How to Freeze Boiled or Roasted Beets (2024)

FAQs

Can I roast beets and then freeze them? ›

To freeze beets, we suggest boiling them for around 25 minutes, or until they are easily pierced with a knife, then transferring them to an ice-water bath to cool. Once the beets have cooled, remove them from the water and slice them in whatever shape and size you desire.

Drain the beets and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Once the beets are cool, drain them and pat them dry with a paper towel. Place the beets in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

My favorite way to cook beets is to roast them, which gives a sweeter, richer, and deeper flavor than boiling does. Another advantage is that they don't bleed as much, especially if they're roasted whole.

Raw beets can also be frozen, but they may not last as long or retain the same quality as cooked beets. If you want to freeze them raw, I recommend at least blanching them for a few minutes to help preserve quality, nutrition, and texture.

When your beets are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins (they should slide right off). Then, cut off the rest of the tops and the roots. Slice or chop the beets up; then, spread them out on a cookie sheet, and flash freeze them. This will prevent the beets from freezing together in clumps.

Frozen and canned varieties are often great alternatives to the fresh, particularly if they are not in season.

Texture measurements are useful in evaluating the quality of thawed beets. Freshly harvested beets have a firm texture whereas freeze-damaged beets are soft.

You can also grate raw beets to add flavor and texture to recipes like veggie burgers and falafel. Or you can cook them whole and purée them for a silky sauce, soup, or dip—including the most gorgeous hummus you've ever seen.

If you are freezing: put one batch in a quart size bag or container, and make a note to add 2 tablespoons butter when reheating. If you are eating them now: Let stand for at least 30 minutes. Just before serving, add the butter and reheat to the boiling point.

How do you keep roasted beets fresh? ›

After cooking, store beets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. If you want to store them for longer, you can freeze them for up to three months. For best results, store them after they're completely cooled in an airtight freezer-safe container or freezer bags.

The beets will not spoil if left at cool room temperature for a few days, but they do best when refrigerated for up to 10 days. If they turn soft, discard them.

Beets and beet juice are high in nitrates, substances that turn into nitric oxide inside your body. Your body naturally produces nitric oxide, which is crucial for blood vessel health. Nitric oxide relaxes and widens your arteries, allowing more blood to flow through and significantly lowering blood pressure.

Like many vegetables, the longer you cook beets—especially in water—the more the colorful phytonutrients leach out of the food and into the water. Retain the good-for-you nutrients in beets by roasting them or sautéing them instead. Or lightly steam them for just a few minutes, suggests Doyle.

Eating beets raw or juicing and roasting them may be more beneficial than boiling them. Beetroots, commonly known as beets, are a vibrant and versatile type of vegetable. They're known for their earthy flavor and aroma. Many people call them a superfood because of their rich nutritional profile.

Once roasted, beets will keep refrigerated for up to a week. I keep them in one big container and slice off just what I need for whatever I'm making.

– Slice cooked beet and enjoy over a salad, as a side dish sprinkled with salt, or add them to one of the suggested recipes above. Store in fridge for 4-5 days or in your freezer for months to come.