This ultra-simple method for roasted beets (olive oil + salt & pepper + 30 min in the oven) transforms them into a sweet-salty, tender-chewy treat. The hot oven caramelizes them, turning them more delicious than they ought to be given the simplicity.
While they’re good enough to eat as they are, these beets also have range—enjoy them across all manner of salads, grain bowls, dips, and elegant veggie plates (more ideas below)!
Whether you’re looking for a low-effort way to incorporate more veggies into your meal prep routine, or you’ve spent years intimidated by beet preparation (I’ve got a whole tips section just for you), this post will teach you how to roast beets into perfection.
More meal prep staples! I’ve been sharing some of my most-relied-on meal prep staples this year, and these roasted beets are the latest in the series. For more, check out my favorite nutritious crunchy things (roasted walnuts, roasted pepitas, (crispy roasted mushrooms) and go-to dressings (lemon tahini dressing, miso-sesame dressing).
Ingredient notes
- Beets: Beets are best in spring, summer, and fall (though they’re available year-round in grocery stores). As in all of my recipes where produce takes center stage, I recommend making a trip to your farmers’ market, which ensures you’re getting seasonal produce (yay!) that’s locally grown (double yay!).
- Extra virgin olive oil: This fat source encourages caramelization during the roast, which is key to the irresistible flavor and texture of the final product. You don’t need much—just 1 ½ tablespoons for 1 ½ pounds of beets!
- Salt & pepper: We’re keeping it simple in the seasoning department—just a bit of s&p to enhance the depth of flavor the beets get from their time in the oven! There are finishing touch optional ingredients if you want to make your beets fancy!
Tips for buying: You can use red or golden beets here. If you find beets a little earthy for your taste or you’re trying to minimize beet stain potential, opt for golden beets, which are a bit sweeter and won’t dye your cutting board as severely (see my tips for stain management/removal here!)
Step-by-step instructions
- Remove any beet greens, then wash and scrub the beets. Slice off the stalks and tails, then peel the beets.
- Slice beets into wedges that are roughly the same size. Small beets should be quartered; medium beets 6 wedges; larger beets ~8 wedges.
- Transfer the wedges to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (for easy cleanup) and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper.
- Arrange so all the wedges are cut side down. Roast at 400ºF / 200ºC for 20 minutes, then toss.
- Roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, until tender and browned or lightly charred in spots.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Season with a pinch of flaky sea salt or other optional finishes (listed in the recipe card), if desired.
Tips for making roasted beets
You’ve got this
If you’ve spent your life intimidated by beet prep, this section is for you. Let’s bust some beet myths.
Myth 1: It’ll take forever to peel and slice the beets.
- Fact: It’s actually simple and doesn’t take much time at all. AND, if you want to skip the work altogether, I’ve included instructions in the notes at the bottom of the recipe card for how to steam-roast whole, unpeeled beets in the oven!
Myth 2: I’ll permanently stain my hands and every cutting board in my kitchen.
- Fact: No, you won’t—see the tip below!
How to avoid (and remove) beet stains
- First things first, you can minimize stain potential by using golden beets instead of red beets.
- Use food-safe gloves when peeling and chopping the beets—but don’t stress too much if you don’t have gloves, because any beet stains on your hands will disappear within a day.
- Don’t use the family heirloom cutting board passed down for 6 generations. If you’ve got a cutting board you don’t care too much about, use that one 😉
- If the only cutting board you’ve got is the family heirloom, here are my go-to cleaning tactics: (1) Sprinkle kosher salt on the board, then rub a halved lemon across the surface, squeezing out the juice as you go; rest for 10 to 15 minutes, then scrape off and rinse; OR (2) Mix baking soda with just enough water to form a paste; use a scrubber or coarse sponge/brush to rub it in; rest for 15 minutes, then rinse.
- Once dry, oil the cutting board with food-safe mineral oil.
Smart beet storage
- Store beets and greens separately: Greens on root vegetables like beets and carrots draw moisture from the roots, causing the roots to shrivel up faster. As soon as you buy them, slice the greens off.
- But don’t throw away the beet greens! If you bought young beets early in their season, the beet greens will be delicious. Sauté them like any other green or use them in a salad. Wrap the greens in a paper towel, then store them in a reusable bag in the crisper for a few days.
