Salt Roasted Beets

Salt Roasted Beets

Salt is something that a lot of people don’t understand; too much can make anything a disaster, but just a touch on fruits and vegetables always helps to make them taste sweeter. When you eat something with natural sugars that’s been seasoned right, it touches more taste sensations on your tongue and you’ll enjoy it more.

Salt roasting is a technique I learned last Summer when I was interning in a restaurant. It was something that the lunch crew trusted that I couldn’t possibly screw up so I did it quite a bit whenever we got more beets in. Since then I’ve done it at home whenever I have the chance; you really can’t screw it up! Beyond the ease, I swear it makes the vegetables taste like candy.

Salt Roasted Beets Whole

This may seem like it’d be a hassle to clean up after but it’s really not. Just put the pan with the burnt salt under the sink and run hot water on it until the salt dissolves.

Salt Roasted Beets

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 1-2 hours

  • 3/4 cup coarse grain salt
  • Beets, tops trimmed and peel on

Salt Roasted Beets Collage

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Lay the salt out in a single layer on a roasting tray.
  3. Wash the outside of the beets. If your beets are large you can cut them into quarters or leave them whole. The larger they are, the longer they’ll take to cook.
  4. Lay the beats on top of the salt and place them in the oven.
  5. Roast for 1-2 hours until you can poke a fork through the skin with some ease.
  6. Remove from the oven and begin peeling off the skin while still hot. You may want to use gloves or a towel to keep the beets from burning your hands. Brush off any remaining salt on the outside.
  7. Serve hot or chilled.

Salt Roared Beets Salad

What do you do with your beets? Well they make a good salad, for one, especially if you keep those beet greens. Vegetables roasted in salt don’t need any further seasoning so you can just pop them in your mouth.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
7 Responses to Salt Roasted Beets
  1. Emily @ Relishments
    August 22, 2012 | 10:14 am

    This looks like an excellent way to prepare beets. I didn’t used to like beets but they’re slowing growing on me. I know we’ll get a lot with out winter CSA share, so I’m always on the lookout for ideas. Thanks!

  2. christina
    August 22, 2012 | 10:26 am

    Oh, this post makes me happy. God bless a beet.

  3. rachel
    August 22, 2012 | 2:15 pm

    mmmmm….do the carrots take less time?

    • Wannabe Chef
      August 22, 2012 | 2:23 pm

      I cooked the carrots for the same amount of time and they were definitely on the soft side but I liked them that way. You could probably cook the carrots for just an hour for something less tender

  4. tiffany drape
    August 22, 2012 | 4:04 pm

    love this idea! i adore beets so this is perfect! YUM!

  5. jaime @ sweet road
    August 23, 2012 | 3:00 pm

    I love beets and these little buckets with beet and carrot labels are so fun!

  6. Russell van Kraayenburg
    August 28, 2012 | 8:55 pm

    I love beets. Now I want them. Right now.