Beetroot is a very useful vegetable: it is an easy-to-cook product with many health-giving properties. You can find antioxidants, nutrients, and nitrates in their chemical composition. We will give you a detailed guide on how you cook fresh beets in boiling water, in a microwave, and even in a rice cooker/multi-cooker.
Today, you will learn:
- How long do you cook beets depending on the cooking method
- How to boil beets on the stove
- Boiled beets recipe
- Easy boiled beetroot recipe
- How to boil beets in a multi-cooker
- How to cook beets in the microwave
How long do you cook beets?
As always, we will not give you a precise time that can take you to cook fresh beets. Several factors have an impact on this. The first thing is the size of the vegetable, and the second is the method you chose to cook beets. Here is the list that will help you to navigate all this information:
- How long to boil beets in a pan on the stove? You should simmer beets in water for 45 to 60 minutes.
- How long do you microwave beets? It can take you from 8 to 20 minutes to cook beets in the microwave.
- How long do you boil beets in a rice/multi cooker? Boil beets for up to 60 minutes in any cooker.
- How long do you steam beets in a rice/multi cooker? It will take you 30-40 minutes to team beetroots.
- How long do you cook beets in a Pressure cooker? You cook beets in a pressure cooker for 13 to 15 minutes.
- How long do you boil chopped beets? We do not advise you to cook chopped beets, as they will lose their color and flavor. However, if there is no other way, it can take you 15-20 minutes to get your chopped beetroot ready.
For those who are interested in a step-by-step process of cooking fresh beetroot, keep reading our article.
You may also like: How to measure beets without using scales.
How to boil beets on the stove?
We will give you several ways how you can boil beets on the stove in water, and you decide which will taste best for you. Here is the first classic method on how to cook beets on stove.
Boiled Beets Recipe
If you want to print the recipe, simply scroll down a bit further.
Ingredients for the recipe: beets (required amount), water for boiling.
- Chop the green tops off the vegetable. To keep the color of beets intact while cooking, keep 1 inch (2-3 cm) of the roots and stalk ends. DO NOT TAKE THE SKIN OFF! Just clean them thoroughly under running water (use a sponge or a vegetable scrubber if necessary).
- Place your beets in a large pan and fill them with cold water. There should be enough water to cover beets not less than 2 inches (5 cm). You can also add here 2 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice; they will help to prevent beets from bleeding. If the skin of beets is left intact while cleaning, the vegetable won’t lose color.
- Bring a pot with beets to a boil on high heat, then reduce it to medium.
- Let the beetroots simmer for 45-60 minutes in a covered pan. You can always check their doneness with a fork or knife. If you can pierce them easily, they are cooked.
- After boiling, quickly rinse them under cold running water. It will make your beets easier to peel. Do not leave them in the cold water to cool!
Boiled Beets - Easy way to cook beets on the stove
Ingredients
- beets (required amount)
- water for boiling
Instructions
- Chop the green tops off the vegetable. To keep the color of beets intact while cooking, keep 1 inch (2-3 cm) of the roots and stalk ends. DO NOT TAKE THE SKIN OFF! Just clean them thoroughly under running water (use a sponge or a vegetable scrubber if necessary).
- Place your beets in a large pan and fill them with cold water. There should be enough water to cover beets not less than 2 inches (5 cm). You can also add here 2 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice; they will help to prevent beets from bleeding. If the skin of beets is left intact while cleaning, the vegetable won’t lose color.
- Bring a pot with beets to a boil on high heat, then reduce it to medium.
- Let the beetroots simmer for 45-60 minutes in a covered pan. You can always check their doneness with a fork or knife. If you can pierce them easily, they are cooked.
- After boiling, quickly rinse them under cold running water. It will make your beets easier to peel. Do not leave them in the cold water to cool!
Easy boiled beetroot recipe
The second method of boiling is slightly different. It will take you less time to boil but more time to cool beets down:
- Boil a pot of water and only then add beets to the pot. Leave the heat high after water with beets reboils.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil into boiling water.
- After boiling beets for 30 minutes, move them to a deep bowl with cold water (you even can add ice) and leave them there for additional 20 minutes.
Here you have two easy ways how you can cook beets on the stove. However, if you have an option, then you should try adding steamed and baked vegetables to your diet. Steaming or baking is the best way to cook beets to retain nutrients.
Here are my top three salad recipes that have beetroot. Give them a try:
- Simple beet salad recipe
- Russian beet salad with peas
- Shuba salad recipe with pickled herring and beetroot
Do you need to peel beetroot before you cook them? No. If it is not stated in your recipe otherwise, we strictly advise you not to peel beets before boiling, as they can lose their color and taste.
When is the right time to add salt while cooking beets? Do not add salt into boiling beetroot, as it will make the vegetable harder. It is better to add salt when your beetroot is ready and in a dish.
How to boil beets in a multi-cooker?
You can use a multi-cooker both to boil and to steam beetroots. The process of boiling in a pot and a multi-cooker in its core stays the same:
- Thoroughly clean beetroots in running water; do not forget not to cut off roots and stems.
- Put cleaned beets into a cooker and pour water over it by 1-2 inches higher than beetroot.
- Set the timer for 60 minutes and choose the setting “Boiling” or “Steaming”.
- When you hear a beep sound, you can check the tenderness of your boiling beets; if they are not ready, you can extend the cooking time for extra 10-20 minutes.
- After boiling beetroots in a multi-cooker, put them into cold water for 5 minutes.
How to steam beetroot in a rice cooker? Add 1 cup of water to the inner pot of a rice cooker; put the steam tray with cleaned beetroots inside the rice cooker. Always check the level of water, as it should not touch beetroots. Steam beetroots for 30-40 minutes.
How to cook beets in the microwave?
Cooking beets in the microwave is the easiest and quickest way of cooking this vegetable. Check out a helpful guideline below:
- Clean beetroots thoroughly; do not take their skin off, and do not cut off their roots and stem.
- Take an oven bag and put beets inside it. Place oven bag with beets into a microwave-safe bowl and put it into the microwave.
- If you have a 1,000-watt microwave, set the timer to 8-10 minutes; if you have an 800-watt microwave, your time of cooking will be 15-20 minutes.
- After a beep sound, take beetroots out of the microwave and let them cool down. And here you have tasty cooked beets. Now you have a great recipe for how you can cook beetroots in the microwave.
You may be interested in weight yield of beets after cooking.
If you found our article helpful, please, share it with your friends. Feel free to leave comments in the section below if you have any good advice on how you can boil fresh beets on the stove. If you know some other methods on how you can microwave beetroots, do not forget to write them too.
