Roasted Beets With Basil
The delicious Roasted Beets with Basil recipe is an amazing way to enjoy beets. They are healthy and full of flavor!
Beets. Beets are one of my all-time favorite foods. Mostly because they make me think of springtime and being outdoors, but also because they taste like candy; brilliant earthy red-orange deliciousness. The best part is that they are so easy to eat raw (which you should do) or add some flavor to your meals with roasted beets and the basil in this recipe.
Oven-roasting beets is a delicious way to prepare beets. I love to roast them to bring out their sweetness, then toss in citrus and fresh herbs, so delicious. You will find that even a picky eater enjoys beets served this way.
Roasted beets make a great side dish or salad for any occasion – whether you’re having a backyard barbecue, planning a family dinner, or cooking a romantic dinner for two people, don’t hesitate to throw the beets into your oven and let your eyes pop when you open your oven door after 45 minutes of waiting…and there it is tender, browned and perfect beets that just need to combine with a few other salad ingredients and that’s it!
AS ALWAYS, SCROLL DOWN FOR THE DETAILED RECIPE, BUT I REQUEST YOU DON’T SKIP READING THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THE BLURB.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Beets?
Beets are very healthy for you. They are full of antioxidants and help reduce the risk of cancer, alleviate indigestion, reduce inflammation, and prevent anemia.
Beets are also a great source of fiber, magnesium, iron, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, and Vitamin B6. See more health benefits here. I love to juice beets with ginger and apples (recipe here).
I got these delicious beets from a local farm on our way home from spending the day in St. Augustine. The farm had so many fresh vegetables and berries. I was overjoyed. I bought different kinds of cabbages, turnips, greens of all sorts of kale, mustards, collards, new potatoes, strawberries, and beets!
I love eating from farm to table. The food is so much better! One of the best things I love about Florida so far is the longer growing season. My neighbors are also very kind and I get surprises from their gardens, from oranges, grapefruits, and lemons during the winter and now I’m getting string beans and blueberries.
I have started a garden and am so excited to see what will do well here. So far I believe I water my plants too much because some of my vincas died. In my vegetable garden, so far I planted, tomatoes, okra, sweet potatoes, zucchini, potato, and field peas. For fruit trees, I planted figs, persimmons, olives, blueberries, and lots of herbs.
Recipe’s Distinctive Features:
Roasted Beets with Basil is a very flavorful recipe that you should try out, because:
- This recipe is quick and easy to make.
- It requires only a few basic ingredients.
- Roasting beets really brings out their flavor. Their natural sweetness was caramelized during roasting, resulting in a delicious sweet and sour taste.
- Roasted Beets with Basil is a delicious and healthy side dish, perfect for any meal.
- You can serve these as a side or you can add them to salads.
- Beets and basil are nutritious and delicious ingredients to add to your healthy diet.
- You can eat them as a salad or serve them as an appetizer or chapter for any meal.
- Roasted beets have such a sweet flavor that will easily satisfy your sweet tooth.
- This Roasted Beets with Basil recipe is sure to please even the pickiest eater.
- You’ll love this vegan side dish because it’s so filling! Beets will provide a powerful flavor punch and are quite filling. You will be satisfied after having this salad.
- This recipe is highly customizable. You can add more ingredients or swap some to suit your taste.
Required Ingredients
You’ll need the following few listed ingredients:
- Beet: The base of this salad. Pick small and firm beets that are deep crimson in color, flawless on the outside, and with brilliant green leaves that don’t show any signs of withering.
- Fresh basil leaves: Add some fresh basil and you have a recipe for success.
- Lemon Juice: Adds a great zing, freshness, and brightness to this salad.
- Maple syrup: Aside from its natural caramel sweetness, there’s another reason to use maple syrup: it’s actually healthy. Pure maple syrup contains minerals such as riboflavin, zinc, magnesium, calcium, and potassium in every spoonful. It is also rich in antioxidants.
- Sea salt: A pinch of salt will help to balance the flavors. I used sea salt, you can use any natural salt.
How To Make Roasted Beets With Basil?
