How long do beets take to cook?

The bigger the beet, the longer in the heat. Cooking times also depend on the method you choose, elevation, and your particular stove, oven, or steamer. The only way to know if a beet is pleasingly tender is to pierce it with a fork or butter knife . It should feel easy; if not, the beets aren't done. Check every beet since no one is alike, or just the largest. Ignore advice and recipes that offer hard and fast cooking times as a guarantee of doneness (the timing method is amateur and unreliable). They can surely be used as a guide, but that is all.

Why do beets stain everything?

The pigment betalain is the answer, specifically betacyanin in red beets and betaxanthin in golden ones. They are water-soluble and bind readily to surfaces, including your skin, cutting boards, and fabric. To minimize staining, protect your cutting board with a towel and your hands with disposable gloves. In the absence of gloves, rubbing with lemon juice and salt before washing can help remove most of the pigment.

Why do my beets taste like dirt?

Raw and undercooked beets contain geosmin, an organic compound produced by soil bacteria that the human nose detects at extremely low concentrations. Geosmin is responsible for the earthy, soil-like (and even grassy) flavor many people associate with beets. Cooking beets thoroughly breaks down geosmin, which is why properly roasted or boiled beets taste sweet and earthy rather than minerally and raw. If cooked beets still taste pungent, they were likely undercooked. Roasting at higher temperatures is the most effective method for reducing the geosmin flavor.

Do I need to remove the tap root?

The tap root is the thin "tail" or root on the bottom of the beet. While you will see advice that recommends leaving this on during cooking to lock in nutrients, beet skin is thin, and vitamins will leach out regardless. For easier handling after cooking, remove the tap root and most of the stems beforehand.

How to Cook Beets | Edible Times

Ingredients

Scale

1 bunch of fresh beets or 4 to 5 whole beets, leaves trimmed
salt, kosher recommended
cooking oil, avocado or olive recommended

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Instructions

Before cooking beets using any of the methods, wash them well to scrub away any dirt and rootlets, then trim away the root and stem ends. Cool cooked beets for a few minutes so they are easier to handle, then peel and slice to your liking.

To Steam

Prepare your steaming setup. Bring a couple of inches of water to a boil in your largest pot or a pot that fits your steamer basket. Make ready a lid or foil to prevent excessive evaporation of the water.
Steam covered until tender. Place the beets in the steamer basket and sprinkle with salt, if you like, and cover the pot. Begin checking the beets for doneness after 30 minutes by inserting a butter knife or fork into the largest one. If you feel resistance, steam for ten more minutes and check again. Add more hot water as necessary to maintain two inches in the bottom of the pot.

To Boil

Boil water. Fill a large pot with water and set it over high heat on the stove. Water boils faster if you cover the pot.
Salt the boiling water and add the beets. Add several pinches of salt to the boiling water. It will dissolve and pass through the beets as they cook.
Boil for 35 to 50 minutes. Boil the beets until there is no resistance when you pierce them with a fork or butter knife. Adjust the heat to maintain a strong boil (but prevent boiling over). You can cover the pot to prevent the water from evaporating. Begin checking the largest beet for doneness after 30 minutes. Add more hot water to the pot to keep the beets fully submerged.
Drain and dry. Remove the beets from the boiling water by straining them with a large colander or removing them with tongs. Pat the beets dry with a paper towel or a clean kitchen towel.

To Roast or Air Fry

Preheat the oven to 425°F or an air fryer to 400° F. The higher the heat, the faster the beets will cook.
Season and roast until tender. Coat the beets in a heat-tolerant oil like avocado or canola (not extra virgin). Season the beets with salt, if you like. Roast or air fry the beets until you can easily pierce them with the tines of a fork or a butter knife. Begin checking after 20 minutes for the air fryer and 30 minutes for the oven.

Notes

To clean fresh beets. Cut the greens off the beets when you bring them home, leaving about one inch of the stem on the beets. But only clean the beets right before cooking. To clean, pluck any rootlets (tiny sprouts) and rinse the beet in water, gently rubbing with your fingers to remove any dirt. For beet greens, quickly rinse them under a trickle of water. Pat the roots and leaves dry with a kitchen towel.

To peel cooked beets. I recommend using the edge of a small spoon to scrape the skin away in strips from top to bottom. The pigment will stain your hands and cutting board, so either cradle the beets in a paper towel or wear disposable gloves.

Author: Chef Christina Bailey, CCMP
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 to 50 minutes
Category: Techniques
Method: Air Frying, Boiling, Roasting, Steaming
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Diet: Vegan

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 Cooked Beet
Calories: 85
Sugar: 5.5 g
Sodium: 296.5 mg
Fat: 5.7 g
Carbohydrates: 7.8 g
Protein: 1.3 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg