These simple herb roasted beets are sweet, herby, and delicious! Beets get sweeter when roasted, making them a delicious and healthy root vegetable to toss into salads or enjoy as a simple veggie side dish for any summer, fall or winter meal.
A friend of mine says beets are her spirit vegetable, while another says that beets taste like Lake Mendota (a local Wisconsin lake). I don't know about you, but I lean much more towards the spirit vegetable end of the spectrum. I LOVE beets, whether they're thinly sliced raw beets in a salad, pickled, or seasoned and roasted like the ones in this post.
Beets are a hearty root vegetables that can be harvested during spring, summer, fall, and winter, making them easy to eat seasonally. They make an awesome salad ingredient or simple side dish to round out any meal!
Yes, maybe they're a little "earthy", but today we're going to peel and roast them in plenty of olive oil, salt, and herbs for a sweet, savory, delicious result.
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Why Roast in Cubes
Okay so here's the thing: people often roast beets whole, which is delicious, but it takes a bit longer (unless you're using my easy oven-roasted whole beets method!). Roasting them in cubes is way to cut down on that time while also exposing more surface area to spices, which is why I sometimes roast them this way.
You can use any kind of beet for this recipe; just note that if you use golden or Chioggia beets on the same sheet pan as red beets, the red color may bleed onto the others. Totally cool if you're good with a tie-dye effect!
How We're Seasoning These Beets
Beets go with a lot, and you can season them in different ways depending on how you're preparing them. For example, when pickling, I'm all about using cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and even fresh thyme (check out my refrigerator pickled beets recipe if you're interested in this flavor profile!).
For this recipe, we're cutting the beets into cubes and seasoning with olive oil, salt, pepper, and aromatic herbs like Herbes Provence (dried), or fresh thyme, basil, and/or rosemary. Since roasted beets are a template for many delicious flavors, feel free to try these other herbs, seasonings, and flavors to go with your beets!
Seasoning Ideas
- Aromatic Seasonings - I used dried herbes de Provence, but feel free to use another combination of dried or fresh herbs. If you don't have herbes de Provence on hand, you can make your own or use a blend of dried basil, thyme, and rosemary. A cinnamon and maple syrup combo would also be delicious.
- Balsamic - Drizzle balsamic glaze over the roasted beets while still warm from roasting.
- Citrus - Add a squeeze of lemon or your favorite citrus vinaigrette after roasting. I recommend this easy lemon vinaigrette recipe, or the citrusy vinaigrette recipe in my wild rice and pomegranate salad.
- Hummus - If you have leftovers, blend some roasted beets into hummus for a gorgeous pink hue and some beet flavor.
- Feta & Walnuts - For a simple and delicious side dish, toss the roasted beets with feta and toasted (or candied) walnuts... and maybe even some balsamic glaze. The feta will definitely turn pink, but we're totally good with that 😉
- Tahini Maple Drizzle - Inspired by my harissa roasted sweet potato recipe, tahini + maple is an incredible combo to add to ALL things!
How to Roast Beets in an Oven
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and prepare the beets. Either scrub or peel beets, then dice into medium sized (½-inch or ~1.5 centimeters) cubes.
Step 2: Toss beets with olive oil, herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper, making sure they are well-coated. Transfer to a sheet pan and spread in an even layer.
Step 3: Roast the beets at 400 degrees for 35 minutes, or until they are easily pierced with a fork and edges are slightly darker in color. Boom, roasted... beets!
Tera's Sustainability Tips
Here are some sustainability and waste reduction tips to consider for this recipe!
- Beet greens. If you bought whole beets with the tops attached, you'll need to remove the tops for this recipe. BUT no need to throw them away! Make sautéed beet greens or simmer beet greens with other veggies and scraps for a delicious veggie broth.
- Eat seasonally. Beets are special because they're winter-hardy, meaning they can be harvested year-round. In the middle of a Wisconsin winter, I can still find and purchase local, seasonal beets at farmers markets and co-ops. See if you can find a seasonal, local beet near you!
- Sheet pan liner. We all love lining our sheet pans for easy clean-up (especially after pigmented beets...). Try lining your sheet pans with reusable silicone baking mats (affiliate link) or unbleached parchment paper, which can often be composted.
Once you're done making these beets, you'll definitely want to make this delicious and simple oven-roasted radishes, which can also be served with their tops!
📖 Recipe
Cubed Beets Roasted with Herbs
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: ~4 cups
Description
These simple herb roasted beets and sweet, savory, and one of my favorite salad ingredients! Roasting beets caramelizes their sugars and brings out their sweetness, while olive oil, herbs, and salt add a savory flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (~6 medium-sized) beets
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence (or 1 tbsp fresh thyme, rosemary, and/or basil)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the stem and root off of each beet, then either scrub or peel thoroughly. Cut beets into medium cubes (approximately ½-inch or 1.5 centimeters), and place them in a large bowl.
- Season beets. Add olive oil and, salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence (or fresh herbs, if using) to the beets. Toss to even coat the beets in the oil and spices.
- Roast. Place the beets onto a sheet pan in an even layer, then bake at 400 for 30 minutes. You'll know the beets are done when the edges are browned and beet pieces can be easily pierced with a fork.
Notes
- Storing & freezing. Store roasted beets in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. To freeze, place roasted beets in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months.
- Ninja Foodi instructions. Instead of placing beets on sheet pan, place in a Ninja Foodi on the Cook & Crisp plate, and Bake/Roast at 375 for 18 minutes. Once done, open the Ninja Foodi lid right away and test a couple beets to make sure you can pierce them with a fork. If not, Bake/Roast at 375 for another 2-3 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 158
- Sugar: 15.3 g
- Sodium: 467.6 mg
- Fat: 7.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.8 g
- Fiber: 6.4 g
- Protein: 3.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
FAQs
I highly recommend tossing them into salads (especially with arugula, goat cheese or feta cheese, and balsamic... YUMMY). They are also great alongside any meal as a veggie side dish!
You can store roasted beets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to seven days.
To freeze, you can place roasted beets in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.
Nope! It's really based on your preference. You can either scrub the beets before dicing them, or you can peel them. I personally don't mind peelings on beets, but some people do prefer the peelings removed.
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