Balsamic Oven Roasted Beets Recipe (2024)

By Laura

Posted Oct 07, 2023, Updated Oct 15, 2023

4.98 from 139 votes

79 Comments

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Made with 5 ingredients including fresh beets, this easy Roasted Beets recipe is a delicious side dish or addition to any salad. Follow our step-by-step instructions to learn how to roast beets in the oven.

Balsamic Oven Roasted Beets Recipe (2)

I adore beets. Whether they’re in a salad, blended into a smoothie or roasted and eaten all by themselves, beets are a delicious & versatile vegetable and nutritional powerhouse.

This Oven Roasted Beets recipe is my favorite way to prepare fresh beets. Roasting brings out their natural sweetness, which is enhanced by a drizzle honey and balsamic vinegar. Roasting beets also give them the best texture (not mushy like boiled beets).

Roasted beets taste like vegetable candy, and are so delicious my kids love them too!

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Roasted Beets: Ingredients & Substitutions

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  • Fresh Beets.Youcould use drained canned beets, but fresh are so much better. Any color of beet (or a mixture of colors) works well.
  • Olive oil. Any neutral tasting oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, etc. is a good substitute.
  • Balsamic Vinegar is an ingredient I splurge on. A high-quality balsamic vinegar should be thick and naturally sweet. If your vinegar pours like water instead of syrup and tastes sour then you do not have a quality product and your recipe will not turn out as delicious.
  • Honey.Use pure maple syrup for a vegan version. If you are using the highest quality balsamic vinegar you can omit the sweetener. However I find that kids are more likely to eat and enjoy these roasted beets if I use a little honey/syrup.
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How to Roast Beets

Let’s walk through this roasted beets recipe together, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by using a vegetable peeler to remove the skin from the beets. This is a messy process, but will be worth it in the end! Peeling and chopping the beets before roasting cuts down the bake time significantly.

Wear Gloves

To avoid staining your hands wear gloves when you peel and cut the beets. Also, wear an apron to protect your clothing.

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Then, drizzle the peeled & chopped beets with olive oil and sprinkle them with sea salt. Make sure to stir them well.

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Next, spread the seasoned beets in an even layer on a large baking pan.

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Then, roast the beets in the oven for 30 minutes, or until they are soft to the touch, stirring once halfway through. Note: the size of the beet cubes will greatly effect baking time.

Roasting the beets before adding the balsamic glaze will ensure that the glaze doesn’t burn before the beets are fully cooked.

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While the beets are roasting, combine the honey and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl.

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After 30 minutes, remove the beets from the oven and drizzle the balsamic glaze over them. Stir until they are evenly coated.

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Then, return the beets to the oven and roast an additional 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through. The beets are done when they are soft to the touch and the balsamic glaze has thickened and coated the them.

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Serve

Transfer the roasted beets from the baking pan to a dish and serve. I chose to garnish them with chopped beet greens, you can also use parsley, fresh rosemary, or basil as delicious & beautiful garnishes.

I suggest serving them on a salad, like burrata salad or kale salad. Or as a side to your favorite Thanksgiving recipes.

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Store

Store roasted beets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat them in the microwave, oven, or on the stovetop if desired, or serve them cold.

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FAQs about Roasted Beets

How do you peel beets without staining your hands?

If you would like to avoid staining your hands pink, I suggest wearing rubber or plastic gloves.
Wearing gloves while peeling and cutting the fresh beets will ensure your hands stay nice and clean.

Are beets healthy?

Yes. Beets both raw and cooked have many health benefits, including:
Low in calories but high in nutrients
Reduce inflammation
Great source of fiber for better digestion
Packed with antioxidants to help fight disease

Do you have to peel beets before roasting?

If you are roasting whole beets, I recommend waiting to peel the skin offafter they have been roasted. However, peeling and cutting the fresh beets before they are roasted significantly cuts down baking time and makes the whole process go faster.

Can you freeze beets after cooking?

