Okay — I hope you like roasting vegetables as much as I do, because yeah….I’m probably going to write a post about every single vegetable under the sun. Probably fruit too. I should just leave my oven on 425 degrees 24/7 and just keep a steady stream of vegetables roasting. PS: I’ve been loving roasting acorn squash lately too – do you know how to cook acorn squash? Now, I realize beets are sort of in the same camp with Brussels sprouts — people either love ’em or hate ’em. I have to admit that personally, it was an acquired taste. However, I’ve really grown to love them. And you can’t go wrong with their beautiful deep red color. They are so gorgeous. Beets are perfect to make ahead or meal prep. Simply cook the beets right away when you get them (or within a day or two). Beets keep well in the fridge for up to a week and then you can easily use them as a side dish or a salad topping. I love beets drizzled with a bit of olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. E loves them that way too! I’m always scared to give her beets though….we have white carpet. It’s like asking for trouble. It’s really, really, really simple to learn how to cook beets. I’ll cover two of my favorite ways in this post – roasting and boiling.
How to Cook Beets
How to Cook Beets: Roasting
Scrub them until clean, wrap them in foil (with a touch of water) and throw in the oven. Most of the time, I roast these at whatever temperature I happen to be cooking something else at — they just take a little less time or longer depending on the temperature. If I have a choice, I go for 400°F – 425°F. Once they are fork-tender, let them cool and rub the peelings off. I throw gloves on for this step but my mom is hard core and does it bare-handed. Pink hands!
How to Cook Beets: Boiling
Place beets in a large pan and cover with water so beets are submerged by 1-2 inches of water. Place on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil, covered. Boil for 30 minutes (or longer, depending on size of beets), until fork tender. Drain water off and fill pan with ice water. When beets are cool, rub peelings off – they should come right off! Rinse beets lightly to remove dirt or peelings and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
How to Use Cooked Beets
Salad with Beets and Feta Asparagus Ribbon Salad with Beets and Burrata
More Vegetable Recipes
Try: Roasted Sugar Snap Peas, Roasted Cauliflower, Roasted Broccoli, Spicy Sweet Roasted Butternut Squash, Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Shallots, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Mushrooms with Balsamic, Thyme and Dijon, or Roasted Carrots with Thyme and Nutmeg. And definitely don’t miss my entire compilation of roasted vegetables!
