Simple Roasted Beets Recipe

If you picked up your very first bunch of beets at the store and aren't quite sure what to do with them yet, look no further than this super simple technique. Wrapping beets in foil, then roasting them until tender, is probably the easiest and most versatile way to cook this earthy veg. Cooking beets (or beetroots, whatever you want to call them) in this manner traps their moisture in the foil, steaming them from the inside out. This prevents them from drying out and results in silky-textured, juicy beets. Recipe developer Alexandra Shytsman has crafted this simple roasted beets recipe, and it's sure to make the red vegetable a staple in your diet.

Once your simple roasted beets are cool enough to handle, you can peel them by simply slipping the skins off with your fingers. You can then slice and dress them, and serve them as a simple side dish; or, you can set them aside in the fridge, and add to salads and grain bowls throughout the week. The possibilities are virtually endless, and you'll love the pop of color that these juicy beets will add to your dishes.

To get started, get your beets and aluminum foil ready. You'll also need a baking sheet (or any kind of roasting pan with sides, really) to hold the beets while they're cooking and catch any juices that may drip out. But, ingredient-wise, truly all you need are some beets.

First, preheat your oven to 400 F. To prep your beets for roasting, cut off the greens (you can save these for another recipe, or compost them). Then give the beets a good rinse under running water. Wrap each beet tightly in foil and put them on the roasting pan.

Place the beets into the preheated oven and cook until they can be pierced easily with a paring knife. This can take anywhere from 40 to 60 minutes; smaller beets will cook faster than larger ones, so check them all individually.

When the beets are done, carefully unwrap them and bring to room temperature. When they're cool enough to handle, peel them by slipping the skins off with your fingers. To avoid staining your hands, grab a pair of gloves first. (Or embrace the mess like we do!)

Once your beets are peeled, you can dress them with olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper, and serve them as a simple side. Or you can store them in the fridge and add to salads or grain bowls throughout the week.