Roasted Beets Recipe

Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

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.

oven roasted beets on a plate garnished with beet greens


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!

roasted beets on a salad with a fork

Roasted Beets: Ingredients & Substitutions 

overhead photo of the labeled ingredients in this Roasted Beets recipe
  • Fresh Beets. You could 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.
roasted beets on a plate with a spoon

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.

two photos showing how to peel and cut beets for roasted beets.

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

two photos showing How to Roast Beets - adding olive oil and sea salt

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

two photos showing How to Roast Beets - beets on baking sheet before roasting

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.

two photos showing stirring roasted beets on a baking sheet during cooking

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

balsamic glaze in a bowl for roasted beets

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

two photos showing adding balsamic glaze to roasted beets

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. 

Roasted Beets on a baking sheet after roasting.

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.

oven roasted beets on top of a salad

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.

Oven Roasted Beets Recipe on a plate with a spoon garnished with greens

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 off after 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.

Oven Roasted Beets on a plate garnished with greens

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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 140 votes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 61.2
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time45 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!

More Delicious recipes




latest recipes

Post a Comment or Ask a Question!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




79 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made this recipe and loved it. Sooo delicious. I used golden beets and I don’t know what went on in the oven when they were roasting but I ended up with less than I started with in the pan. But they were sooo delicious when they came out of the oven. Thank you for this recipe… I am going to try some of your other recipes.

  2. 5 stars
    I just picked up fresh beets from my farm share and I am going to make these! They sound absolutely delicious! My daughter was recently in Vermont, and she picked up a delicious bottle of good balsamic vinegar. Yes, what a difference it makes! Thanks for sharing! I will follow up with another message after I make them.