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The Best Way to Cook Beets
Beets are so nutritious and low in calories. Instant pot beets are so fast and easy compared to roasting or any other method that you won’t have an excuse not to eat this hearty and healthy root vegetable. Why you’ll love this method:
Quick and easy Super sweetLess messyMore nutritious than boiled beets (nothing lost to boiling water)
How to Buy Beets
Stems Attached – Select beets that still have the bright green stems attached if possible because you know they are fresh and haven’t been sitting in storage for a while. You can use the leafy beet greens in soups as we did with our Superfood Borscht, or even add them to a Breakfast Frittata. Root Attached – beets should have one long central taproot attached. Avoid beets that also have tiny/hairy roots which indicates the beet is older and tougher. Size, Shape, and Color – smaller beets are sweeter. They should have unblemished skin and deep maroon color (unless you are buying a different variety such as pink or golden).
Pro Tip: Taste the beets after they are cooked. Older beets tend to have a more earthy taste and fresher beets are much sweeter. If the beet doesn’t taste good now then it won’t taste good in recipes and you should toss it out.
How to Store Beets
Remove the leaves. Twist off the beet green stems from the beets just above the beetroot as soon as you buy them, otherwise, they will continue to pull nutrients from the beet. Beet greens are best enjoyed fresh as they do not keep well.Do not wash beets before storing and if they do get wet, be sure to dry them thoroughly. Refrigerator – Store beets in a perforated plastic bag for ventilation and place them in the vegetable crisper drawer for 1 month or longer.
How to Cook Beets in the Instant Pot
Pro Tip for Peeling Beets: Since beets stain, we highly recommend wearing gloves so you don’t discolor your hands or nails.
Instant Pot Beets Time Chart
These chart timings produce soft beets that are easily pierced with a knife. For beets that are more crisp-tender, reduce cooking time by 5 minutes. Cook the beets on high pressure followed by a quick pressure release.
Very small beets (1.5” to 1.75” diameter) – 15 minutesSmall beets (2” diameter) – 20 minutes Medium beets (2 1/4” diameter) – 25 minutes Medium-large beets (2 1/2” diameter) – 30 minutesLarge beets (2 3/4” diameter) – 35 minutesExtra Large beets (3” diameter) – 40 minutes
Want to cook the beets even faster? You can cut beets in half to reduce the cooking time and base their cooking time on their new diameter.
Common Questions
If you love Instant Pot Recipes, these pressure cooked beets are a must-try. It’s a wonderful short-cut every beet lover should know.
Beet Recipes
Having cooked beets in your refrigerator or freezer is so handy for making your favorite beet dishes. Use your instant pot beets in these recipes:
Beet Salad with Arugula – with the best dressingBeet Soup – even faster with cooked beetsRussian Hren (beet horseradish sauce)Shuba – layered beet saladCreamy Beet Salad – Mom’s classic recipe
