How to Cook Beets

Co-authored by Anne Lloyd

Beets are both sweet and healthy. In spite of the high sugar content, they are relatively low in calories and contain rich amounts of several nutrients, including vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and iron. There are many ways to cook beets, including roasting, microwaving, boiling, steaming, and frying. If you want to know how to cook beets, see Step 1 to get started.

Ingredients

4 medium-sized beets
Cornstarch (for frying method)
Olive oil (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Serves 4-6

Method 1

Method 1 of 6:

Preparing the Beets

1
Choose the freshest beets. If you want to choose the freshest, tastiest beets, then you should choose beets that are nice and firm. If they're spongy, that means they're older and won't taste as delicious. Fresh beets will also have dark green leafy tops; beets that are past their prime will have tops with a yellow coloring.^{[1]
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2
Remove the beet leaves. Slice the leaves off using a sharp knife. The leaves should be sliced close to the tip of the beet, but not completely removed. Leave a small portion that is just big enough for you to hold. This will make it easier for you to slice the beets, if you decide to do that.
- Consider saving your beet greens. The greens can be cooked separately and can be sautéed, roasted, or steamed as well. It won't take nearly as long to cook the greens as it would to cook the beets (just 4 minutes in a steamer will do for the greens), so you'll still have to separate them from the beet, even if you do plan on eating them.
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3
Trim the beets. You can also trim off the long end of the beets. You won't need those for cooking and they can make the beets harder to handle. You can also do this after you're done cooking them.
4
Clean the beets. Wash them under running water, scrubbing them thoroughly with a vegetable brush until you no longer see any visible dirt. You can also just use your hands, but you have to be thorough about it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 6:

Roasting

1
Preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC).^{[2]
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2
Prepare your baking sheet. Find a shallow baking sheet that is suitable for roasting your beets. Covering the baking sheet with aluminum foil is not necessary to prevent the beets from sticking, but beet juice may leak out, and a lining could make cleaning up easier when all is said and done.
3
Wrap the beets in aluminum foil. Make sure that the beets are still moist from being washed. If they have dried, rinse them once more to slightly moisten to exterior. Loosely wrap the foil around each beet. It does not need to be form fitting, but the foil should stay on without further assistance. You can wrap small beets together, but wrapping them individually works best.
- If you want to skip this step, you can put oil on the beets instead to keep them from burning. Drizzle the beets in olive oil or vegetable oil (about 1 tablespoon of olive oil or 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil per pound of beets will do). Then, generously season them with salt and pepper to taste. You can also quarter them to make them finish cooking more quickly; quartered beets can be cooked for 45 minutes, instead of whole beets, which will take a bit longer.
4
Cook the beets in the oven for 50-60 minutes. Place them on the prepared baking sheet and put them in the oven for roasting.
5
Add water if the beets start to scorch. Check the beets every 20 minutes as they cook. If they start looking dry or if you notice scorch marks on the bottom, gently pull the foil away from each beet and pour 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water onto the beet. Return the foil to its previous position and continue roasting.
6
Test the beets for doneness. The beets will be fully roasted when you can stick a fork into the center and slide it out without any resistance. This will mean that the beets are cooked through. At this point, you should remove them from the oven. The smaller beets will cook more quickly than the larger beets.
7
Let them cool. Wait at least a few minutes for the beets to be cool enough to touch.
8
Peel the beets. When the beets are cool enough, peel the outer layer of skin. Hold each beet in a paper towel and gently rub the skin away with the edges of the towel. The skin of a fully roasted beet should peel away without any difficulty. You won't need a knife or another sharp object to do this. You can consider wearing gloves to avoid getting beet juice over your hands.
9
Serve. You can enjoy these tasty roasted beets whole or hold on to the grip and slice them. These roasted beets can be enjoyed on their own or can be perfect for a salad.

Method 3

Method 3 of 6:

Microwaving

1
Place the beets in a microwave-safe bowl. Try using a 4 quart (4 liter) glass bowl. The bowl needs to be large enough so that the beets fit inside in a single layer. Do not stack the beets. You can put them in the bowl whole or you can even quarter them.^{[3]
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2
Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of water. Drizzle the water over the beets, wetting the tops and allowing it to run down the sides. Do not attempt to microwave the beets without water.
3
Cover the beets and microwave them for 5 minutes. Place a lid over the bowl or loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
4
Rotate the beets and microwave them for another 3-5 minutes. Rotate the beets so that a new part of them is facing up to ensure that the are evenly cooked. Continue to microwave them until they feel tender when a fork is stuck inside.
5
Cool the beets. Allow the beets to cool in the microwave for one minute. Remove the beets from the microwave and cool for an additional four minutes, or until they feel cool enough to handle. Leaving them with the cover on can help steam them and cook them a bit further. This is better than overdoing it with the microwave, because microwaving the beets can make it harder to preserve their nutritional value.
6
Peel the skin. Gently rub the skin with a paper towel until it flakes off. If the skin does not flake off, use a vegetable peeler to gently peel the top layer of skin away. This may also mean that you should cook them for another minute so they become more tender.
7
Serve. These microwaved beets are ready to be enjoyed on their own, in a salad, or in another recipe of your choice. You can enjoy them quartered, whole, or sliced.