Yes! You can freeze beets in an airtight, freezer-friendly container for up to a month.

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Balsamic Oven Roasted Beets Recipe (16)

Balsamic Oven Roasted Beets Recipe (17)

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Balsamic Roasted Beets Recipe

Laura

Made with 5 ingredients including fresh beets, this easy Roasted Beets recipe is a delicious side dish or addition to any salad. Follow our step-by-step instructions to learn how to roast beets in the oven.

4.98 from 139 votes

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 61.2

Prep Time5 minutes minutes

Cook Time40 minutes minutes

Total Time45 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

  • Grease a large baking sheet or dish, set aside.

  • Peel and cut 3 beets into ½” cubes.

  • Toss beets with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and ½ tsp sea salt.

  • Spread onto a greased baking sheet in an even layer.

  • Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the beets are soft to the touch, stirring once halfway through.

  • While the beets are roasting, combine the balsamic vinegar and honey in a small bowl.

  • After 30 minutes (or when beets are soft to the touch), remove the beets from the oven and drizzle the honey/vinegar mixture over the beets on the baking sheet.

  • Stir until all the beets are evenly coated.

  • Return to the oven for 10 minutes ( until the balsamic/honey mixture coats the beets), stirring once half way through.

  • Remove from the oven and serve warm or store and serve later over your favorite salads.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

    • Fresh Beets. Any color of beet (or a mixture of colors) works well.
    • Olive oil. Any neutral tasting oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, etc. is a good substitute.
    • Balsamic Vinegar is an ingredient I splurge on. A high-quality balsamic vinegar should be thick and naturally sweet. If your vinegar pours like water instead of syrup and tastes sour then you do not have a quality product and your recipe will not turn out as delicious.
    • Honey.Use pure maple syrup for a vegan version. If you are using the highest quality balsamic vinegar you can omit the sweetener. However I find that kids are more likely to eat and enjoy these roasted beets if I use a little honey/syrup.

How to prevent staining your hands:

Wear rubber or plastic gloves while peeling and cutting the beet.s

Note on baking time:

The size the beets are cut to makes a difference in roasting time. Please be aware of this and check your beets after 15 minutes of cooking to ensure they are not getting overdone!

How to Roast Whole Beets

*Instead of peeling and cutting the beets, you could roast them whole in the following way:

  1. Wrap beets individually in aluminum foil and set on a baking sheet.
  2. Roast in an oven set to 450 degrees F until the beets are soft to the touch, 50-70 minutes depending on the size of the beets.
  3. Remove skin from beets with your hands or a vegetable peeler. (at this point you can store the roasted beets until later when you’re ready to add the rest of the ingredients, dice and roast)
  4. Dice and toss with recipe ingredients.
  5. Roast for 10-15 minutes at 425 degrees F until beets are soft and the balsamic mixture is thick and coats the beets.

Store/Freeze

Store roasted beets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat them in the microwave, oven, or on the stovetop if desired, or serve them cold.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 61.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.7g | Protein: 1.1g | Fat: 2.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.7g | Sodium: 142.3mg | Potassium: 223.1mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7.5g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Vitamin C: 4.6mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

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Balsamic Oven Roasted Beets Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can you add to beets to make them taste better? ›

The roasted beets are wonderful on their own, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, or dressed up more with citrus juice, herbs, or balsamic vinegar. Serve them with any weeknight dinner, or add them to a holiday meal. These oven roasted beets keep well for days in the fridge, so they're great for making ahead.

Why not peel beets before roasting? ›

No need to peel before or after baking. The skin, which is perfectly edible, just seems to disappear during the baking process. The trick to pan-roasted beets is to drop the temperature a bit. I always roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and pretty much all the other veggies at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

How do you know when beets are done baking? ›

Cut the roots and stem off and bake the whole beets in a baking dish covered with foil. Bake them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour. For this method, insert a fork into the beets. When the fork goes through easily and the inside is tender, the beets are done cooking.

