Roasted beets are the kitchen basic worth mastering — chunks of sweet beet caramelised in olive oil until the edges go jammy. Forty minutes in a hot oven and they're ready to turn into salads, side dishes, or a snack eaten straight from the tray. Neutral enough to season any way you fancy, good enough to eat plain.
Roasting beets seems to be the most common way of preparing the little red root veggies, and for good reason—it’s a tasty, easy way of cooking them. A few of the recipes in this chapter begin with roasted beets, so it only makes sense to start with a basic recipe for roasting. You can season them any way you want, but a great neutral start is with olive oil, salt, and pepper. SERVES 4 TO 6
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 40 minutes
8 beets, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- On a baking sheet, spread out the chunks of beet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and use your hands to mix it all together.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, checking on them halfway through the cooking time and mixing with a spatula.
- Serve warm.
VARIATION 1 ORANGE-GINGER ROASTED BEETS: Season the beets with ½ teaspoon dried ginger. When you remove the beets from the oven, squeeze the juice of ½ orange over them.
VARIATION 2 BALSAMIC-ROASTED BEETS: Add 1 or 2 tablespoons (30 ml) balsamic vinegar to the beets before roasting. Adding balsamic vinegar creates a wonderfully sweet balance of tanginess.
PALEO PAIR: Serve these roasted beets with Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Thighs (here).
Pro Tips
- Cut the chunks the same size so they roast evenly — a mix of big and small pieces gives you burnt edges and raw centres on one tray.
- Don't crowd the pan. Overlapping beet pieces steam instead of roast, and you lose the caramelised edges that make this method worth doing.
- Halfway through cooking, stir with a spatula as written; it's the single step that gives you even colour on all sides.
- Rub the skins off after roasting if you peeled before cutting — or leave them on entirely; roasted beet skins are thin, sweet, and perfectly edible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to peel beets before roasting?
No. Roast them unpeeled and the skins slip right off after, or leave them on entirely for extra texture and fibre.
How do I store roasted beets?
Refrigerate for up to five days. They're wonderful cold over salad greens or gently rewarmed with a squeeze of orange.
Can I roast other vegetables with them?
Yes, though beets like more time than most. Add carrots or parsnips halfway through, and delicate vegetables only for the final fifteen minutes.
What's the orange-ginger variation?
Season the beets with dried ginger before roasting, then squeeze half an orange over them when they come out — sweet, warm, and excellent beside roast pork.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, checking on them halfway through the cooking time and mixing with a spatula.
- Serve warm.