Method 4

Method 4 of 6:

Frying

1
Peel the beets. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin from the beets before cooking them.^{[4]
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2
Cut the beets into matchstick-size strips. The strips should be about 3 inches (7.6 cm) long and 1/2 inch to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) thick. Wider strips will be easier to fry without burning, but they may take a little longer to cook through.
3
Dust the strips with cornstarch. Put 1/4 cup (60 ml) cornstarch in a metal or dark bowl. Avoid plastic bowls, since the raw beet juice is more likely to stain plastic. Add the beet strips to the bowl and gently toss them in the cornstarch using a fork until they are lightly coated.
4
Heat vegetable oil in a medium stockpot. You will need about 4 inches (10 cm) of oil. Attach an instant-read candy thermometer on the side of the pot and continue heating the oil until it reaches 340 degrees Fahrenheit (171 degrees Celsius).
5
Add the beet strips to the hot oil. Cook the beets in batches, adding no more than a handful of the strips into the oil at a time. Fry the beets until they are crisp and lightly browned outside but tender inside, about three to five minutes.
6
Remove and drain the beets. Use a heat-resistant slotted spoon to remove the beets and drain the oil by placing them on plates lined with paper towels. Allow the beets to cool before serving.
7
Serve. Enjoy these beets on their own, in a salad, or even use them to make borscht, a traditional Ukrainian beet soup.

Method 5

Method 5 of 6:

Boiling

1
Place the beets in a large pot. Boiling is a great way to cook vegetables as thoroughly and as quickly as possible. The downside is that, when you boil the beets instead of steaming them or using another method, they may not retain as much of their rich flavor.
2
Cover them with cold water.
3
Add sugar and salt as needed. You should add about 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of salt for every half gallon of water.
4
Boil the water over high heat.
5
Reduce the heat to medium once the water boils. This should keep the water at a nice simmer.
6
Cook the beets for 45-60 minutes until they're done. Younger, fresher beets will take less time, closer to 45 minutes, to boil. Older beets can take an hour or more to cook through boiling. If you peel and quarter your beets in advance, you can boil them in half the time.
7
Remove them from the heat. Once they have finished boiling, you should drain the water and then quickly place the beets into cold water. Then, cut off the tips of the roots and rub off the skins with a damp towel or paper towel.
8
Serve. You can slice or mash these beets and serve them as they are or drizzle them with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper to taste.

Method 6

Method 6 of 6:

Steaming

1
Fill the bottom of a steamer with 2 inches (5 cm) of water. Steaming beets is a great way to cook them while allowing them to retain their flavor.
2
Bring the water to a boil.
3
Arrange the beets in a steamer. Arrange the beets in a single layer so that they are evenly cooked. Cover the steamer once you've placed the beets in it.
4
Cook them for 45 minutes or until they're tender. If you peel and quarter your beets in advance, then you can cook them in half the time.
5
Remove the beets from heat. Then, quickly place them in cold water and remove the skins with a paper towel or a damp cloth.
6
Serve. Enjoy these beets as they are or slice them, quarter them, or add some olive oil and salt and pepper to them to give them a richer flavor.

Community Q&A

Question

The picture with the beets covered in the microwave has foil on it. Isn't that dangerous?

Community Answer

Thank you for pointing that out. Yes, it is dangerous. It could cause a fire.
Question

How long should I cook them in a pressure cooker?

Community Answer

Lock the lid in place. In the Instant Pot, press "Manual" and adjust the timer for 15 minutes. With a stove top cooker, bring to pressure over high heat, lower the heat just enough to maintain high pressure, and cook the beets 12 to 15 minutes.
Question

I don't like beets, but would like to try them cooked a different way. Is there any way you recommend?

Community Answer

If you roast them in the oven, you can slice them up and put them in a salad with blood orange slices, pecans, and other greens. Bread also goes well with this salad. Buying beets fresh and not from a can can help.