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    Published March 4, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    This easy-to-prepare roasted beets recipe are finish with pepper and fresh lemon zest for the perfect accompaniment to any main entrée. The flavor in these beets is to die for and are one of my all-time favorite side dishes.

    I try to ensure I eat as many vegetables as possible. However, I must admit that it can be tough to make them delicious, so I want to eat them. If you’re in the same boat, check out my tasty Mexican Street Corn or Fried Cabbage Recipe.

    roasted beets in a bowl

    Roasted Beets

    Roasted beets are fresh beets peeled, cut, or sliced, and pan or oven roasted until tender and slightly caramelized. They are extremely easy to make and are an amazing side dish to any meal. If you are looking for more cardiovascular health, then these beets are a great option.

    This is an accompaniment to other vegetables we used to serve at one of the restaurants I worked at and was always a big hit. The balance of flavors in these beets with the lemon and pepper make for an unbelievable taste. You can alter the flavor of this recipe by using fresh herbs such as dill or thyme.

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    roasted beets ingredients
    • Beets – You will need fresh red or golden beets for this recipe.
    • Fat – I prefer to use olive or avocado oil for this. Other options are ghee or clarified butter.
    • Seasonings – I only use coarse salt and heavy on-ground black pepper for this.
    • Lemon – A hint of lemon juice and lemon zest will brighten up these beets and help offset the pepper.

    How to Make Pan-Roasted Beets

    Slice both ends off the beets.

    slicing roots off of beets

    Peel the beets using a paring knife or vegetable peeler.

    Cut the beets into wedges.

    slicing peeling beets

    Pour the olive oil into a large non-stick frying pan over high heat and heat until it begins to smoke lightly.

    adding oil to a pan

    Add in the beets and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

    adding beets to a hot pan with oil

    Season with salt and pepper. Go heavy on the pepper.

    seasoning beets

    Flip the beets around and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

    roasting beets in an oven

    Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack and roast at 425° for 40 to 45 minutes or until lightly caramelized and tender.

    beets in the oven

    Garnish with chives and lemon zest.

    adding lemon zest to roasted beets

    How to Make Oven-Roasted Beets

    To roast directly in the oven, toss the cut beets in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

    seasoning beets in a bowl

    Place the seasoned and oiled beets on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and cook them in the oven at 425° for 55 to 60 minutes or until lightly caramelized and tender.

    adding seaosned beets to a sheet tray lined with parchment paper

    Add the cooked beets to the serving bowl and squeeze on the juice of ½ lemon and the zest of 1 lemon. Garnish with option sliced chives.

    chives and lemon zest on roasted beets in a bowl

    Steamed Beets Option

    1. Remove the root end of the beets and place them in a 13×9 casserole dish cut side down.
      removing roots from beets
    2. Pour in 1 to 1 ½ cups of water.
      adding beets to a pan with water
    3. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350° for 1 hour or until tender.
      covering beets with foil
    4. Remove the beets from the water and let them cool for 20 to 30 minutes.
      Using paper towels, remove the peelings of the beets. The peelings will pull right off. You can slice, quarter, or even roast in the oven to further enhance the flavor.
    peeling roasted beets with paper towels

    Make-Ahead and Storage

    Make-Ahead: These are meant to be eaten as soon as done. You can keep them in a pot covered in the oven at 225° for up to 1 hour before serving.

    How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. These do not freeze that well. If you want to freeze them, it’s best to make soup out of them as they will be very soft and mushy upon thawing.

    How to Reheat: Add the desired number of roasted beets to a saucepan with ¼ cup of water cover with a lid or foil and bake in the oven at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until hot.

    Chef Billy Parisi

    Chef Notes + Tips

    • You can completely substitute the lemon zest and black pepper with pre-made lemon pepper seasoning.
    • When making the steamed beets, the paper towel protects your hands from turning red from the beets and helps if they are too hot.

    More Vegetable Recipes

    Let's Cook - Chef Billy Parisi

    Roasted Beets Recipes

    5 from 2 votes
    This easy-to-prepare roasted beets recipe are finish with pepper and fresh lemon zest for the perfect accompaniment to any main entrée.
    Servings: 10
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour

    Ingredients 

    • 5 large or 10 medium-sized beets
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • juice of ½ lemon, about 1 tablespoon
    • zest of 1 lemon
    • coarse salt and generous amount of cracked pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Slice both ends off the beets.
    • Peel the beets using a paring knife or vegetable peeler.
    • Cut the beets into wedges.
    • Pour the olive oil into a large non-stick frying pan over high heat and heat until it begins to smoke lightly.
    • Add in the beets and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
    • Season with salt and pepper. Go heavy on the pepper.
    • Flip the beets around and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
    • Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack and roast at 425° for 40 to 45 minutes or until lightly caramelized and tender.
    • To roast directly in the oven, toss the cut beets in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
    • Place the seasoned and oiled beets on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and cook them in the oven at 425° for 55 to 60 minutes or until lightly caramelized and tender.
    • Add the cooked beets to a serving bowl and squeeze on the juice of ½ lemon and the zest of 1 lemon. Garnish with option sliced chives.

    Notes

    Make-Ahead: These are meant to be eaten as soon as done. You can keep them in a pot covered in the oven at 225° for up to 1 hour before serving.
    How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. These do not freeze that well. If you want to freeze them, it’s best to make soup out of them as they will be very soft and mushy upon thawing.
    How to Reheat: Add the desired number of roasted beets to a saucepan with ¼ cup of water cover with a lid or foil and bake in the oven at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until hot.
    You can completely substitute the lemon zest and black pepper with pre-made lemon pepper seasoning.
    When making the steamed beets, the paper towel protects your hands from turning red from the beets and helps if they are too hot.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 42kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 32mgPotassium: 133mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 14IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.3mg
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American

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