How to make roasted beets in the oven

• Roasting beets concentrates the vegetable's flavor and enhances its natural sugars.
• Serve roasted beets as a side, on a salad, with other root vegetables, or even puree it into hummus.
• Roasted beets can be stored in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for up to six months.

Beets are healthy and vibrantly colored root vegetables that can add color and flavor to lots of meals. Roasting them is a great way to concentrate the flavor and highlight the natural sugars in beets, before using them in either sweet or savory dishes.

"The flavor of roasted beets is mysteriously hard to pin down: they are sweet, earthy, and often paired with a touch of bitterness that helps them blend with a range of other foods," says chef Daniel Carpenter, vice president of food experience at Nextbite, a virtual restaurant company.

Roasted beets can stand alone as a side dish, bring a pop of color to a salad, or be incorporated into hummus and sauces, and the roasting process is an easy and tasty approach to cooking with beets.

Quick tip: Although you can roast whole beets, Carpenter prefers to slice them into thick wedges before roasting. "Because there is more exposed surface area, moisture will evaporate during roasting, providing a more intense flavor profile," he says. They also cook much faster.

How to roast beets in the oven

Getting a great result from roasting beets begins with selecting the right beets. Carpenter says to look for beets that are firm, with a skin that's intact and greens that look fresh. And don't forget to try out different varieties of beets for various color and taste profiles.

"Golden and a wide variety of heirloom beets present myriad textural, flavor, and visual delights," Carpenter says.

1. Preheat the oven. Set to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, then set aside.
2. Prep the beats. Give them a thorough scrub, but don't remove the skin. It will peel off more easily after the beets are roasted. Slice off both ends of the beets and then cut them into thick wedges, similar to potato wedges.
3. Toss the beets in oil. Any type of oil will work, but Carpenter prefers avocado or olive oil.
4. Place on a baking pan and season the beets with salt. Avoid black pepper, which can highlight bitter tones in beets.
5. Roast in the oven for 35 minutes. The beets are ready when a paring knife slides into them with just a little resistance. However, texture is a personal preference, so if you want the beets softer, roast for a few extra minutes.
6. Remove the skins. Do this after the beets have cooled enough to touch. This can be done easily by peeling off the skin using either your hands or a paper towel.
7. Use the beets immediately. Or store them in the fridge for up to seven days.

Quick tip: Beet juice will stain whatever it comes into contact with. Use a disposable paper towel when handling them to avoid staining your towels and consider wearing disposable gloves.

Alternative method: Roasting beets in foil

Some people roast beets in foil, which locks moisture into the beets. To roast beets using this method, you'll want to cut a piece of foil long enough to wrap around the beets entirely. For now, however, leave the foil flat and put a piece of parchment paper over the foil. This will prevent the beets from sticking.

Put either a whole beet or sliced beets on the parchment paper and add seasonings, plus a dash of oil. Fold the foil into a well-sealed pouch and roast the beets for 35 minutes, or until a knife slides easily through them.

How to season beets

Beets taste delicious when they're flavored with just salt, says Carpenter. If you want a more intense flavor, incorporate your favorite herbs and spices. Here's what Carpenter recommends:

• Vinegar: The acidic taste of vinegar adds another component to the flavor of roasted beets. If you want to season with a balsamic or Banyuls vinegar, remove the beets from the oven ten minutes before they're finished, sprinkle with your vinegar of choice, and then finish roasting.
• Fresh herbs: Toss fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary with the beets after coating them with oil.
• Warm spices: Sprinkle warm spice, like cinnamon or cloves, over beats. Warm spice mixes like za'atar or ras el hanout are particularly tasty on beets, Carpenter says.

How to serve beets

"Roasted beets are very versatile," says Carpenter.

Most obviously, they can be used as a side dish alone or with other root vegetables like parsnip, sweet potato, and carrots. If you slice the beets very thinly, about the width of a matchstick, they can be eaten alone as an alternative to oven fries.

Because of their solid texture, beets also make a great alternative to proteins in salads. Carpenter recommends an arugula and frisée salad with balsamic reduction. For a different salad take, cube beets and avocado and top with a citrus vignette, Carpenter says.

If you want to think outside the box, you can use roasted beets:

• As the main ingredient in a colorful roasted beet hummus
• In a roasted beet soup
• Puréed into a roasted beet dipping sauce for vegetables
• Fried into beet croquettes

How to store roasted beets

Roasted beets can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you want to freeze beets, cube them and freeze on a baking sheet. Once they're frozen, put the cubes in a freezer-safe bag, where they'll last for about six months.

Quick Tip: If you know ahead of time that you'll be freezing roasted beets, only cook them to about 90% completion. This will help them hold their shape and texture after being frozen and reheated, Carpenter says.

Insider's takeaway

Roasting beets concentrates their natural sugars and enhances their flavors. To roast beets, scrub them and slice into thick wedges. Season with salt, then bake for about 35 minutes. Roasted beets can be eaten on their own, with other root vegetables, or in salads. For a more creative take, puree beets into hummus, soup, or dips.