How to Roast Beets

As sure as the first robin sighting of the year, the appearance of beets on restaurant menus is a sure harbinger of spring. Even in climates where local beets won’t be harvested for weeks, we still see them everywhere. Chalk it up to a craving for bright colors and sweet flavors after the long winter months. Back in the home kitchen, beets are a terrific addition to salads, soups (borscht is just the beginning), pastas (particularly golden beets, which won’t turn your noodles a deep magenta), and braises. You can buy canned and vacuum-packed, cooked and peeled beets at your local supermarket, but roasting them yourself is so easy, and the results are better: silken, fresh, concentrated flesh. Here’s how to roast beets at home:

HOW TO ROAST BEETS

1. Preheat your oven to 400°.

2. Rinse the beets well, scrubbing as needed. Trim the greens and about 1/4 inch off the top of each beet (save the greens for soups, salads, stews, casseroles, etc. They taste much like Swiss chard and packed with vitamins K, A, and C, as well as potassium). Lay each beet, cut-side down, on a piece of aluminum foil.

3. Wrap the foil up around the beat, pinching it together at the top.

4. Arrange the beet packs on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until tender, 30 to 40 minutes, depending on size. A sharp knife tip should easily pierce the flesh when the beets are fully cooked.

5. Unwrap the packets and let the beets cool until just warm enough to handle.

6. Use paper towels (or a dark-colored kitchen towel) to rub the skin off the cooked beets. It will slip right off, revealing the glossy surface below.

7. Slice, dice, or puree your beets as your recipe requires. 

Ready to roast your own? Get the recipe below for easy roasted beets, plus a citrusy salad featuring roasted beets, greens, and crispy goat cheese.

GET THE RECIPES: Easy Roasted Beets RecipeCitrusy Beet and Greens Salad with Crispy Goat Cheese Recipe