How To Roast Beets In The Oven

This is a super easy step by step guide on how to roast beets in the oven so they come out perfectly every time. Roast them whole or sliced, seasoned or unseasoned. Cook them and store them for a whole week to enjoy as a healthy side dish, on salad or blend into an amazing roasted beet pesto. A crazy delicious soft and sweet veggie you need to make!

Beets are a very nutritious veggie that are underrated in my opinion but are so easy to make and are also packed with tons of nutritional value. Why are they underrated? Likely because many people just do not know how to roast beets.

It’s true! I have gotten so many questions about this, which is why I decided to create this post dedicated to teaching you all how to roast beets in the oven so they come out perfectly every time.

This is an easy and simple step by step guide on how to cook them whole or sliced.

It is way easier then you think, trust me. I do this a lot, which is likely obvious from the number of beet recipes I have created.

My absolute favorite beet recipe is this new Beet and Goat Cheese Salad that is currently winning my family over every time I make it.

What are beets and are they good for you?

Beets or beetroot are a root vegetable, which means they grow in the ground like potatoes and carrots and they are available year round at most grocery stores. They are actually quite inexpensive as well, costing around $2 for a bunch of beets (pictured above).

Of course you can also buy precooked, packaged beets but they will be a little bit more expensive and will loose some of their nutritional value from being packaged. So why not buy them fresh and follow this simple guide on how to cook beets and do it yourself right?

Beets are packed with nutrition such as fiber, vitamins, like vitamin C and B9 as well as iron and potassium to name a few. It is a good idea to try and incorporate them into your diet at least weekly if you can.

They contain simple sugars which makes them great for roasting in the oven since they get nice and crispy around the edges, making them perfect for meal prepping.

Beets are great on salads, enjoyed as a healthy side dish with any meal or as a snack. Some people even like to juice beets due to the health benefits they contain.

Check out this article for more information about the nutritional benefits of eating beets.

How to roast beets in the oven

There are a few ways to roast beets in the oven. Whole, sliced or chopped. How you prefer to cook beets is up to you. The method you choose really depends on how you are planning to eat the beets. Whether that is in a Beet Salad or making a recipe like a Beet Pesto. You can also slice them thin and roast them to make delicious Beet Chips.

How to roast beets whole

This is actually very easy to do in only a few simple steps.

1. Prepare the beets. Cut the leafy tops off of the beets if they are still attached and save them for cooking in stir fry or soups. Use a vegetable scrubber to scrub the beets while holding them under a light stream of running water to remove any excess dirt from the skin. Then just lightly pat them dry.
2. Roast the beets. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the beets either one at a time or altogether, depending on their size into a piece of foil. Drizzle them with a little bit of olive oil and season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Close up the foil packet and place them onto a baking sheet. Cook in the oven for 45-50 minutes until fork tender.
3. Let cool and peel. Remove the beets from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes until they are cool enough to handle. To peel the skin away from the beets, use a clean paper towel and scrub the skin off using the edge of the paper towel. It should easily slide off, then discard the skin.
4. Slice and serve or store. Slice or chop up the beets and enjoy them as a healthy snack or side dish. You can also store beets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

How to roast sliced or chopped beets

Roasting beets sliced or chopped takes much less time then roasting them whole and in my opinion, this method really brings out the amazing sweet and savory flavors of the beets.

1. Prepare the beets. As previously mentioned, slice off the green leaves and save them for use in another recipe. Then scrub the beets well to remove any excess dirt.
2. Peel and slice or chop. Use a vegetable peeler and easily peel the skin off the beets. This can get a little messy since the beet juice can stain your hands a bit, so feel free to wear some gloves to do this or just wash your hands really well afterwards. Cut the beets by slicing them in half and cutting them into half moon shapes or 1-inch cubes. Expert tip: Do not cut the beets on a wooden cutting board since they could stain your board. Use a plastic or silicone cutting board that can be easily cleaned.
3. Season and roast the beets. Place the sliced beets onto a lined baking sheet, drizzle them with a little bit of olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Lightly toss them to coat them all. Place the beets into the oven and roast at 400 degrees F for 12-15 minutes, until they are nice and crispy around the edges and soft and tender in the center.
4. Remove, let cool and serve. When the beets are done cooking, remove them from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes. Serve and enjoy on salad (my personal favorite) or as a healthy side dish or snack.

How to tell when beets are done

You can tell beets are cooked by inserting a fork or knife in them. If it comes out easily then they are done.

See, you had no idea that learning how to roast beets could be so easy and so much fun to do right? These roasted beets are such a great thing to do for meal prep as well, especially since you can store them for up to 7 days.

Fun Fact about beets

Actually a fun fact about beets is that you can eat them raw if you slice them very thin but this method of roasting them really brings out their flavor and in my opinion is the very best way to enjoy beets.

What to serve with roasted beets

You can enjoy beets in many ways. Here are some of my favorite easy recipes you can pair with roasted beets.

• Enjoy them as a side dish with some hearty protein, like this Crispy Breaded Chicken breast, these Easy Healthy Turkey Meatballs, or with this Healthy Turkey Meatloaf.
• Have them with some other delicious veggies, such as this Easy Roasted Butternut Squash, Maple Roasted Butternut Squash, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, or this Easy Sautéed Spinach.
• Enjoy them in a salad, such as this Roasted beets and Butternut Squash Salad or this incredible Beet and Goat Cheese Salad.

More Beet Recipes

• Simple Roasted Beet Pesto
• Healthy Baked Beet Chips
• Chickpeas and Greens Buddha Bowl

Tips for making this recipe at home

• Select beets that are medium to small in size with the greens attached. Make sure the greens are not wilted or brown. This will ensure you select beets that are the most robust in flavor. You also want to select beets that have little to no blemishes and are not too soft or mushy. 
• Storing beets before you cook them. To store beets before being cooked, make sure the root is nice and dry, place them into a large ziplock bag with the air removed and store them in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Storing beets after they have been cooked. Let them cool completely and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to seven days.
• How long to cook beets. This will really depend on how you cook them, either whole (longer cook time) or sliced/chopped (shorter cook time). Whole beets, depending on their size will usually take 45-50 minutes, maybe 60 minutes for very large beets. Sliced or chopped beets will take anywhere from 12-25 minutes, depending on how thick or thin you cut them.
• What to do with beet greens. Don’t throw the beautiful beet greens away. Treat them the same as you would treat other greens like spinach or kale and enjoy them in a salad or in stir fry or soups.

I hope you try this recipe. If you do, then please leave a comment and rating below. I would love to hear from you!

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