Steamed or Roasted Beets and Beet Greens With Tahini Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to steam or roast beets? ›

While roasting yields flavorful results, steaming beets makes their skin easier to peel off and makes them tender and more pleasant to eat.

As much as I adore Beet Salad, I rarely made it at home, because by the time I finished the beets, my hands, cutting board, and counter all were stained with telltale red juices. Then, I picked up a transformative piece of information: you do not need to peel beets when roasting.

To steam beets, place in a steamer above 2 inches water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cover. Turn down heat to medium. Steam small and medium beets for 30 minutes and large beets for 40 minutes, until you can pierce the beet to the middle with a knife or skewer.

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.

Like many vegetables, the longer you cook beets—especially in water—the more the colorful phytonutrients leach out of the food and into the water. Retain the good-for-you nutrients in beets by roasting them or sautéing them instead. Or lightly steam them for just a few minutes, suggests Doyle.

Salmon goes well with beets. Try this salad with Pan Seared Salmon. Veggies. Other root vegetables like Roasted Sweet Potatoes are a scrumptious pairing with beets.

When the fork goes through easily and the inside is tender, the beets are done cooking.

They are low calories and thought to be good for the heart, and have anti-inflammatory properties. Beets are also high in fiber which can help with digestion. So go ahead and enjoy as many steamed beets as your heart desires!

Can I drink the water from steamed beets? ›

Yes, you can. It's completely safe to drink water that has been used to boil beetroots. Why can't I eat them raw? Actually, beets can be eaten raw, especially when grated or made into a salad.

My favorite way to cook beets is to roast them, which gives a sweeter, richer, and deeper flavor than boiling does. Another advantage is that they don't bleed as much, especially if they're roasted whole. Incidentally, to get beet stains off your hands, wet them, rub them with coarse salt, then wash with soap.

Stem the tide of waste by eating your beetroot stalks! Beetroot stalks are very much edible and can be eaten raw or cooked. Beet leaves are delicious when sautéed as a crispy side dish or tossed in a salad.

Essentially, if your aim is to preserve nutrients, light steaming is the way to go, but the thing is, flavour and enjoyment play a major part in food, too. “If roasting vegetables means you enjoy them more, then by all means roast them,” Hope says.

Roasting beets deepens their natural sugars while tempering bitterness. Bake whole, wrapped beets at 400°F for 60-75 minutes until easily pierced by a fork. Allow to cool before peeling and juicing. Incorporating roasted beets creates a smoother, mellower, almost nutty-flavored blended juice.

Like many vegetables, the longer you cook beets—especially in water—the more the colorful phytonutrients leach out of the food and into the water. Retain the good-for-you nutrients in beets by roasting them or sautéing them instead. Or lightly steam them for just a few minutes, suggests Doyle.

Packed with nutrition, beets have antioxidants like betalains that fight cell damage and inflammation, potentially offering protection against cancer and heart disease. Health benefits of beets include more stamina during exercise, heart disease and stroke prevention, and lower blood pressure.