Easy Roasted Beets
on Oct 27, 2017, Updated Aug 22, 2024
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These easy roasted beets are made with beets, salt, and oil. It’s my go-to beet recipe, which is simple and never disappoints! If you’re searching for a healthy, simple vegetable side dish, these roasted beets are definitely contenders.
Beets always get a bad rap. Some people harp on them and say they’re too difficult to make, while others complain about their flavor and texture. I happen to love, love, love beets, and I’m pretty sure this recipe could change all those haters’ minds! If you ask me, roasting beets is the best way to cook them. It makes them candy-sweet and the perfect side to really any meal.
If you’ve ever said (or thought) that beets taste like dirt, olive oil, and kosher salt may do the trick and show you the light. We have beets growing in droves in my garden, so I’ve learned to work with them and perfected this recipe. Even my kids love them hot off the pan when they’re just a little crispy around the edges.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This easy roasted beet recipe is one of the easiest and best ways to eat beets. They’re sweet and salty, and they’re a breeze to prepare.
- You’ll make this beet recipe again and again to go with your favorite dinners.
- Roasting them is the absolute best way to cook them. It makes them candy-sweet. These would be perfect as a simple side to just about any meal, and if you have a few leftovers, they are excellent served cold in salads.
Recipe Ingredients
- Beets
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Roasted Beets
Step 1: Wash the outside and give the fresh beets a quick peel
Step 2: Slice uniformly thin (the key to having them cook evenly!)
Step 3: Toss with olive oil and then lay them out on a sheet.
Step 4: Sprinkle with salt, bake and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Use a paring knife or a vegetable peeler to remove the skin from the outside of the beet. Both are good options. Cutting beets will stain your hands red and stain any curtains or clothes that might be nearby. Wear gloves if you don’t want red fingers and an apron to shield your clothes if needed.
Yes, you can wash and eat the beet tops too! They are pretty strong as far as greens go but are loaded with all kinds of vitamins and minerals. I use a little in my green smoothies or sauté them with olive oil and salt. Small leaves are good raw in salads, too.
Give the beets a good scrub (like you would a potato) to get any hidden dirt off. I have this little scrubber, and we love it. Then, use a sharp knife to cut off the tops and bottoms (stem and root ends) of your beets.
Expert Tips
- When picking out beets at the store, choose firm ones with nice perky greens on top instead of droopy, wilted greens and soft beet roots (the part we eat).
- Did you know that beets are high in fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and magnesium? Beets are great veggies to incorporate into your diet because they’re low-calorie and a wonderful source of nutrients.
- Just like potatoes, beets are grown underground and they have a tough skin on their surface. It’s important to scrub them well to remove excess dirt and peel the skin before cooking them because it’s pretty tough and unsavory to eat.
More Side Dishes to Consider
Condiments, Marinades & Spreads
Easy Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce
Pasta Dishes
Pumpkin Alfredo
Dinner Ideas
One-Pot Sausage, Rice, and Peas Dinner
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Simple Roasted Beets
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 beets
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash the beets and use a vegetable scrubber to wash the outside. Remove the stem and root end with a sharp knife. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to peel the beets. Slice the beets into 1/4-inch thick rounds and place them in a small bowl.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the sliced beets and then toss to combine. Place the sliced beets in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt.
- Roast in the hot oven until the beets are fork tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Enjoy hot with additional salt to taste.
Video
Notes
- Use a paring knife or a vegetable peeler to remove the skin from the outside of the beet. Both are good options.
- Cutting beets will stain your hands red and stain any curtains or clothes that might be nearby. Wear gloves if you don’t want red fingers and an apron to shield your clothes if needed.
- When picking out beets at the store, choose ones that are firm to the touch and have nice, perky greens on top instead of droopy, wilted greens and soft beetroots
- Wash and eat the beet tops, too. They are pretty strong as far as greens go, and they are loaded with vitamins and minerals.
Hate to pop your bubble, but just like cilantro tastes like soap to some people, beets DO taste like dirt to others. Like me. It’s not an opinion. It’s a scientific fact as some of us have taste buds that register things differently than others. I am in the food world and I’ve had amazing chefs prepare beets for me and it does not matter how the prepare them. It’s still sliding into home plate, face first with a mouth full of dirt for me. That said, they are beautiful. I just bought a bunch in a variety of gorgeous colors and they will become a radiant raspberry colored dip for a gala function I am catering. I’ll watch from afar as 130 oooo and ahhh over my food spread and dive into the beet spread with relish. Pun intended. But me and beets will always have a love hate relationship. We were not meant to be in love.
Turned out perfecto 👌 I actually did it at 375° for 20 minutes. Delicious 😊
thanks for the baking time and temp
Tasty! I used an egg slicer to make even slices. The beets were peeled and sealed in juices at the store so they were pretty soft.
I was looking for a quick recipe rather than roasting for 1 hour or longer. This was perfect with purple and golden beets very thinly sliced and some salt and EVOO. Thank you!
Once every 10 years I make myself try beets…..I’ve got 8 years to go so I’ll wait until then…….I’ll pass this recipe on to my sister to try….her family eats beets happily.
bahaha at least you try!
I never peel mine…too much hassle! Simply cut off both ends so that slices will be flat, them wash & scrub really well. I use a sharp paring knife to kind of “scrape” around the rough areas close to the ends. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, & garlic powder & they’re good to go! No one has even even noticed they had not been peeled! LOL
Great idea!
Made this last night, substituting Nu-Salt for the regular salt and adding Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning; family devoured the beets and asked when I’d be making them again! Thank you SO much for such a simple yet perfect recipe!
Sounds so yummy! So glad you enjoyed them.
Why would you scrub your beets if you’re just going to peel them anyway?
Beets can be super dirty but the grit can be small and it’s not pleasant to eat and I grow my own so they are straight out of the ground. A good scrub is always a good idea.
Love this recipie …. but consider recommending another solution than wearing plastic gloves to protect from beet stains. Soap and cold water will deal with the stain and the gloves are horrible for the environment.
Such simple beets and so yummy!
I enjoy ur sassy writing style miss melissa…I have always wondered how to cook beets….simple and awesome..