Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze

The BEST way to cook beets? Roasted! These ruby red beets are roasted in the oven until sweet and caramelized, then tossed with orange zest and a balsamic glaze. So good!

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated February 04, 2022
Elise Bauer
roasted beets with orange in a serving bowl
Elise Bauer

Every Saturday my dad heads to the local farmers market and, if the season is right, comes home with a big bunch of beets, which he then scrubs clean, boils, quarters, and marinates in oil and vinegar.

So by the time I show up in the morning we have a bowlful of beets for breakfast or lunch. Boiled beets are fine; the method is fast, energy efficient, and since the beets are so naturally strongly flavored, combined with the dressing, it works.

That said, over the years I can't count the number of people who have tried to get me to roast beets instead of boiling them. They've insisted that roasted beets just taste better than boiled.

I have roasted beets. Quite frankly, I haven't been able to tell that big of a difference from boiled.

Until now.

Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze
Elise Bauer

The Trick to Great-Tasting Beets

Now I get it. These beets are great! The long roasting caramelizes the sugars in the beets, adding all sorts of awesome flavor.

The trick?

  1. First, make sure the beets are wrapped in foil so they don't dry out.
  2. Second, cook them 20 to 30 minutes longer than you think you should.

I forgot to set the timer and by the time I took these beets out of the oven, they had roasted a full hour and 45 minutes. There was so much caramelization the peels were like candy. They were a little harder to peel, but wow, so worth it.

The orange zest and balsamic glaze? Double wow. Like orange-y beet-y balsamic-y fireworks in your mouth. These beets are addictive. Pace yourself.

Storing Roasted Beets

Store these roasted beets with their glaze in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Eat them cold or room temperature.

What Else To Serve With Roasted Beets

Want to make it a meal or serve these beets as a side dish? You could make an easy light lunch just by adding some mixed greens and poached chicken to your bowl.

As a side dish, these beets pair beautifully with roast chicken or pork chops. Enjoy!

More Ways to Enjoy Beets

Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze

Cook Time 75 mins
Total Time 75 mins
Servings 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds red beets, medium-sized, scrubbed clean, green tops removed (See Beet Greens Recipe for what to do with beet greens)

  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

  • Salt

  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons sugar

  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

  • Freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line pan with aluminum foil
  2. Prepare the beets:

    Place the beets in the pan. Rub olive oil over the beets, and sprinkle with salt. Cover the beets with another sheet of aluminum foil.

    roasted-beets-method-1
    Elise Bauer
    roasted-beets-method-2
    Elise Bauer
  3. Roast the beets:

    Roast for 1 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the beets and how old they are. After 1 hour, test every fifteen minutes by poking a beet with the tines of a fork. Once the fork tines go in easily, the beets are tender and cooked. Remove from the oven.

    roasted-beets-method-3
    Elise Bauer
  4. Prepare balsamic glaze:

    While the beets are cooling, prepare the balsamic glaze. In a small, shallow sauté pan, add the balsamic vinegar and sugar. Heat on high until the vinegar has reduced to a syrup consistency. Remove from heat.

    roasted-beets-method-4
    Elise Bauer
  5. Peel and cut cooked beets:

    After the beets have cooled for several minutes, but are still warm to the touch, peel off the outer skins and discard. Cut the beets into quarters or more bite-sized pieces.

  6. Pour glaze over beets:

    Place beets in a serving bowl. Pour balsamic glaze over the beets. Stir in grated orange zest, and add salt and pepper to taste.

    Garnish with a little orange zest to serve.

Links:

Hate 'em or Love 'em Beets? from White on Rice Couple

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
78 Calories
1g Fat
15g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 78
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 164mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 4mg 22%
Calcium 23mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 365mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.