Just Beet It! 18 of Our Favorite Root Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you prepare beets? ›

Fill with water to cover the beets completely and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer. Cook until fork tender, which will vary by size. Allow to cool and then remove the skin under running water.

This category includes beets, potatoes and sweet potatoes, yams, parsnips, turnips, jicama, radishes, celery root, carrots, rutabagas, Jerusalem artichokes or sunchokes, daikon, and more.

Roasting beets gives them a sweeter, richer, and deeper flavor than boiling does.

Steaming beets is a healthful cooking method because they retain most of their vitamins and minerals—they're not boiled out in water—and stay incredibly vibrant. Plus, steaming small beets or beet quarters is quick and easy for weeknights.

Forget what you thought you knew about food prep: You don't HAVE to peel your vegetables (well, most of them, anyway).

A teaspoon of pure beetroot powder offers a similar nutrition profile to one whole, raw beet. 12 Beet juice is also rich in nutrients but doesn't contain as much fiber as the powdered root. Raw beets also contain plenty of potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamin B2.

Wash, trim and peel the beetroot, then cut into quarters. Put the beetroot on a baking tray, pour over the olive oil, then sprinkle over the thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic cloves in and toss everything to coat in the oil. Roast for 40-50 minutes, or until tender, turning halfway through.

There are many ways to prepare beets, but one of the best methods is boiling, which softens up the tough root vegetable without robbing it of its natural juices. Just throw your beets in a deep pot, cover them with water, add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice, and simmer them until they're tender, about 30-45 minutes.

Beetroot and its juice help your heart and lungs work better during exercise. Nitric oxide from beets increases blood flow to your muscles. Some athletes eat beetroot or drink beet juice when exercising to improve their performance. Beets are rich in folate (vitamin B9), which helps cells grow and function.

How to prepare beetroot. To cook whole, wash but don't peel, then cut the stalks to 2.5cm and leave the root at the bottom; if either are trimmed too much, the beetroot's colour will bleed.

What is the most nutritious way to cook fresh beets? ›

Steaming beets is a healthful cooking method because they retain most of their vitamins and minerals—they're not boiled out in water—and stay incredibly vibrant. Plus, steaming small beets or beet quarters is quick and easy for weeknights.

You can even enjoy them raw, either sliced thinly or grated. Choose beets that feel heavy for their size with fresh, unwilted green leafy tops still attached, if possible. Because dietary nitrates are water-soluble, it's best to avoid boiling beets if you'd like to maximize their nitrate content.