Easy Oven Roasted Beets

Until about a month ago, I had never cooked beets because I thought they would be messy and difficult to work with. However, after seeing beets used in several tasty- looking recipes, I decided that it was time to give beets a try. I researched various methods for preparing beets and eventually settled on roasting them (my all-time favorite way to prepare any vegetable). Roasting beets is actually pretty simple and it yields a super flavorful (and pretty!) result. Largely based off the method used in this  recipe from Daily Garnish, Easy Oven Roasted Beets will convert you into a beet lover. The roasted beets add a wonderfully sweet  and unique flavor to anything from salads to veggie burgers. I would recommend roasting several beets at a time and simply storing them in the fridge during the week so they are ready to toss into various dishes. And don’t worry, despite their bad reputation, beets aren’t uncontrollably messy! Juice from the beets may turn your knife or hands slightly pink but it washes off pretty easily and by roasting the beets whole, a lot of the mess is avoided.

Easy Oven Roasted Beets
Gluten Free
Click Here for Printable Recipe



Ingredients--
Beets (however many you want to roast, try to pick ones that are similar in size)
Olive Oil Spray

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. Remove all but an inch or so of the beet greens and tops. Trim the tails of the beet until there is only about 1/2 inch left. Scrub the outside the beet well to remove any dirt, then place in the center of  a large square of aluminum foil. Coat beet in olive oil spray, then fold up the corners of aluminum foil and form a tightly sealed packet around the beet.





3. Repeat with remaining beets and place all on prepared baking sheet.

4. Roast beets one hour, then remove baking sheet from oven. Carefully unwrap one beet, and test doneness by inserting a knife in the center to see if it’s tender (Roasting time will depend a lot on the size of the beets). If knife doesn’t insert easily, return beets to oven and roast 5-15 minutes more or until tender.

5. Once beets are tender, carefully unwrap foil packets and lift out beets and place beets on a paper towel lined cutting board (this will help prevent any staining on the cutting board). Wrap up the foil packets to contain any juice and discard.

6. Let beets cool slightly if necessary, then use your hands to gently rub off outer skins.  Cut beets into wedges or cubes, and they are ready to use! If you aren’t  using the beets immediately, store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.




Nutrition Information-- approximately 115 calories for 1 medium roasted beet (about 8 ounces prior to roasting)