Deliciously sweet with a touch of salt, I'll show you how to make simple roasted beets that are perfect for salads or for serving alongside fish or meat!

Chunks of red beets on a wooden cutting board

Who knew that beets could be so delicious?

Not too long ago, I didn't think it was possible. I used to hate beets...which is weird considering I had never actually eaten any.

But I became a beet-convert a few years ago and now I LOVE them.

I know "sweet" sounds like an odd way to describe beets, but that's exactly what these roasted beets are. I might go so far as to say that they're like candy!...but I won't push it. 😉

Take my word for it, these roasted beets are, indeed, delicious and they are easy peasy to make.

Preparing To Roast

Once you get the beets home from the store, there is actually very little you need to do. Firstly, you just have to give the beets a quick scrub under running water to wash off any debris or loose bits.

I also like to use a paring knife to trim off some of the rough bits from where the beets were attached to the stems. This is not a necessary step, but I like to clean them up a bit. There is no need to peel the beets at this point.

Place the beets on a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with sea salt. It may seem a bit odd to season the beets with salt when you're only going to end up peeling all the skin off. However, that salt actually does seep into the outer sections of the beets, giving a subtle saltiness to complement the natural sweetness.

Drizzling oil and sprinkle white salt on raw beets, foil wrapped beets on a pan, rubbing the skin off beets with a paper towel

Wrap the beets up completely in the foil and place on a baking pan, just in case any juices leak out. If you're roasting more than a couple of beets, place them in a baking dish and cover with foil. Then all you do is let them roast for 1.5 hours.

Removing the Skin

Once the beets are done roasting, let them cool until you can handle them. Using a paper towel to rub the skin off is really effective and works like a charm! You can also scrape the skin off with a butter or paring knife.

Use gloves if you are concerned about your hands staining from the beet juice, but I've never had any issues washing the coloring out with a good lather of hand soap.

And voila! You've got beautiful beets ready for eating!

A large dark red beet on silver aluminum foil

Ready To Eat

I like to cut the beets into chunks and store them in the fridge so they're ready for eating. I have also left them whole so I can slice them to go alongside a steak or chicken dinner.

My favorite way to enjoy the beets is in a chunky salad, loaded with cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, and a healthy dose of feta cheese. The beets add a perfect touch of sweetness to the salad, all the while being healthy, too!

A salad of beet chunks, cucumbers, tomatoes, and white feta cheese crumbles

Beets are also commonly served as a side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals...but skip the canned/jarred and roast your own! As you can see, they're incredibly easy and taste SO much better. And when you're starting with a blank slate of roasted beets, you can season them how ever you want. Drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil and give a fresh grind of sea salt and pepper. Or drizzle some Sweet and Tangy Balsamic Vinaigrette over them for an added flavor kick.

One more thing...this unassuming vegetable is a great source of fiber. It is loaded with essential minerals such as iron, manganese, and potassium, has Vitamin C and folate, and helps lower blood pressure. Top all of that goodness with a low calorie count, too. So they're not only delicious, they're incredibly nutritious and good for you. How can you say no to something like that?

~ Lisa.