These sauteed beets are delicious and very easy to make. They are perfect as a side dish for meat, fish, and poultry, and you can also add them to grain and veggie bowls.
The most popular way of cooking beets is to cook them whole and then use them to make salads and side dishes.
Although I love cooking whole beets, I find that sauteing shredded beets is a great alternative and might be less intimidating. I think it’s because beets are cooking on the stovetop in front of you, and you can track the whole process. Besides, it also takes less time, so you don’t have to plan ahead.
How to Prep Beets for Sauteeing
To prepare the beets for cooking, just follow these easy steps:
1. Wash and peel the beets.
Wash and scrub the beets thoroughly to remove sand and dirt.
Unless your beets are super-fresh baby beets or just came out of the garden, I always recommend peeling them. Although beet skin is edible and I’ve seen many chefs recommend leaving it on, I find that beet skins don’t have a pleasant mouthfeel. Especially beets that have been stored for a while have tough, dry skins.
Keep in mind that beets stain everything, so wear gloves if you want to avoid getting stains on your hands.
2. Shred or spiralize the beets.
To sautee beets, you need to shred them. Otherwise, they will take forever to cook.
To shred beets, I highly recommend using a food processor with a shredding blade. Beets are a very dense vegetable, and shredding them manually requires a lot of time and effort. A food processor will make it a lot easier.
In addition, you can also saute spiralized beets, also known as red beet noodles.
Spiralized beets might take a little bit longer to cook than shredded beets because they are usually a bit thicker, so taste them at the end of cooking, and if they are still too crisp, just cook them longer.
How to Make Sauteed Beets
Once you’ve shredded or spiralized the beets, sauteeing them is just as easy as any other vegetable:
- First, saute onions and garlic in some olive oil. Add tomato paste for more flavor;
- Then, add vegetable stock or water to keep the beets nice and moist;
- Bring the liquid to a boil. Cover and cook until the beets are cooked through. This can take anywhere from 35 to 50 minutes, so check on the beets often towards the end of cooking;
- Add some lemon juice to balance out the sweetness of the beets.
How to Store Sauteed Beets
Store the sauteed beets in the fridge in a glass container with a tight lid for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
Sauteed beets can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.
More Healthy Recipes with Beets
If you love beets, check out these healthy beet recipes:
Very Easy Sauteed Beets
This is a very easy recipe for shredded or spiralized red beets. Sauteed beetroots make a perfect healthy side dish. You can make it in advance so it's perfect for meal-prep.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 pound beets, peeled and shredded
- 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- juice of 1/4 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant for about 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste and cook stirring constantly until the paste is heated and becomes fragrant for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the beets, vegetable stock, and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook until the beets are soft for about 35 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the beets stand for about 10 more minutes. Serve warm. See the Notes.
Notes
1. Check on the beets a few times during cooking to make sure there is still enough liquid left in the pan. Add more vegetable stock or water if needed. If there is too much liquid left in the pan at the end of cooking, remove the lid to allow the liquid to evaporate. The cooked beets should still be moist.
2. You can use water instead of vegetable broth.
Nutrition Information
Yield 5 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 110Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 0mgSodium 223mgCarbohydrates 20gFiber 3gSugar 15gProtein 2g
Nutrition facts provided on this website are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a qualified health care provider for personalized diet advice and make sure that each of the ingredients is allowed in your diet.