Roasted Beets - How to Roast Beets in the Oven for Recipes (2024)

Simple yet full of flavor, these Roasted Beets are a healthy side or snack to make and keep on hand in the fridge.

I always feel like I’m getting away with something when I eat beets, because they’re so sweet and flavorful, and yet they’re technically a vegetable.

That’s winning right there.

They’re nutritious and delicious, and friendly to Whole30, paleo, gluten-free, vegan, and many other types of eating styles.

When people say they hate beets, I often wonder if they’ve only had canned beets.

Roasting fresh beets intensifies their wonderful flavor and brings out their sweetness. They’re always a pleasure to eat like this.

It’s the same as many other roasted vegetables, likeRoasted Carrots,Roasted Sweet Potatoes, orRoasted Butternut Squash. The natural sugars in the vegetable intensify from the roasting process.

Once the beets are roasted, the treatment is quite minimal, as beets don’t need a lot of help.

We’re going to add a few simple flavors like fresh thyme, fresh lemon juice and zest, and some pistachios for crunch.

How to Make Roasted Beets:

While you can buy pre-cooked beets from the store, they’re very expensive, and cooking them yourself is easy.

My favorite method is to roast them in the oven.

Wash the beets, then wrap individually in aluminum foil. Roast the beets for about 45 minutes, then let them cool to the touch.

After that, peeling them is a total piece of cake. Just rub the skin off with your fingers, or use a knife to scrape it off.

FYI: Wrapping the beets in foil is very important to keep the beets moist and make the skins easy to peel. I discovered this once when I didn’t have any foil on hand, and the skin was crackly, brittle, and so hard to peel.

Once the beets are peeled, cut them into large chunks:

Place the cut beets in a bowl with fresh thyme leaves, lemon zest, pistachios, and olive oil:

Add freshly squeezed lemon juice as well:

Then season to taste with salt and black pepper:

Toss it all together, and garnish with extra pistachios and fresh thyme leaves:

This would be a really great side to my 15-minute Parmesan Crusted Chicken, or Chicken Roulade with Sundried Tomato Pesto.

Also try these , which is more complex to make but a total showstopper. For another veggie side, these Roasted Parsnips are so good (I love parsnips).

Roasted Beets FAQ:

Can you eat the skin? Yes you can (assuming you scrubbed the dirt off before cooking). It all depends on if you want the texture. The only time I have eaten beet skin and enjoyed it was when the beets were smashed and fried like Crispy Smashed Potatoes.

Can you freeze them? Yes, but make sure to cook them first, either by roasting or boiling.

How long will roasted beets keep in the refrigerator? About 4-5 days in my experience.

How to tell when roasted beets are done? Beets vary quite a bit in size, but it usually takes 45-60 minutes to fully roast beets in a 375F oven. When done, inserting a paring knife into the center of a cooked beet should be easy.

Post updated in May 2020. Originally published November 2017.