Roasted Beets Recipe: Easy Fall and Winter Veggie, Kid-Friendly (2024)

If beets make you think of eating dirt – well, you’re not totally wrong!

This recipe for Roasted Beets balances their earthy flavor with their natural sweetness. It’s the perfect way to cook these hearty winter vegetables!

Beets are a great vegetable to enjoy in the fall and winter months when snow is on the ground and the growing season is over. Just like potatoes, winter squash, and other root vegetables, beets can be stored for several months in cool, dry conditions.

Save this recipe to enjoy these fabulous root vegetables all season long.

Grab this Seasonal Vegetable Guide so you always know which veggies are in season!

When possible, look for beets which still have the greens attached. Brightly colored, crisp greens indicate the beets have recently been picked.

If greens aren’t attached, choose beetroots which are firm to the touch. Soft or squishy beetroots are still edible, but aren’t as good for using raw and won’t be able to be stored as long.

Trim the tops of the beets. Save these for later use by storing wrapped in a damp cloth in the crisper drawer. Use beet greens like you would spinach, sauteed, fresh as salad or in smoothies, or mix into a casserole.

Scrub beetroots well using a vegetable scrub brush. Avoid peeling the beets if possible, as the peel contains fiber and other nutrients.

Cut the beet into ½-inch slices lengthwise. Lay the slices flat and slice into ½-inch wide matchsticks. Turn a quarter-turn and cut across into ½-inch cubes.

The smaller the cubes, the faster the beets will cook and the more flavorful they will be. Extra surface area allows more space to soak up seasonings and for browning in the oven, which enhances the sweet flavor.

While beets may be packed with nutrition, it’s common for kids to be wary of these root vegetables. Here are a few tips to help your kiddos be more open to trying beets:

Make it fun! Instead of lecturing about nutrition, play with the food together (yes, I said it!). Talk about the bright red colors and notice how it “stains” other foods. Giggle together about how the beets are leaving footprints wherever they go!

Let the kids help: invite your children to the grocery store or farmer’s market and send them on a mission to pick the perfect beet. Give them instructions – find a firm beet with fresh greens if possible. At home, let them scrub the beets and toss with the seasonings!

Keep it low-pressure: it takes a LOT of exposure to a new food before a child (or adult!) will feel safe to eat it. One of the most important steps to helping your picky eater like new foods is to remove the pressure. Your job as a parent is provide what and when to eat, but your child’s job is to decide if and how much. Offer them foods they like alongside the beets you serve and let them decide whether to try it.

For more tips to help your picky eater, check out these 7 Tips to Help Your Picky Eater Like More Foods

This recipe is so simple! You literally only need FOUR ingredients to make Roasted Beets:

• 4 Beets, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 Tbsps Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar

That’s it! And if you don’t have Balsamic vinegar, don’t worry about it. You can substitute red wine vinegar or just leave it off. Balsamic vinegar gives the beets a little bit of added sweetness and a richer flavor, but you can get away without it.

To make Roasted Beets, start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

While the oven preheats, prepare the beets: remove the green, leafy tops and scrub well to remove dirt or peel with vegetable peeler. Dice into half-inch cubes and place on large baking sheet. Toss beets with olive oil and salt.

Roast beets in the oven, uncovered, 20-25 minutes, stirring half-way through cook time. Beets will be starting to brown and soft enough to pierce with a fork when fully cooked.

Toss with balsamic vinegar just before serving and enjoy!

Refrigerate leftover roasted beets in an airtight container up to 5 days. Reheat them in the microwave, or try reheating in the oven, toaster oven, or air-fryer to make leftovers crispier.

Try using leftover roasted beets cold in a salad or toss them with vinegar and sliced onions for a cold marinated beet salad.

Leftover beets are not recommended to freeze.

Because beets are so hardy, they are a great vegetable to prep ahead of time! Follow the instructions to scrub and dice beets.

Refrigerate diced, uncooked beets in an airtight container up to 5 days, then cook as instructed.

For more beet recipes and other ways to use your seasonal produce, start a free 2-week trial of the . Every week members get 10 fresh meal ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks – all planned around what produce is in season.

Add or delete recipes from your Peas & Hoppy Meal Guide to make it your own every week. All customizations automatically update the made-for-you grocery list. Save time, money, and stress – and enjoy having dinner planned for you!

Do you have other favorite ways to enjoy beets? Share your best beet tips in the comments below!

Happy beet eating,
Dietitian Ann from Peas and Hoppiness

“I love being able to go back to a favorite recipe and make it whenever we want. I also love being able to introduce my young kids to meals and foods I likely would not have thought to prepare for them (I’m not a chef… not even close)!”

-Lori, member of the