Best Boiled Beets Recipe
Beets can initially seem like an extremely intimidating vegetable to cook and then peel their stubborn skin.
But the simple act of boiling them in a pot of water makes them perfectly soft, tender, and the skin will slide right off!
Yep! No crazy apparatus or kitchen gadget needed to get peeled whole beets to add to your salads or eat as a tasty side dish.
And bonus, this quick method works on both golden and red beets, large beets or small!
If you just loved this recipe, learn How to Roast Beets, too!
Once you learn how to boil beets, you might want to go ahead and boil sweet potatoes, too.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Beets. Pretty much the only thing you’ll need! Here’s a few tips to pick the best beets.
- Smooth and unbruised. Select ones that have little to no cuts or bruises on their skin.
- Hard and firm. Soft and mushy beets have either been damaged during transport or are becoming rotten.
- Fresh leaves. Wilted greens mean the vegetable is spoiling and will not last much longer.
- Similar size. If boiling beets, it’s best if you select ones that are a similar size so they cook within the same amount of time.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Prepare the beets.
Rinse beets under cold water and scrub them to remove any dirt and debris.
Cut and remove the green leaves, leaving about 1-2 inches of the stem connected to the beet root.
Pro Tip: Leaving a little bit of the stem intact keeps the red beet juices from leaching into your pot of water while boiling.
Boil the beets.
Use a large pot with plenty of room to cover the beets with water—about 4 inches above them. Add 1 teaspoon of salt for every 3–4 beets, then boil whole beets for 20–40 minutes, depending on size, until fork-tender. Drain using a slotted spoon or colander.
Peel the beets.
Let the beets cool until they are comfortable to the touch.
There are 3 different ways you can peel whole beets once they are boiled: with a paper towel, your bare fingers, or using a paring knife.
Hold a paper towel and pull back the beet skin to remove it, which helps prevent staining your hands. For golden beets, peeling with bare fingers works best since they don’t stain. Use a paring knife to peel stubborn skin that’s stuck tightly to the beet.
Remove beet stains (if necessary)
Here are a few simple tricks to get rid of those stubborn stains:
Removing Beet Stains From Hands: Squeeze a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon juice on your hands. Rub them together and let it sit for at least 10 seconds. Rinse your hands with soap and water.
Removing Beet Stains From a Cutting Board: Sprinkle a bit of salt all over the surface of the board and scrub it in. Rinse the cutting board with soap and water.
FAQs
You do not need to peel the beets before boiling. In fact, it is easier to peel them after.
Yes, you should definitely add salt to the water before boiling beets. Salt both adds flavor and can help speed up the boiling process.
Depending on the size of the beets, you will need to boil them for 20 to 40 minutes.
Root vegetables, like beets, are delicious in a variety of ways. Try them with a drizzle of olive oil with salt and pepper or on your favorite salad.
Keep boiled beets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.
To freeze, tightly cover peeled beets in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place in a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Recipes that Use Boiled Beets
There are so many different ways you can use peeled and cooked beets. Some of the best recipes include:
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How to Boil Beets
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Ingredients
- 2-8 beets
- salt
Instructions
- Prepare Beets: Wash and scrub the beets to remove all dirt and debris. Cut and remove the leaves leaving 1-2 inches of the stem remaining.2-8 beets
- Bring Water to Boil: Add water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Mix in 1 teaspoon of salt for every 4 beets you are boiling.salt
- Boil Beets: Boil smaller beets for 20 minutes and larger beets for up to 40 minutes. You’ll know the beets are done boiling when they can be easily pierced with a fork or knife. Drain beets in a colander or remove from water with a slotted spoon.
- Peel Skin: Rinse beets under cool water to peel the skin. You can also use a paper towel or knife to remove the skin so you do not get as much of the red color on your hands.
- Use beets in your favorite hummus, salad, or side dish recipes.
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Notes
- Beets: Choose beets that are roughly the same shape and size, so they cook up evenly.
- Peeling: Do not peel the beets until after you have boiled them, it is easier then, as well.
- Pot: Be sure the water level is high enough to cover the beets completely.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Most helpful. Thank you so very much.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
I would like to know how to roast beets.
Please.
Hi Nadine! Check out this post. (https://www.evolvingtable.com/roasted-beets/)
Your Fact sheet says “Per serving ”
How big is that serving??
Hi Leslie! The serving will depend on the size of beets used. In general, a medium-sized beet is around 35 calories. Or, one cup of beets is around 60 calories.
Amenn
Great to know how to cook & peel. Done and was easy. Oh my, mine are sweet & delish!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Willie! This is such an easy recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
i have frozen beets for years and have always done it the same way as you described in your article. For some reason this year the skin was harder to remove. Usually it slips right off but many of them this year I had to scrap with my paring knife. Any reason for this happening now? I have done beets for over 52 years now but this is the first time for this problem.
I’m not sure!
This is great information. So thankful that you shared ❤️
I’m boiling my beets now. I look forward to using them all the various ways you mentione and roasting as well.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Celia! Beets are so good and so easy to use when you know how. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Great instructions and tips.