and low in carbohydrates. These are just a few of the benefits of eating beets. To learn more about beets, the Cleveland Clinic has a great article that dives into all the health benefits in detail.
Red Beets vs Golden Beets
Both red and golden beets are high in nutritional value, in fact, their nutritional content is almost identical. In my opinion, red beets taste more earthy and have a stronger flavor. Golden beets are slightly more sweet and mild tasting. If you are new to eating beets, I would opt for the golden beet since it doesn’t have quite as strong of a flavor.
Roasting or Boiling: Best Way to Cook Beets
Beets can either be roasted or boiled before serving. Roasting beets preserves nutrients of the beet more than boiling. Because of this, the beet may have a stronger taste. I prefer roasting to boiling because I enjoy the flavor and the brighter color that comes from roasting. Boiled beets can be done quickly (in about 45 minutes) but the flavor just isn’t quite the same.
Roasting Beets in the Oven
Oven roasted beets are so easy to make. They take a while to roast but the prep time is minimal. Do a quick scrub before you add a tablespoon or so of olive oil. You don’t even have to peel them before placing on the baking sheet! You can use a paring knife and peel if you like, but when you roast beets in the oven, the beet will soften and the peels will come right off with a vegetable peeler. Store beets in an airtight container in the fridge or make them into pickled beets with our easy 3-ingredient recipe.
Where to Find Fresh Beets
You can find fresh beets at most grocery stores in the produce section. Most places have red beets but some specialty markets have the golden varieties. Beets are also very easy to grow! I have found that Almanac.com is a great resource for learning how to Plant, Grow, and Harvest Beets. It is a reliable source that farmers and gardeners in our area like to use for planing all kinds of fruits and vegetables.
Ways to Use Roasted Beets
Roasted beets are most commonly served over salads or as a side dish. Try turning them into pickled beets to make them last longer and to serve with your favorite dishes. You can also try roasted beets on sandwiches or gourmet grilled pizzas. Try serving with feta, goat cheese, orange slices, and/or arugula. It’s ok to get creative with beets! If you want an impressive salad to serve with your next meal, try our Beet Salad with Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette. The beet juice blends beautifully with fresh herbs and balsamic vinegar, bursting with flavor and has beautiful presentation.
Questions
This really depends on personal preference. Roasting beets whole can keep the moisture in and prevent them from drying out. But cutting into similar sized pieces helps with even roasting. Use a wooden cutting board and a sharp knife to get even pieces.
Again, it comes down to personal preference. If you like the flavor and texture of roasted beet skins keep them on. But if you prefer a smoother texture and easy of eating peeled beets, then peeling them beforehand is a great option.
Some tips for perfectly roasted beets include: choose the right size of beets, leave the skins on, properly season them and place beets on a roasting pan with tin foil for easy clean up.
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How to Oven Roast Beets
Oven Roasted Beets
Ingredients
- 3 red beets
- 3 golden beets
- olive oil
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400-degrees F. Rinse beets and cut off the leafy stems and bottoms so they sit flat.
- Place each beet on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with enough olive oil to cover the beet. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper to taste and wrap tightly with the foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 60-90 minutes or until fork-tender. If you pull it out and it's not soft enough, simply re-wrap and return to the oven until done.
- Remove beets from the oven and allow to cool until cool enough to handle. Using gloves, rub the tough skin away from the beet. It should come off easily. It also helps to do this under running cold water. Place in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- When completely cool, cut the beets into wedges, cubes, or slices. Serve as a side dish or over salad.
Notes
- Both red and golden beets are high in nutritional value, in fact, their nutritional content is almost identical. Red beets taste more earthy and have a stronger flavor. Golden beets are slightly more sweet and mild tasting. If you are new to eating beets, I would opt for the golden beet since it doesn’t have quite as strong of a flavor.
- Some tips for perfectly roasted beets include: choose the right size of beets, leave the skins on, properly season them and place beets on a roasting pan with tin foil for easy clean up.
- Start roasting for about 45 minutes and check for doneness by inserting a knife or fork into the beets. They should be tender but not too mushy.
Thanks, Erica, for this easy step-by-step roasted beets recipe. My family loves this and can’t get enough of it. Would probably make this again!
This is the easiest way of roasting beets recipes I’ve tried! Instructions are clearly stated and easy to follow. It turned out so good and addicting. Thanks for this amazing recipe!
I made these for a Thanksgiving celebration and I’m already being asked to bring them again for Christmas! So good!
Do you wrap the entire beet in foil or leave the top open as shown in the pictures?
Wrap the whole beet! The picture is just to show what they look like inside.