Beets are healthy and vibrantly colored root vegetables that can add color and flavor to lots of meals. Roasting them is a great way to concentrate the flavor and highlight the natural sugars in beets, before using them in either sweet or savory dishes.
"The flavor of roasted beets is mysteriously hard to pin down: they are sweet, earthy, and often paired with a touch of bitterness that helps them blend with a range of other foods," says chef Daniel Carpenter, vice president of food experience at Nextbite, a virtual restaurant company.
Roasted beets can stand alone as a side dish, bring a pop of color to a salad, or be incorporated into hummus and sauces, and the roasting process is an easy and tasty approach to cooking with beets.
Alternative method: Roasting beets in foil
Some people roast beets in foil, which locks moisture into the beets. To roast beets using this method, you'll want to cut a piece of foil long enough to wrap around the beets entirely. For now, however, leave the foil flat and put a piece of parchment paper over the foil. This will prevent the beets from sticking.
Put either a whole beet or sliced beets on the parchment paper and add seasonings, plus a dash of oil. Fold the foil into a well-sealed pouch and roast the beets for 35 minutes, or until a knife slides easily through them.
How to season beets
Beets taste delicious when they're flavored with just salt, says Carpenter. If you want a more intense flavor, incorporate your favorite herbs and spices. Here's what Carpenter recommends:
- Vinegar: The acidic taste of vinegar adds another component to the flavor of roasted beets. If you want to season with a balsamic or Banyuls vinegar, remove the beets from the oven ten minutes before they're finished, sprinkle with your vinegar of choice, and then finish roasting.
- Fresh herbs: Toss fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary with the beets after coating them with oil.
- Warm spices: Sprinkle warm spice, like cinnamon or cloves, over beats. Warm spice mixes like za'atar or ras el hanout are particularly tasty on beets, Carpenter says.
How to serve beets
"Roasted beets are very versatile," says Carpenter.
Most obviously, they can be used as a side dish alone or with other root vegetables like parsnip, sweet potato, and carrots. If you slice the beets very thinly, about the width of a matchstick, they can be eaten alone as an alternative to oven fries.
Because of their solid texture, beets also make a great alternative to proteins in salads. Carpenter recommends an arugula and frisée salad with balsamic reduction. For a different salad take, cube beets and avocado and top with a citrus vignette, Carpenter says.
If you want to think outside the box, you can use roasted beets:
- As the main ingredient in a colorful roasted beet hummus
- In a roasted beet soup
- Puréed into a roasted beet dipping sauce for vegetables
- Fried into beet croquettes
How to store roasted beets
Roasted beets can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you want to freeze beets, cube them and freeze on a baking sheet. Once they're frozen, put the cubes in a freezer-safe bag, where they'll last for about six months.
Insider's takeaway
Roasting beets concentrates their natural sugars and enhances their flavors. To roast beets, scrub them and slice into thick wedges. Season with salt, then bake for about 35 minutes. Roasted beets can be eaten on their own, with other root vegetables, or in salads. For a more creative take, puree beets into hummus, soup, or dips.
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