How to Roast Beets

roasted beets

Foodcollection RF/Getty Images

Roasting beets intensifies their flavor, brings out their earthy sweetness, and makes their peels easy to strip off. Like roasting anything, it's pretty straightforward (pro tip: put them in a hot oven!). This step-by-step guide proves that point.

1:00

Watch Now: How to Roast Beets

  • 01 of 04

    Start With Firm Fresh Beets

    Fresh Beets

     

    LOVE_LIFE/Getty Images

    Start with beets that are firm and feel heavy for their size. If the beets came with their greens still attached, cut off the greens, wash them, and reserve them for another use. You can cook beets greens just like other greens such as spinach or chard.

    Rinse any dirt or debris from the beets; some beets may need to be scrubbed clean. Put the beets on a large piece of aluminum foil and preheat the oven to 375F.*

    *Note: Beets are fairly flexible veggies, if you have something else in the oven at anywhere between 325F and 425F, beets will happily roast up at that temperature alongside what you're already cooking, it just will take a bit longer at lower temperatures.

  • 02 of 04

    Prepare & Roast the Beets

    Beets ready to roast

    The Spruce / Molly Watson

    If you like, drizzle the beets with a bit of oil before roasting. Olive oil is a good choice, but grapeseed oil or canola oil work just fine, too. A bit of oil at this stage will help keep them from drying out in the hot oven. It coats them and helps them hang on to their own juices, keeping them tender. If you're planning on making a salad with the roasted beets, feel free to use plenty of oil here. You can save and reuse the beet-infused oil in the dressing.

    Sprinkle the beets with salt, too. Unsalted beets are fine, but a bit of salt while cooking really will up the final flavor of your roasted beets.

    To evenly roast the beets, fold the foil over them and crimp to seal the sides closed. This helps keep them moist, it also helps contain the powerfully staining juices they'll emit while roasting and make clean-up a snap. Roast beets until tender. The amount of time this will take can vary greatly depending on a variety of factors:

    • The size of the beets
    • How many beets there are
    • If other things are in the oven
    • How fresh the beets are (fresher beets cook up faster)

    For smaller beets, start checking them for tenderness after they've been roasting for about 25 minutes. Larger and older beets can take up to an hour or more.

  • 03 of 04

    Let the Beets Cool

    Unpeeled roasted beets

    The Spruce / Molly Watson

    Remove the beets from the oven when they're tender (you should be able to easily pierce them with a fork). Open up the foil packet and let them sit until they're cool enough to handle.

  • 04 of 04

    Peel Roasted Beets

    Peeled roasted beets

    The Spruce / Molly Watson

    When the beets are cool enough to handle, slip their peels off. You can use a paring knife if you like, but you can also marvel at how easily the peels come off with just a rub of your fingers. Your fingers may get a little red, so wear gloves if you want to avoid stained hands.

    Serve peeled roasted beets as-is, with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Or slice and use them in salads. There are lots of great beet salad recipes.

    Roasted beets are particularly tasty with highly flavorful but creamy white cheeses; feta and goat cheese are excellent choices. They also pair well with roasted nuts (walnuts or hazelnuts are good choices), as well as fresh herbs such as dill and parsley.

    Beets work well with other fruits and vegetables. They add an extra sweet element when served with their fellow root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips), while they bring in an earthy note when served with sweet, tangy options such as oranges, peaches, and tomatoes.

    If you don't want to make a salad, try beet cabbage soup or chilled beet soup.