
Every Saturday my dad heads to the local farmers market and, if the season is right, comes home with a big bunch of beets, which he then scrubs clean, boils, quarters, and marinates in oil and vinegar.
So by the time I show up in the morning we have a bowlful of beets for breakfast or lunch. Boiled beets are fine; the method is fast, energy efficient, and since the beets are so naturally strongly flavored, combined with the dressing, it works.
That said, over the years I can’t count the number of people who have tried to get me to roast beets instead of boiling them. They’ve insisted that roasted beets just taste better than boiled.
I have roasted beets. Quite frankly, I haven’t been able to tell that big of a difference from boiled.
Until now.
The Trick to Great-Tasting Beets
Now I get it. These beets are great! The long roasting caramelizes the sugars in the beets, adding all sorts of awesome flavor.
The trick?
- First, make sure the beets are wrapped in foil so they don’t dry out.
- Second, cook them 20 to 30 minutes longer than you think you should.
I forgot to set the timer and by the time I took these beets out of the oven, they had roasted a full hour and 45 minutes. There was so much caramelization the peels were like candy. They were a little harder to peel, but wow, so worth it.
The orange zest and balsamic glaze? Double wow. Like orange-y beet-y balsamic-y fireworks in your mouth. These beets are addictive. Pace yourself.
Storing Roasted Beets
Store these roasted beets with their glaze in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Eat them cold or room temperature.
What Else to Serve with Roasted Beets
Want to make it a meal or serve these beets as a side dish? You could make an easy light lunch just by adding some mixed greens and poached chicken to your bowl.
As a side dish, these beets pair beautifully with roast chicken or pork chops. Enjoy!
More Ways to Enjoy Beets
- Borscht
- Beet Hummus
- Arugula Salad with Beets and Goat Cheese
- Red Flannel Hash
- Moroccan Grated Carrot and Beet Salad
Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds red beets, medium sized, scrubbed clean, green tops removed (see beet greens recipe for what to do with beet greens)
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- Freshly ground black pepper
Method
1 Preheat oven to 400°F and line pan with aluminum foil.
2 Prepare the beets: Place the beets in the pan. Rub olive oil over the beets, and sprinkle with salt. Cover the beets with another sheet of aluminum foil.
3 Roast the beets: Roast for 1 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the beets and how old they are. After 1 hour, test every fifteen minutes by poking a beet with the tines of a fork. Once the fork tines go in easily, the beets are tender and cooked. Remove from the oven.
4 Prepare balsamic glaze: While the beets are cooling, prepare the balsamic glaze. In a small, shallow sauté pan, add the balsamic vinegar and sugar. Heat on high until the vinegar has reduced to a syrup consistency. Remove from heat.
5 Peel and cut cooked beets: After the beets have cooled for several minutes, but are still warm to the touch, peel off the outer skins and discard. Cut the beets into quarters or more bite-sized pieces.
6 Pour glaze over beets: Place beets in a serving bowl. Pour balsamic glaze over the beets. Stir in grated orange zest, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with a little orange zest to serve.
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I detest pickled beets which are the only kind I’d ever eaten before trying this recipe. Recently I got some in a farm box and figured I’d try finding a recipe I might like.
I made this one and was more than pleasantly surprised. The roasting and the balsamic reduction made all the difference. I did find them a bit difficult to peel so next time I will roast longer and leave skins on.
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Simply delicious
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I made this tonight and I love the results; the flavors are great together. Size wise, my beets looked like those in the photo. I roasted them at 385 degrees for 1.5 hours with skins on. To be honest, I forgot to add salt or pepper and used a prepared glaze because I had it handy. Next time I make this I will add the pepper but I don’t think it needs the salt. My bottom line is that I highly recommend this recipe.
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Great beet flavor, the balsamic vinegar really gives it a tangy flavor. This will make a good side dish.
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Delicious. I served this on a bed of arugula and micro greens fresh from my garden. This is a keeper recipe.
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