Roasted Beets

I don’t know why I don’t use beets more often, especially in the fall when they’re at their peak. Roasted Beets are so easy to make. Once they’re roasted, my favorite way to use them is to add them to a salad. However, they could also be heated with a bit of butter and served warm as a side dish.

When we went to Carpinito Brothers’ Pumpkin Patch in Kent to get some pumpkins, I also bought some fresh beets which were grown on their farm. I chose the beets with the greens still attached so I could use them, too. We had the greens with our dinner that night, and I refrigerated the beets to use later.

A few days later I made Roasted Beets. They are incredibly easy to make. These three beets weighed ½ pound each, so we had enough to serve with our salad for three nights. Delicious!

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Salad with Roasted Beets, Blue Cheese, and a simple Vinaigrette

(Toasted chopped walnuts would be an excellent addition to this salad!)

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Roasted Beets

(print the recipe)

Keep in mind that red beets will stain. I used an acrylic board (instead of my wooden one) when cutting them and wore gloves to avoid beet stains on my hands.

I have used this same method with yellow beets. They do not stain, so you don’t have to wear gloves with them.

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 Beets, scrubbed, in the baking pan with water…ready to be covered and roasted

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Any quantity of Fresh beets, greens cut off, with 1 – 2 inches of the stems still attached

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1. Preheat the oven to 350˚.

2. Scrub the beets well and put them in a baking pan.

3. Add water so it’s about ¼ inch deep.

4. Cover the pan with foil, sealing it around the edges.

5. Roast the beets for 45 minutes to 1 hour. (Timing depends on the size of the beets. My ½-pound beets took a full hour.) The beets are done when you can easily slip a sharp knife into the center.

6. When the beets are cool enough to handle, cut the top and the root end off. Hold them under cool running water and slip the skins off with your hands. (Wear gloves to avoid staining your hands.)

7. Use the beets right away, or refrigerate them to use later.

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To cook beet greens:

Cut the greens off, leaving an inch or two still attached to the beet root. To cook the greens, cut any tough stems from the leaves. Wash the leaves and stems well, and slice the leaves into smaller pieces. Heat a bit of oil or butter in a large skillet. Add the stems and a bit of water or broth and cook them for a few minutes. Add the greens and cook, stirring, for a couple of more minutes. Beet greens cook much more quickly than some other types of greens. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.