Go Back
–+ servings
Whole beets boiling in a pot with deep red water, one beet lifted with a spoon and pierced with a knife to check tenderness.
5 from 1 vote

How To Boil Beets

By Zerrin & Yusuf
A simple guide on how to boil beets perfectly every time. Cook them whole, peel effortlessly, and enjoy their natural flavor.
Yields: 5 servings
PRINT PIN
PREP 5 minutes
COOK 45 minutes
TOTAL 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS
  

  • 5 beets
  • 4 cups water

INSTRUCTIONS
 

  • Prepare the beetroots: Wash them well. Cut the long stems leaving about 1 inch of it. If you cut them all, they will bleed a lot, releasing their juice.
  • Place beetroots in a large pot and fill the pot with water. Make sure the beets are all covered with water. 
  • Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for about 40 minutes, or until tender. Check it with a knife.
  • Drain and let them cool for 10 min. 
  • Remove their skin by rubbing off. Make sure to wear gloves when doing this. 
  • Use immediately in your recipes or keep them whole in a container in the refrigerator for 5 days.

NOTES

  1. Pick firm beets when buying. There shouldn't be any blemishes or bruises on them.
  2. Make sure to leave about an inch of the stems of each beet when cutting them off. This will prevent the beets from bleeding much.
  3. Add a teaspoon of salt and a drop of vinegar or lemon juice in the boiling water if the beets you are using don't have any stems. This is another method to help beets not to release their pink color much.
  4. The cooking time will depend on the size of the beets. The larger the beetroot, the longer it will need to be cooked.
  5. Always check the progress after about 30 minutes by using the tip of a knife. If it’s tender and the knife goes in easily, the beets are ready.
  6. Wear gloves when peeling and working with beets. This will avoid pink stains on your hand that will last days!
  7. When peeling the beets, don’t allow them to cool off completely. Once they are cooled, their skins become very difficult to remove again. They should still be slightly warm.
  8. If you have a steamer basket, you can steam the beets instead. Place your steamer basket onto boiling water in a large pot. Make sure that its bottom is not touching the water. Put the beets in the basket and steam covered until the beets are tender, for about 40-50 minutes depending on the size of the beets.

NUTRITION

Calories: 35kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 1gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.02gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.03gSodium: 73mgPotassium: 267mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 27IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

ADDITIONAL INFO

Course Side Dish
Cuisine Turkish
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below!