Roasted beets are the best way to bring out the earthy, sweet flavors of this delicious root veggie! Serve tender oven-roasted beets as an easy side dish or as a colorful addition to your favorite salads.
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Roasting is an easy way to enjoy beets and all their sweet, smoky goodness. This recipe is simply seasoned and so delicious!
How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep, 30 minutes of roasting
Equipment you’ll need: a bowl and a rimmed baking sheet
Servings: 3 servings
Perfect Oven Roasted Beets
Ruby-red roasted beets are tender and caramelized on the inside and crisp and browned on the outside, and they pair so well with countless meal ideas. Roasting is one of our favorite ways to cook these flavorful garden gems, and it’s so easy to do. The oven brings out beets’ earthy, sweet, smokiness and with just a few simple seasonings, they turn out incredible.
Whether you’re a bonafide beet lover or if you’re looking to give them a try, we’re sharing all our tips for perfectly roasted beets. This method is truly un-beet-able!
Why You’ll Love This Roasted Beets Recipe
- Easy method. Roasting beets is very easy, and if you’ve never worked with beets before, you’re going to love this quick method.
- Locks in the color and flavor. Oven roasting is the best way to cook beets so that they don’t bleed their purple color. Roasting locks in all the sweet juices and flavors and browns the outside perfectly.
- Versatile. Serve your roasted beets as a satisfying side dish or add them to more recipes, like salads, soups, and grain bowls. This recipe is great for meal prep!
What Are Beets?
Beets, also called beetroot, are root vegetables with large, round bulbs and leafy stems, similar to radishes or turnips (though they aren’t in the same family). Beets come in many colors ranging from bright red to yellow, to striped. The most common type of beet you’ll see in stores, and pictured here, is the red beet, or garden beet, which is dark red in color.
What You’ll Need
This method uses uncomplicated ingredients to bring out the lovely natural flavors of red beets. Below are some notes on what you’ll need. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post with the full recipe measurements and instructions.
- Beets – You’ll need 3 medium-sized beets or as many as you’d like.
- Olive Oil – Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil for roasting.
- Seasonings – All you need to bring out the earthy sweetness of roasted beets is salt, pepper, rosemary, and garlic powder.
Preparing Beets for the Oven
Beets need to be washed and their green leaves should be removed before cooking. Here’s how to easily prep your beets for roasting:
- Wash the beets. Give your beets a light scrub under cold water to remove any dirt or debris.
- Trim. Use a sharp knife to trim off the top and bottom of each beet.
- Peel and chop. Peeling isn’t mandatory, but for this recipe, I like to peel the beets to really let the seasonings sink in. Use a potato peeler or paring knife to peel them, then cut the beets into 1-inch cubes.
Avoid Beet Juice Stains
Beet juice has a gorgeous but intense, bright purple color that can occasionally stain skin and nails (and cutting boards!). I recommend wearing gloves and an apron when working with beets to protect your hands and clothing from staining.How to Roast Beets
It takes minutes to have your peeled and trimmed beets ready for the oven. Here’s how to make perfect roasted beets:
Season the beets. Once your beets are peeled and cut into cubes, toss them in a bowl with oil and seasonings to coat.
Roast. Spread the seasoned beets out in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet, then place them into the oven at 425ºF for 30 minutes. Give the beets a stir halfway through.
Enjoy! When the beets are browned and fork-tender, take them out and serve! See below for easy serving suggestions.
Can I Make Whole Roasted Beets Instead?
Yes! To make whole roasted beets, you’ll need about two pounds of smaller beets (about 2 inches in diameter). Trim them and wash them before you start. My favorite easy method for cooking whole beets is to roast the beets in foil. Here’s how to do it:
Wrap the beets. Add your whole beets to a sheet of aluminum foil, sprinkle them with water, and wrap them up. I recommend placing the wrapped beets onto a baking sheet just in case the foil packet leaks in the oven.
Roast. Cook the beets in foil for 60 minutes, or until they’re fork-tender. Allow the beets to cool.
Peel. After cooking, the peels should slide right off (use a paper towel, and make sure to protect your hands with kitchen gloves!). Your whole roasted beets are ready to serve or store.
Recipe Tips
Here are some final tips for turning these simple root vegetables into absolute flavor bombs:
- If you’re in a hurry, skip the peeling. The peels are perfectly edible and your roasted beets will still taste amazing. Just give them a good scrub with a vegetable brush.
- Test the beets for doneness. Your beets are finished roasting when they’re easily pierced with a fork or a skewer, similar to potatoes. Start checking them at the 30-minute mark.
- How long to roast beets depends on whether they’re whole or chopped, and your individual oven. Most diced beets take about 30 minutes, while whole roasted beets take about 60 minutes wrapped in foil.
- Don’t overcook. Roasting caramelizes the sugars in the beets, but overdoing it can cause the sugars to burn. This can cause roasted beets to turn bitter. Make sure to test for doneness and take the beets out once they’re fork-tender.
Make These Roasted Beets Your Own
Looking to spice things up further? Try these easy variation ideas:
- Add crunch. An easy way to add texture to roasted beets is to top them with crushed walnuts, pistachios, or pecans.
- Add cheese. Creamy, tangy goat cheese or feta pairs beautifully with the sweetness in the beets.
- Add dressing. A tangy vinaigrette really complements beets. Try a simple white wine vinaigrette or honey mustard vinaigrette.
- Garnish the beets with freshly chopped parsley or thyme leaves. Orange zest goes well, too.
- Different seasoning. Play around with different flavors by tossing the beets in all-purpose seasoning or Italian seasoning.
Looking for Another Way To Cook Beets?
Try quick and easy air fryer beets which turn out very similar to these roasted beets. For whole beets that can be sliced for salads or a side dish, learn how to boil beets or make Instant Pot beets.Ways to Serve Roasted Beets
Beets pair wonderfully with citrus, and I love slicing up roasted beets to add as a savory component to a citrus salad with mint, honey, and lime. These roasted beets also make a great side dish with grilled citrus beef skewers or grilled pork kebabs in the summertime. They’re also delicious next to pasta recipes like pasta amatriciana or stuffed shells.
Turn these roasted beets into a beet salad topped with feta or goat cheese, or add them to other wintery salad recipes, like a kale and pear salad or this roasted cauliflower salad with sweet potato and arugula. They also make a great addition to grain bowls. We love this warm kale salad with quinoa and roasted root vegetables.
- Fridge. Store any leftover roasted beets in an airtight or covered container in the fridge for up to 1 week. They’re delicious cold, or you can warm them up in the microwave or in the oven until they’re heated through again.
- Freezer. You can freeze roasted beets in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 to 4 months. Defrost them in the fridge before serving or reheating.
More Roasted Veggies
Roasted Beets
Ingredients
- 3 medium-sized beets (about 1.5 lbs.)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary (or thyme)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Peel beets and cut into ½ inch cubes. Try to cut them as evenly as possible so they roast evenly.
- In a medium sized bowl, toss the cubed beets with the oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic powder until well-coated.
- Arrange beets in a single layer in a rimmed sheet pan (14 x 10 inch). Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven, stir, and bake for another 15 minutes or until beets are tender and golden brown.
Notes
- Store covered in fridge for up to a week.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Arrange beets on a sheet of aluminum foil. Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of water over the beets. Wrap securely and place onto a baking sheet (just in case they leak!). Cook for 60 minutes (for large beets) or until easily pierced with a fork. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the beets.
- Cool slightly until you can handle them before using a paper towel to rub off peel. To avoid staining your hands, wear clean kitchen gloves.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
