How to Cook Beets (& Recipes!)
Why Cook Beets?
If you don’t love beets already, knowing how to cook beets properly is a game changer. Juicy and earthy, with a touch of sweetness, beets make a tasty topping for salads and grain bowls. They’re also perfect as a vegetable side served with just about any meal, from weeknights to holidays. If you’re new to cooking this tasty root vegetable, welcome to Beets 101. You’re about to become their biggest fan!
What Are Beets?
Beets are the root of a beet plant. You’ll find these hardy root vegetables in supermarkets all over the world. Also called garden beet or red beet, they have an earthy, sweet taste that’s brought out even more by cooking. Although red is the most common color, you’ll also see golden, purple, white, and candy-striped beets. They’re all cooked in a similar manner.
Did you know that beets are also yummy to enjoy raw? The trick to eating raw beets is to grate or slice them thinly before adding them to salads. They are crunchy much like a radish or carrot.
How Do I Pick a Good Beet?
When choosing beets from the store, look for beets that are dark red and on the smaller side, but heavy for their size. They should be firm with bright green leaves. Sometimes the leaves are already removed, and that’s okay. If the beet looks large with a hairy taproot (the thin pointy tip), give it a pass. There’s a good chance that it will be tough once it’s cooked.
Tips for Cooking Beets
Here are some tips for perfect beets:
- Trim the beets before cooking. Trim off the leaves, stem, and taproot from the cleaned beets before you cook them.
- Peel the beets after cooking (usually). Beets are easier to peel after they are cooked; however, if you are roasting diced beets, you should peel the beets before dicing them.
- Don’t overcook. Start checking your beets for doneness near the end of the cooking time. Your beets are done when you can pierce them easily with a fork or knife. The exact cooking time varies depending on the size of your beets and the method you’re using. Expect to cook most beets for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Try a seasoning. Give your cooked beets a sprinkle with all-purpose seasoning or Italian seasoning for more flavor.
How to Prepare Beets
How to Boil Beets
Of all the ways to cook beets, boiling them might just be the easiest! Here’s how to boil beets to use in salads, pasta, hummus, and more.
Instant Pot Beets
The Instant Pot makes it easy to get perfectly tender beets in minutes! Use your Instant Pot beets in your favorite recipes or dice them up and enjoy them as a simple side dish.
Roasted Beets
Roasted beets are tender and caramelized on the inside and perfectly browned on the outside. It’s the best way to unlock the earthy sweetness of this humble root vegetable!
Air Fryer Beets Recipe
Air fryer beets are sweet, pleasantly chewy, and delicious. They’re easy to make and ready in just 25 minutes.
Recipes using Beets
Salad with Beets and Feta
Salad with beets and feta, topped with roasted almonds and Dijon vinaigrette – aka, your lunch today. You’ll love the the combination of the salty feta and the earthy beets.
Asparagus Salad with Beets and Burrata
This asparagus ribbon salad with beets and burrata doesn’t have a long list of ingredients – they are not necessary when the ingredients are this flavorful and fresh!
More Serving Suggestions
Side Dish: As a side dish, earthy beets pair great with sweet-savory dishes like pork tenderloin with apples, these zesty citrus beef skewers, or baked honey mustard chicken.
Serve Cold: Beets taste great cold in a vegetable wrap or quinoa bowl.