In this post, you’ll learn how to roast beets in the oven and the tips to keep your kitchen and hands stain-free.
Easy Roasted Beets
If you like fork-tender veggies with savory flavor, roasted beets are the way to go! I typically use them as a healthy side dish for dinner and leftovers for meal prep salads like this one.
Roasted beets taste nothing like the ones from the can, since the oven extracts and caramelizes their natural sugars, giving every bite an incredibly rich flavor.
How to Prep Beets for Roasting
Before roasting, peel and cube the beets; this can be the messiest part of the recipe. To avoid bright purple hands, use kitchen gloves to handle the beets, and avoid using a wooden cutting board, which can soak up the vivid color.
Want to skip peeling raw beets? Try my recipe for whole roasted beets, which are first roasted and then peeled. This method takes longer to cook, but it’s easier to prep.
How to Make Crispy Roasted Beets
As promised, I’m showing you how to bake cubed beets in the oven with step-by-step instructions:
- Prep.
While the oven preheats, rinse the beets with water and pat them dry with a kitchen towel. Use a sharp knife to remove the beet stems. Use a vegetable peeler to remove and discard the skins. - Chop.
Cube the beets into even-sized 1-inch cubes. Uniform sizes will ensure they all cook at the same time. - Roast.
Place the beets on a lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper. Toss to coat and roast at 400F for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender. - Remove and enjoy.
Give the beets 5 minutes to cool, then serve alongside your favorite main course or over a salad.
How Long to Roast Cubed Beets
The size of your beet cubes makes all the difference in their roasting time. Larger cubes take longer to cook and vice versa.
Knowing how long it will take for beets to roast according to their size is incredibly helpful if you want to make a sheet pan meal; this way, you can add ingredients, like chicken and other veggies, that will cook at the same temperature and rate.
| Cube size | Temp. | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 400F | 30 min |
| 1 inch | 425F | 25 min |
| 1 ½ inch | 400F | 40 min |
| 1 ½ inch | 425F | 30 min |
The foil is used to line the pan and make cleanup a lot easier since roasting beets releases their natural sugars and they tend to leave a sticky mess. You can also line the pan with parchment paper for roasting your beets in the oven.
It’s important to select protein and veggie options that can cook at the same temperature as beets without over-cooking.
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are a great protein option since they hold up well to high heat and cooking time.
Regarding veggies, roasted Brussels sprouts and butternut squash flavors pair nicely with beets like this Roasted Fall Vegetable recipe and have similar cook times.
I find that an oven temperature of 400F gives roasted beets the best flavor and texture in the least amount of time.
Plus, you can add ingredients like chicken thighs to the sheet pan and create a full coarse meal with one cooking session.
Store the roasted beets in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To serve, you can reheat them in the microwave or enjoy them at room temperature; there’s no wrong way.
Making a batch of roasted beets and vegetables at the beginning of the week is a smart way to ensure you have healthy options for dinner and meal prep lunches.
If you want to make your roasted beets last longer, freezing is always an option. Place a portion into a freezer-safe container or zip bag. Label it with the date and stow them away for up to 2 months.
You can reheat them in the oven at 375F for 10-15 minutes or pop them in the microwave for a minute or 2. The texture will be slightly softer, but all the original flavors will be intact.
What to Serve with Roasted Beets
Now that you have a yummy side dish, let’s make it a meal with this melt-in-your-mouth chicken, this cilantro lime chicken with avocado salsa, roasted radishes & carrots, or add it to a winter salad or to these savory oats with roasted vegetables.
Oven Roasted Cubed Beets
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 beets
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Wash beets under cold water and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Using a sharp knife, cut off the top and bottom stems. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the beets.
- Cut the beets into 1-inch cubes and transfer them to the baking sheet.
- Drizzle the beets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and bake for 35 minutes, until fork-tender. Remove from oven and serve.
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Jackie says
Excellent beets!
Liz says
Excellent Taste and easy to prep!
Laura Fuentes says
Thank you for sharing how much you enjoyed these roasted beets in the oven, Liz!