Why I stopped roasting my beets in foil
Cohl and I had the pleasure of enjoying the “special” of the day at a local restaurant. It was the most incredible pizza with figs, ricotta, herbs, and honey.
(I may or may not have fought Cohl for the last piece!) After a few failed attempts at stuffing ricotta into figs, I ditched the figs and roasted beets instead.
That’s how these Roasted Beets with Whipped Honey Ricotta happened. And here’s where this one splits from every other roasted beet recipe out there.
Most of them wrap the beets whole in foil, which steams them, and then you’re standing at the sink trying to peel something too hot to hold. (No thanks!)
I peel and cube mine raw instead. Cutting them small, skipping the foil, and giving them room on the sheet pan is what makes the difference between browned, caramelized edges and soft, wet beets.
Then the ricotta gets whisked with honey, salt, and fresh rosemary until it’s light and a little fluffy. The sweetness is what keeps the earthy beet flavor from taking over the whole plate.
If you’d rather do the dressier wedges-on-a-swoosh version, my Roasted Beets with Oranges and Whipped Goat Cheese is the one for that. But this cubed one is what I make when people are already sitting down.
I have never commented on a recipe before but I feel like I needed to this time. My husband loves beets and so do my kids. I hate them! They remind me of eating dirt. I saw this recipe and I liked how it looked so thought I would give it a try. Oh my gosh!! I am so glad that I did. I loved it no dirt taste or bleeding all over my dish. I will definitely be making this again and sharing it with friends.
– Fay K.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Golden beets: These are the milder, sweeter of the two and they don’t stain everything they touch. If your store doesn’t carry them, use all purple beets and call it a day.
- Purple beets: These bring the deep color and more of that earthy flavor. They’re usually easier to find year round, too.
- Olive oil: A good one is worth it here since so few ingredients are doing the work. It’s also what helps the cut edges brown instead of dry out.
- Ricotta cheese: Whole-milk ricotta whisks up the creamiest. Part-skim works but stays a little grainier, and goat cheese is a good swap if you want more tang.
- Honey: This is the ingredient that keeps the beets from tasting too earthy. Maple syrup or agave will both work, but honey is the one I’d pick.
- Fresh rosemary: Fresh, not dried, since dried rosemary stays woody no matter how long it sits in the ricotta. Fresh thyme or sage are great here too.
- Want the plain version? My How to Roast Beets post is the same roasting method without the ricotta, if you just need a simple side.
How to Make Roasted Beets with Honey Ricotta
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Peel and cube the beets
Peel both kinds of beets and cut them into half-inch cubes. Keeping them small and even is what gets you caramelized edges instead of a soft middle.
Pro Tip: Wear an apron for this part. Purple beet juice will find your favorite shirt, so I peel mine right over the sink.
Toss them in olive oil and roast until the edges brown
Add the beets, olive oil, and salt to a large zip-top bag and shake until every piece is coated. (This is the least messy way I’ve found to do it.)
Spread the beets on a parchment-lined sheet pan and roast at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Give them room to breathe, since a crowded pan steams instead of roasts.
My all-time FAVE olive oil!
This olive oil by Graza will make ALL the difference in the finished taste of your dish.
Just make sure you use the “Sizzle” olive oil for recipe’s where it needs to hold up at higher heat, and the “Drizzle” olive oil for finishing dishes!
Give them room on the pan
Don’t crowd the pan. If the cubes are touching, they steam instead of browning, so grab a second sheet pan if you need to.
The Sheet Pan I L❤️VE!
Your veggies will end up steaming instead of roasting if you overcrowd the pan. So my tip… use the largest sheet pan you have and spread everything out!
Whip the honey ricotta
Whisk the ricotta, honey, salt, and rosemary together in a medium bowl until it’s smooth and a little fluffy. Pop it in the fridge until the beets come out.
Pro Tip: Whisk it longer than you think you need to. A solid 30 seconds of real effort takes the ricotta from grainy to genuinely fluffy.
Spoon it over and serve
Pile the warm beets over the honey ricotta and finish with a little more fresh rosemary. Serve it right away, while the beets are still warm and the ricotta is cold.
Oops! What did I do wrong?
My beets tasted like dirt.
That earthy flavor is real, and it’s strongest in the purple ones. Make sure you’re getting a spoonful of the honey ricotta with every bite, since the sweetness is what balances it out.
My beets came out soft instead of caramelized.
The pan was probably too crowded. Beets need space to brown, so spread them in a single layer with a little room between the cubes and use a second pan if you have to.
The purple beets turned everything pink.
That happens, and honestly it looks kind of beautiful on the plate. If you want them to stay distinct, roast the golden and purple beets on separate pans.
My ricotta is grainy.
Some ricotta is just wetter and more textured than others, and part-skim tends to be grainier than whole milk. Whisk it hard for a full 30 seconds and it should smooth right out.
How do I know when the beets are done?
A fork should slide into a cube with no resistance, and the edges should look browned and a little shriveled. If they’re still firm in the middle, give them another 5 minutes.
FAQs
You absolutely can, but the flavor from roasted beets is so much better. Canned beets are already soft, so they won’t caramelize the same way. If you do go that route, pat them very dry first and roast them at 400 degrees just long enough to warm through and pick up a little color.
For this one, yes. Since you’re cubing them raw, the skins stay tough and chewy through roasting, and a vegetable peeler takes care of it in a couple of minutes. If you’d rather not peel raw beets, How to Boil Beets walks through the method where the skins slip right off.
