How To Roast Beets

The Delish kitchen is on a mission to get people more enthusiastic about beets! Not only are they naturally gorgeous, they're also full of the good stuff like potassium, iron, and fiber. They also couldn't be easier to prepare. Though they take longer to cook in the oven than most vegetables, there's almost no prep, which leaves you with more time to work on something else, like this beet and goat cheese salad. Here are three tips to remember before cooking the root veg.

1. SCRUB 'EM FIRST.

Beets can be dirty — they're dug out of the ground, people! — so make sure to wash them before you toss them with olive oil.

2. ROAST 'EM WHOLE.

Beets are dense and tough all the way to their centers, which is why you roast them whole. Cut off their leafy tops, then wrap them in foil. (This will help them steam!) If you think your beets are a bit on the smaller side, you can start checking them after an hour. You'll know when they're ready when you're able to pierce one without any resistance. Keep going until you can! 

3. PEEL 'EM.

The one mistake people might make: Peeling beets before you roast them. It can be tough and pretty time consuming, so we recommend peeling post roast — when you use a paper towel you can basically just rub off the skins with little effort and paper towels will help prevent staining your hands bright pink. (If you're feelin' lazy, you can totally eat the skins for added fiber.)