- Store the beets smartly: Kept in a reusable bag detached from the greens, whole beets will last for several weeks in your crisper drawer.
How to use roasted beets
Add some color to your salads
- Check out my roasted beet and fennel salad with walnut bread crumbs for inspiration!
- For an elegant arugula salad: arugula + roasted beets + roasted walnuts + red wine vinaigrette + store-bought or homemade vegan feta
- For a vibrant, lettuce-free salad: roasted beets + supremed citrus (oranges, grapefruits) + sliced avocado + creamy balsamic vinaigrette
- For a fancyish fennel salad: shaved fennel + celery + apples tossed in your best EVOO with lemon zest, lemon juice, salt & pepper, then fold in these roasted beets and either sliced avocado, vegan feta or vegan goat cheese.
Jazz up your grain bowls
- Try this combo for a pesto protein party: farro or brown rice + baked or air fried tofu + spinach pesto + roasted pepitas + roasted beets
- Or use this blueprint for gourmet sophistication: pearl couscous + roasted beets + drizzle of pomegranate molasses & EVOO, garnished with toasted pine nuts and fresh mint
Make a gourmet sharing plate
- Make a quick savory yogurt sauce with unsweetened creamy coconut yogurt + grated garlic + lemon juice + salt and pepper to taste. Or, make my whipped tofu ricotta or whipped feta (p. 209 in Big Vegan Flavor).
- Smear it across the surface of a plate, then top with the roasted beets.
- Bonus points if you add a crunchy element like roasted walnuts, roasted pepitas, or any of the crunchy toppers starting on p. 216 of Big Vegan Flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try the steam-roast hybrid instructions for whole beets in the notes at the bottom of the recipe card. You won’t get as much flavor complexity (and you’ll miss out on the caramelization) but it is a really, really simple way to prepare beets.
Once cool, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Are these roasted beets adding some vibrance to your meal prep routine? Let me know by leaving a rating and review below! I love hearing from you 🥰
Introducing
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.
Roasted Beets
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds (680g) red or golden beets (about 6 medium beets)
- 1 ½ tablespoons (21g) extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Flaky sea salt (optional)
Optional finishes
- A small handful of flat-leaf parsley, mint, or dill, chopped
- A drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar, champagne vinegar, or red wine vinegar (or a squeeze of lemon juice)
- A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- A pinch of lemon zest or orange zest
Instructions
- Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400ºF / 200ºC (if your oven runs hot, you may want to reduce the temperature by 15 to 25ºF / ~10ºC).
- Remove any beet greens attached. Wash and scrub the beets, slice off the stalks and tails, then peel the beets (wear food-safe gloves to avoid staining hands).
- For smaller beets, quarter them into 4 wedges. For medium beets, slice into 6 wedges. For large beets, slice into 8 wedges. The goal is for the beet wedges to be roughly the same size.
- Transfer the beets to a parchment paper-lined sheet pan (parchment paper isn’t required but makes cleanup easy).
- Toss with 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, or enough oil to coat the beets well but not so much that they’re oily. Season with salt and pepper to taste: for Diamond Crystal kosher salt, I use ¾ tsp; for sea salt, scant ½ tsp; for table salt, heaping ¼ tsp.
- Arrange on the lined pan with any cut sides facing down. Roast for 20 minutes then toss. Roast for another 15 minutes, or until tender and browned in spots (light charring is also okay). If your beets were large, they may need an extra 5-ish minutes.
- Remove from the oven, allow to cool a bit. Season with a pinch of flaky sea salt, if desired, and/or other optional finishes.
Notes
- Remove any beet greens attached. Trim most of the stalks but leave a bit intact to prevent beets from “bleeding”; don’t trim the skinny tails, as these keep the beets juicy.
- Wash and scrub the beets, then add to a baking dish.
- Coat the beets with a small amount of olive oil for a thin coating. Pour ¾ cup (180 mL) water into the pan and cover tightly.
- Roast at 425ºF / 220ºC until a paring knife inserted into the fattest part of the beet comes out tender. Small beets: 45 minutes; medium: 55 to 60 minutes.
- When cool enough to touch, run under cool water and slip off the skins. Slice into wedges, cubes, or whatever you like. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for 5 to 6 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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