Ricotta and goat cheese are the two I reach for, since both are creamy and tangy enough to stand up to the earthy flavor. Feta and burrata are great too, and blue cheese works if you like it.
Both, if you can find them, since golden beets are sweeter and milder and purple beets bring the color. Either one on its own is still really good.
Yes, and it’s a good one for that. Whisk the ricotta a day ahead, roast the beets a few hours before, then warm the beets and assemble right before people sit down.
Store the beets and the honey ricotta in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keeping them apart means the ricotta doesn’t turn pink and the beets don’t get soggy. Freezing is not recommended for this one. Roasted beets turn watery and soft once they thaw, and the ricotta separates and goes grainy.
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Roasted Beets with Whipped Honey Ricotta
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Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 pound golden beets peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 pound purple beets peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary finely chopped, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Combine beets, olive oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large zip-top bag and toss until beets are completely coated.1 pound golden beets, 1 pound purple beets, 3 tablespoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Place beets on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and roast for 35-40 minutes, flipping beets halfway through.
- In a medium-sized bowl combine ricotta, ¼ teaspoon salt, honey, and rosemary. Whisk until combined and refrigerate until ready to use.½ cup ricotta cheese, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
- Serve beets warm with honey-ricotta and top with additional rosemary, if desired. Enjoy!
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Notes
- Storage: Keep the beets and honey ricotta in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Spread the beets on a sheet pan and warm at 300 to 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve the ricotta cold, straight from the fridge.
- Freezing: Not recommended. Roasted beets turn watery and soft after thawing, and the ricotta separates.
- Make ahead: Whisk the honey ricotta up to a day in advance and keep it covered in the fridge.
- Beets: Golden beets are milder and sweeter, purple beets bring the color and more of the earthy flavor. Either one works on its own.
- Ricotta: Whole-milk ricotta whisks up the creamiest. Part-skim works but stays a little grainier.
- Don’t crowd the pan: Beets need space to brown. Use two sheet pans rather than piling everything onto one.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to serve with roasted beets and ricotta
This one belongs next to something rich and savory, since the beets are sweet and the ricotta is creamy. My Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Pork Tenderloin is what I’d put on the table for a holiday dinner.
For something faster, Blackened Salmon is a great match. That smoky spice rub against the honey is a really nice contrast.
If you want something green on the plate, Lemon Arugula Salad comes together fast and the peppery arugula is so good with the sweet beets. Grilled Fennel Arugula Salad is the version I make when the grill is already going.
For a full holiday spread, Maple Bacon Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans round out the table nicely.
And if there’s ricotta left in the container, Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Chicken is where the rest of mine usually ends up.
More delicious beet recipes
Turns out I have a bit of a beet problem. These are the ones my readers keep coming back to.
Get My 10 Holiday Sides with Serious Swagger
Tasty twists on classics that will get the WHOLE table talking!
I have never commented on a recipe before but I feel like I needed to this time. My husband loves beets and so do my kids. I hate them! They remind me of eating dirt. I saw this recipe and I liked how it looked so thought I would give it a try. Oh my gosh!! I am so glad that I did. I loved it no dirt taste or bleeding all over my dish. I will definitely be making this again and sharing it with friends.
Haha I totally know what you mean, Fay! I felt the exact same way until I had beets at a restaurant. If I remember correctly, I think it was this exact combo of ingredients that did it for me, too! So glad I could get you over to the beet-eating side with the rest of us- welcome 🙂 And thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
I used all red beets – cant wait to make again – it was a real hit!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Betsey! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
I’ve only had canned beets and love them but this will be my first time cooking with beets. Can I used canned (drained) beets for this or do you have to start with the beet root?
You absolutely can use canned beets, Hannah, but the flavor from roasted beets is so incredible!
Can you do step 3 the night before? I want to make this for Thanksgiving but will have a turkey in the oven. Thank you!
Absolutely, Dianna! Simply warm them back up in the oven just before serving 🙂
What temp and time would you recommend for rewarming in the oven?
300 to 350 for about 10-15 minutes should do it!
So excited to make this as a side to our Christmas dinner! Can you do step 2 ahead of time and let it sit over night? Or will that make the beets mushy? I have never cooked with them but this recipe has given me the courage so thank you!
Great question, Alysha! You definitely can do step 2 in advance. I wouldn’t do it more than about 24 hours in advance just to be safe though. I think you’re going to really enjoy this recipe – it’s one of my faves! 🙂
Hello, London – this is awesome! So simple to prepare, makes an elegant presentation, healthy and delicious. I’ll confess I had to make a second batch of ricotta; I taste tested it and ate the whole first batch! The honey was an inspired choice. I’m off to the market soon to buy more beets. Thanks for a meal I know will be a staple in my future diet!
Best regards, Janice
LOL. I totally get needing to double the ricotta batch – it’s SO good! So happy the recipe is a new staple for you. Thanks for your comment and rating, Janice!
LOVED this!! Had some beets I was wondering what to do with, and I’m on a pretty restrictive diet. This was perfect, filling alongside a protein, and DELICIOUS. I added some black pepper to the ricotta, used dried herbs (didn’t have any fresh ????) and I used truffle salt throughout. TO DIE FOR. My husband actually asked if there was more (after I had served up the half recipe between the two of us and it was gone).
Hi Kim!! I love your addition of black pepper and truffle salt. I will have to try that next time! Thanks so much for your comment 🙂