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
Instant Pot Beets
Roasted Beets
Air Fryer Beets Recipe
Recipes using Beets
Beet Bruschetta with Orange Tarragon Goat Cheese
Salad with Beets and Feta
Asparagus Salad with Beets and Burrata
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.
I love beets! My mom gave us all kinds of veggies at an early age! Just love them, Especially roasted! Who does’nt Love Roasted vegetables, right?! Right?
I agree! Roasted vegetables are the best!
I used the boil method as I was scared of the red hands, and it was so easy to peel them with minimal red hands! They tasted really good too! Thanks for an easy beet recipe!
Perfect! That’s my favorite way to make beets, too. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Love, love, love beets Rachel – one of my favorites. :-)
Confession time: I’ve never had a beet! They’re on my must-try list for 2014, thanks for the tutorial!
Those are the prettiest beets I’ve ever seen. I love them in a salad with goat cheese :)
I have loved beets from an early age.
Roasted beets are amazing. And if I could get someone to bring the beets right to my doorstep, that would be even better!
LOL! I love your comment about how you should just leave your oven on all the time and continuously roast veggies. I totally understand =) Thanks for linking to my napoleons!
Beets were totally an acquired taste for me too… but now I love them!
I love roasted beets and I do just like you – roast and save. I grate with roasted garlic for a lovely salad or just eat them on their own like candy. :)