You can’t beat this Oven Roasted Beets Recipe. Tender, sweet, and incredibly simple to prepare, these beets make a versatile side dish, a flavorful salad ingredient, or an elegant appetizer when paired with cheese and herbs. Follow the tips below for perfectly roasted beets every time.
Beets are one of those vegetables people tend to either love or avoid. If you enjoy them, you’ll find this method highlights their natural sweetness and creates a tender texture that works well with many dishes. I often add roasted beets to salads or grain bowls, but they also shine as a simple side with roasted meats, fish, or a creamy cheese.
This Oven Roasted Beets recipe proves beets aren’t just for salads. It’s elegant enough for guests and easy enough for weeknight cooking. I like roasting a batch at the start of the week to boost salads and quick meals.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Roasted beets become sweet, tender, and richly flavored while remaining easy to prepare.
- They’re highly versatile: customize them with herbs, citrus, cheeses, or nuts to match the meal.
- Perfect for salads, grain bowls, meal prep, or as a simple side plate.
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Beets. Use red, golden, chioggia (candy cane), or baby beets. Size affects cooking time: smaller beets will roast faster. If the greens are attached, choose those beets for freshness and use the greens separately in sautés or soups.
- Oil. Olive oil works well for flavor and roasting, but any neutral oil is fine.
How to roast beets
Roasting beets is straightforward. There’s no need to wrap each beet in foil; placing them in a single covered dish works just as well and is faster. You also don’t need to peel them before roasting — the skins slip off easily after cooking.
Pro tip: Peeling is easiest after roasting. Let the beets cool enough to handle, then rub the skins off with a paper towel or gently use your fingers; the skins should peel away cleanly.
- Trim any greens and the root ends from the beets, scrub them well, and pat dry.
- Toss the beets with oil and arrange cut-side down in a baking dish.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and roast at 375°F (190°C) for about 45 minutes to 1 hour for medium to large beets, or 30–45 minutes for baby beets, until tender.
- When cool enough to handle, rub the skins off with a paper towel or peel gently. Slice or quarter as desired, then season and serve.
Recipe FAQs
Medium to large beets roast in about 45 minutes to 1 hour; baby beets need roughly 30–45 minutes. Roast until a knife slides through easily.
No. Roast them whole and peel after cooking; the skins come off easily when the beets are cool enough to handle.
Store cooled, peeled beets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. They can also be pickled for longer storage.
Serving suggestions
Oven roasted beets pair beautifully with many dishes and flavors. Try some of these ideas:
- Serve as a side with roasted or pan-seared fish, pork chops, or roasted chicken.
- Add them to salads and grain bowls for color, texture, and natural sweetness.
- Top sliced beets with burrata or goat cheese, fresh herbs, and toasted nuts for an appetizer.
- Pickle cooked beets for a tangy condiment that stores well in the refrigerator.
Recipe tips:
- Choose fresh beets: Beets with greens attached are often fresher; use the greens separately in sautés or salads.
- Adjust roasting time for size: smaller beets finish sooner than large ones.
- Wear gloves when handling red beets if you want to avoid staining your hands.
- Finish roasted beets with a splash of citrus, a drizzle of good olive oil, sea salt, cracked pepper, and optional fresh herbs or crumbled cheese.
More veggie side dishes you’ll love:
- Air fryer Brussels sprouts
- Cinnamon roasted butternut squash
- Glazed carrots with ginger and orange
- Oven roasted asparagus
- Roasted carrots and parsnips
- Maple roasted delicata squash
- Roasted green beans with Parmesan
- Roasted root vegetables
- Roasted cauliflower with garlic and shallots
Did you try this recipe? If so, please leave a review below and share how you served your beets.
Oven Roasted Beets Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 red beets
- 2 golden beets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Scrub the beets well and pat dry. Trim the greens (if attached) and the root ends.
- Toss the beets with olive oil and place them cut-side down in a baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size, until tender.
- When cool enough to handle, rub the skins off with a paper towel or peel gently. Use gloves if you want to avoid staining with red beets.
- Slice or quarter the beets, season with salt and pepper, add herbs or citrus if desired, and serve.
Notes
- Pro tip: Choose beets with greens attached for freshness and use the greens separately in sautés.
- Red, golden, chioggia and baby beets all work well. Adjust roasting time for smaller beets.
- Wear gloves when handling red beets to avoid stained hands.
- Finish with goat cheese, burrata, toasted nuts, fresh herbs, or a squeeze of citrus for added flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 beet — Calories: 97 kcal, Carbohydrates: 8 g, Protein: 1 g, Fat: 7 g, Fiber: 2 g.
Nutrition is estimated and intended as a guideline.