What is the best cooking method for beets? ›

Steaming: Steaming is a great way to cook beets while retaining their nutritional value. To steam beets, first, scrub them clean and trim off the greens and tail. Place them in a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water and steam for 30-40 minutes, or until they are tender.

Why do you put vinegar in beets? ›

Beets are a weekly ritual around here. Usually we boil them and toss them in a sweet sour vinaigrette and keep them in the refrigerator to eat all week. The vinegar in the dressing "pickles" the beets, helping them last longer in the fridge.

Do roasted beets taste better than boiled beets? ›

Roasting beets gives them a sweeter, richer, and deeper flavor than boiling does.

How do you keep beets from bleeding when roasting? ›

Whatever the cooking method, you can minimize bleeding by not peeling the skin and by not slicing off the tops of the beets. Peeling after cooking is simple; the skin slips right off with a paper towel.

Why are roasted beets bitter? ›

4 Answers. Roasting caramelizes the natural sugars in vegetables and, eventually, burns them. Roasted anything that turns out bitter is almost always the symptom of overcooking. Sometimes it also means that your ingredients were spoiled or "off" in the first place.

What do beets taste like when roasted? ›

Roasting brings out their natural sweetness, which is enhanced by a drizzle honey and balsamic vinegar. Roasting beets also give them the best texture (not mushy like boiled beets). Roasted beets taste like vegetable candy, and are so delicious my kids love them too!

How long should you cook beets for? ›

Add enough water to cover the beets completely, bring water to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until fork tender, about 30-40 minutes, depending on the size. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and peel under cool running water.

Should beets be washed before cooking? ›

Trim off beet tops, leaving 1 inch of stem and roots to prevent bleeding of color during cooking. Wash thoroughly. Sort for size. Cover similar-sized beets with boiling water and cook until tender (about 25 to 30 minutes).

How do you eat beets so they taste good? ›

There's no need to peel beets if you're going to cook them because the skin is easily removed once cooked. My preferred method is to roast beets, which concentrates their flavor and boosts their sweeter side. Wash and wrap them in aluminum foil and place them in a 400° oven for 40–60 minutes, or until fork tender.

What is the healthiest way to eat beets? ›

Roast Them

Roasting is an overall healthy cooking method with minimal vitamin loss, particularly vitamin C. Roasted beets are rich and sweet with slight mineral flavors. Remember to avoid long cooking times and high temperatures, as these can reduce nutrients. Try using smaller bulbs if you want to prepare them faster.

What is the best and healthiest way to eat beets? ›

Eating beets raw or juicing and roasting them may be more beneficial than boiling them. Beetroots, commonly known as beets, are a vibrant and versatile type of vegetable. They're known for their earthy flavor and aroma. Many people call them a superfood because of their rich nutritional profile.

How do you make red beets taste good? ›

Roasted beets in foil

Basically, wrapping the beets in foil locks in some moisture as they cook. This moisture helps the beets to become especially sweet and tender. It also has the effect of making it easy to slip the skins off of the beets after they roast.

How do you take the bitterness out of beets? ›

Beetroots can taste bitter due to compounds like geosmin and saponins. To reduce bitterness when eating them as a vegetable, choose young beetroots, peel and cook them, combine with other flavors, blanch them, or remove the skin before cooking. 2nd method you can boil beetroot to reduce bitterness before cooking.

How to eat beets yummy? ›

You can also grate raw beets to add flavor and texture to recipes like veggie burgers and falafel. Or you can cook them whole and purée them for a silky sauce, soup, or dip—including the most gorgeous hummus you've ever seen.

How do you make beets taste like meat? ›

Cure your vegetables as you would a piece of meat for a couple of days. This can be achieved by rubbing the vegetable or mushroom with salt at a concentration of 1.75% of the vegetable's weight, wrapping it tightly in plastic or vacuum sealing it, and letting it sit in the fridge for 2-3 days.

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