You might have thought that beets are sweet enough but when you taste these Balsamic Roasted Beets you might change your mind!
What Makes This Recipe So Special?
These beets are so good I was popping those little cubes in my mouth at room temperature! But they are also so versatile. They make a quick and easy side dish if you use the time-saving tips below. They are also good spread over salad greens to add some heft to your salad. If you are using a Balsamic salad dressing they will fit right in!
If You Are Cooking Fresh Beets
I find beets take forever to roast or boil. And it is always longer than I imagine. A lot of recipes recommend 50-60 minutes cook time but even baby beets are often not fork tender at the end of that timing.
I have resorted to pressure cooking my beets unless they are diced and part of a roasted root vegetable dish.
The recipe is written assuming you have to cook the beets. Mine took 17 minutes of pressure cooking but be sure to follow your manufacturer's instructions if you go the pressure cooker route.
Time-Saving Options
You have a few options to save time with this recipe.
- you can start with a batch of pre-cooked beets that have been trimmed and peeled such as those available at Costco.
- you can use whole canned beets or
- you can cook up a batch a few days before you want to make this casserole.
If you start with cooked beets then you are only looking at 15 minutes to heat the beets and another 10 minutes to concentrate the glaze.
Chef's Tip
It may seem odd to garnish beets with cilantro but I was absolutely blown away by the combination when I made these Hasselback Roasted Beets in Lime Butter.
FAQs
Many people are averse to cilantro. You can always use mince parsley instead.
Beets are very sturdy so leftovers are good for 1-2 days and can be gently rewarmed.
You could freeze, sealed air-tight, for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat gently. You may want to re-toss them in the balsamic vinegar/honey combination to freshen the flavours.
Related Recipes
Balsamic Roasted Beets
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Save Print Pin FacebookIngredients
- 4 medium beets See Note 1 for time saving tips
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- fresh cilantro for garnish optional Can substitute parsley.
Instructions
- Wash and trim stalk end of beets. Boil vigorously for 60-75 minutes until fork tender when pierced. (Alternatively roast at 350° for 60-75 minutes). Check beets for doneness after 55 minutes. See Note 1 & 2 for time-saving options.
- Drain beets and allow to cool enough to be able to handle them. Trim off root end and peel. (See Note 1 below if are starting with already cooked beets.)
- Increase oven to 425 ° Line a glass baking dish with parchment paper to make clean up easier. Make sure the parchment reaches the edges and has a bit of a lip if possible so no juices can run underneath the parchment. (Alternatively just spray the dish with cooking spray.)
- Cut beets into about 1" cubes and toss with the olive oil and salt and transfer to the baking dish.
- Drizzle the Balsamic/honey mixture over the cubes and stir to coat them evenly. Roast a further 10 minutes or so until beets are evenly heated and the Balsamic mixture is thick and sticks to the beets.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley if desired. Serve immediately hot or over a green salad at room temperature.
Notes
- You can buy pre-cooked beets or use whole canned beets to save time. Drain any liquid.
- The fastest way to cook beets is to pressure cook them. It may take 20 minutes of less depending on the size of your beets. Wash beets and trim but do not peel. Proceed with instructions for your pressure cooker.
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