One of the easiest ways to cook beets without peeling or chopping them is roasting them whole. Wrap them in foil, let the oven do the work, and once they’re tender, the skins practically slide right off.
Why I Roast Beets Whole
I roast beets this way whenever I’m making beet salad because they taste so much better than the ones in a can. Roasting brings out their natural sweetness and gives them a deeper, almost caramelized flavor without making them mushy. Plus, roasting them whole is easier: no peeling raw beets or staining everything purple. I wrap each one in foil, roast until tender, and once they’re cool enough to handle, the skins peel off like a dream.
What You Need
- Beets: I prefer medium beets that are similar in size so they roast evenly and finish around the same time.
- Olive oil: Keeps the beets from sticking to the foil and helps bring out their naturally sweet, roasted flavor.
- Salt and black pepper: Simple seasoning is all they need and lets the earthy, sweet flavor of the beets come through.
- Foil: Wrapping each beet traps the heat and moisture as it roasts, plus it makes cleanup easy.
Peeling Roasted Beets
You don’t need to peel the beets before roasting them whole (you’ll need to if you’re cubing them). Once they’re tender and cool enough to handle, grab each beet with a paper towel and gently rub the outside; the skin should slide right off. You can also wear kitchen gloves to avoid staining your hands.
How to Roast Whole Beets in Foil
- Prep
Rinse the beets, pat them dry, and trim off the stems. Preheat the oven to 400F. If you have an especially large beet, cut it in half so it cooks at roughly the same rate as the others. - Wrap them in foil
Place each beet on a square of foil, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly and place on a baking sheet. - Roast
They’ll take between 45 minutes and 1 hour, depending on size, until a fork or sharp knife slides easily into the center. Let them cool for about 10 minutes before handling. - Peel
Use a paper towel to hold each beet and rub away the skin. It should come off easily. - Serve
Slice, dice, or refrigerate the roasted beets to use in salads and meals throughout the week. They keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Laura’s Tips for Roasting Beets Whole
When buying whole beets, I opt for medium-sized beets because they tend to be naturally sweeter than larger beets. If the stems are attached, those greens should be bright and look fresh. If they’re sold without the greens (bulb only), choose beets that are similar in size for even oven cooking. 
Whole beets usually take 45 minutes to 1 hour at 400F, but very large beets can take longer. Beets of similar size will finish cooking at roughly the same time.
Beets roasted to the point of perfection can be pierced through with a fork or sharp knife without meeting resistance. Similar to baked potatoes. Since these are wrapped in foil, you’ll have to carefully unwrap the foil, ignore the skin, and gently push through the beet as far down as you can.
Don’t want to wrap your beets in foil? No problem. Use parchment paper instead. Cut a square piece of parchment, place the beet in the middle, and wrap it by twisting both ends like a wrapped piece of candy. When done cooking, you simply unwrap it.
How to Serve Whole-Roasted Beets
Roasted beets make a terrific side to pan-seared chicken thighs, these baked chicken pieces, or diced in my roasted beet salad with goat cheese.
Whole Roasted Beets (Easy Peel)
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 4 medium beets
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Rinse and scrub the beets, pat dry, and trim off the stems. If one beet is significantly bigger than the others, cut it in half.
Wrap
- Place each beet on a square of foil. If you sliced any in half, place both halves in the same foil. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and wrap each beet tightly. Then, place the wrapped beets on a baking sheet.
Roast
- Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a fork or sharp knife slides easily into the center. Larger beets may need additional time.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the beets cool down for 10 minutes. Wait a few minutes to open the foil.
Peel & Serve
- Place a beet on top of two paper towels. Fold the paper towel and rub away the skin. Then, slice or dice the beets and serve immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for salads and meals.
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Carolyn says
I’ve always boiled my beets until fork-tender and the skin zips off very easily. I thought I’d try your method for a change and I had an awful time trying to get the skins off. I finally had to resort to a knife to finish peeling. I’m glad I tried this method, but think I’ll still to my mom’s way of boiling!
Laura Fuentes says
If you had to use a knife, this means that the beets needed a bit more cooking time. I’m glad you have a go-to method.
Deb says
Would cooking them this way work for making pickled beets?
Laura Fuentes says
You can absolutely cook them like this for pickled beets.
Lynette says
This is so easy to make. I used the greens in a salad and added some chilled beets and goat cheese. Delicious!
Rachel says
This as super easy!