Balsamic Rainbow Roasted Beets on a white platter

I used to be such a beet hater. I loathed beets so much, I couldn’t even stand to be in the same room while they were cooking! They were just so earthy and yucky smelling (and tasting). Blech.

But as I started to explore more foods in the past few years, beets have slowly made it off my blacklistโ€”I love how you can evolve your tastebuds. I wouldn’t say beets are one of my most favorite foods, but I will say that I can definitely appreciate a good beet recipe (there is a beet and black bean burger recipe in my cookbook that is probably my most favorite recipe in the whole book).  And these roasted beets have become a staple in our diet.

Roasted Beets sliced and arranged on a white platter, glazed with balsamic

I think I struggled with beets for so long because they are one of those foods that can be totally hit or miss depending on the quality of the beet and the cooking method. I try not to be much of a food snob, but beets are one of those veggies that I’ll only eat if they are super high-quality (preferably locally grown). In my opinion, you can really tell a difference! Ever cracked open and tried to cook a can of beets off the store shelf? They barely even resemble the sweet, nutty taste of high-quality fresh beets. And if you’re already on the fence about beets, then eating them out of the can is going to give you a hefty shove onto the “no thank you” side.

Red and Golden Beets arranged on a white background

I also think what makes this dish such a good one to help convert beet haters is the use of golden beets. Golden beets are becoming increasingly easier to find (we can get them at our local supermarket), and they still have a lot of beet-y flavor, but less of the earthy taste that turns a lot of folks off from beets. They are very sweet, and I think they look absolutely beautiful mixed in with the deep scarlet beets. If you have a nice farmers’ market in your area, you also might be able to find an even wider variety of beets than just purple and yellow. We have always had terrible luck growing beets in our areaโ€”I so wish we could figure out the secret, because there are some seriously cool beet varieties out there that would be so fun to have in our garden.

Balsamic Rainbow Roasted Beets on a rectangular white platter

If you’ve never worked with beets before, let me give you a bit of a primer. First things first, don’t you dare throw out those beet tops! Beet greens are 100% edible and super delicious. They have a mild beet flavor, and work well anywhere you’d use other leafy greens like kale or chard.

A word of warning, you might be surprised by how much those red beets will stain your digits, so if you don’t want to walk around the next day with red hands, you might be inclined to wear a pair of gloves while working with the beets.

Hands peeling a cooked red beet. The skin is stained red.

Roasting beets is easy work, but it isn’t fastโ€”so this probably isn’t a recipe for your rushed Tuesday evening dinner. Save it for a Sunday afternoon supper. I recommend serving them up with a perfectly roasted chicken, some mashed potatoes, and some biscuits. And then invite me overโ€”I’ll bring wine.

Enjoy!

 
Balsamic Rainbow Roasted Beets on a white platter

Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

These bright and colorful Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze are a tasty and healthy side dish that will convert even the biggest beet hater.

Ingredients

  • 3 medium-sized golden beets, tops removed
  • 3 medium-sized red beets, tops removed
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Scrub outside of beets, and then wrap each beet in aluminum foil. Place foil-wrapped beets on a baking sheet, and bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the beets are soft when pierced with a fork.
  2. Remove beets from oven and let cool until cool enough to handle—about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the vinegar, honey or maple syrup, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until thick and bubbly—about 3 minutes.
  3. Using clean hands, rub off the peels of the beets, or alternatively, use a sharp vegetable peeler to peel off the peels. Slice the peeled beets into 1/4" rounds. Layer rounds on a platter, and then drizzle with the glaze before serving. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Notes

  • Use maple syrup in place of honey to keep this recipe vegan.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 90Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 140mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 18gProtein: 1g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.

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13 Comments

  1. Looks delicious!
    Can I prepare beets and sauce in advance and then pour on before serving and serve at room temp? Making for a luncheon– Thank you!