- Preheat oven to 425F. Cut off the tops and roots of beets and reserve them for steaming later (delicious).
- Wash beets and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Cover with foil paper and roast for 45 minutes-1 hour or until beets are tender when pierced with a fork
- Allow beets to cool for 15 minutes or until able to handle.
- Remove the skin which will slip off and cut it into 1-inch pieces.
- Place beets in a medium bowl, and toss with basil, lemon juice maple syrup, and salt.
Serving Suggestions
It’s delicious and quite satisfying on its own. It can also be served as an appetizer or a side dish to complement your main dinner menu. It pairs well with almost anything.
Here’re a few ideas:
- Vegan Potato Curry
- Vegan Corn Fritters
- Vegan Sausage Gravy
- Vegan Cabbage Casserole
- Vegan Black Bean Burgers
- Vegan Brown Stew Chicken
- Gluten-Free Vegan Sausage
- Smothered Vegan Fried Chicken (Tofu)
- Gluten-Free Vegan Cauliflower Hash Browns
How Long Do Roasted Beets With Basil Last?
The leftover roasted beets with basil will keep in the fridge for up to a few days if you cover it tightly, but it’s best eaten the day it’s made. Don’t freeze it, please.
The reason it is quite simple and easy to prepare. However, you can freeze it for a few weeks if you really want to. But keep in mind that it won’t taste as good as it did when it was as fresh.
Add-in
- You can add cooked quinoa to make it more healthy filling.
- For an extra crunch and as a source of healthy fats and protein, you can also sprinkle some nuts such as almonds, pecans, cashews, or peanuts on top. Dry roast them in a nonstick pan, before adding them to this side dish.
- Add some roasted garlic. The smell of fresh roasted garlic is enough to make it more delicious.
- If you prefer stronger flavors, try adding some spices like ground cumin or black pepper.
- Toss the salad with other fresh herbs of your choice like fresh parsley, mint, tarragon, dill, and cilantro are all excellent choices.
- Add some strawberries to bring in farm-fresh summery flavors to this salad.
- Top with some vegan cheese crumbles.
Chef’s Notes
While preparing these roasted beets with basil salad or a side dish there are a few simple tips that you should follow.
- Rest for at least 30 minutes to one hour to allow the flavors to mingle. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
- If you haven’t tried beet tops, you should the next time you purchase a bunch of beets. Cook it like you would kale, it’s not only delicious but it’s very nutritious! I love to cook it with onion, garlic, tomato, herbs, and salt.
- This salad can be doubled or tripled as you need.
Other Beets Recipes To Try:
- Beet juice
- Antioxidant Smoothie
- Air Fryer Roasted Beets
- Beet Fries With Chipotle Aioli
- Easy Homemade Beet Hummus Recipe
- Roasted Beets with Chimichurri Sauce
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Pick Out Good Beets?
Large beets are harder than small or medium-sized ones. They should have smooth, strong roots, be weighty for their size, and be firm with no nicks or cuts. The greens should be vibrantly colored and appear fresh if they are still attached.
Should Beets Be Covered When Roasting?
In a covered oven-safe dish, place the beets. You can alternatively set the individual beets on the rack of the oven after having first been individually wrapped in aluminum foil. Roast the beets for forty-five minutes to one and a half hours, depending on their size and the degree to which they have been recently harvested, or until they can be easily punctured with a fork.
What Is The Best Cooking Method For Beets?
Both steaming and roasting beets are healthy methods of cooking because, unlike being cooked in water, neither way causes the beets to lose the majority of the vitamins and minerals that they contain, and both methods allow the beets to maintain an impressive level of coloration.
Is It Better To Roast Or Boil Beets?
Roasting beets in the oven, like many other vegetables, coaxes out their natural sweetness, providing a caramelized flavor that makes them taste even sweeter. Vegetables lose both flavor and nutrition when boiled in water (which is often discarded).
How Do You Clean Beets For Roasting?
Be sure to scrub the beets in cold water using a vegetable rinse and a clean, coarse sponge. You must remove any loose dirt and debris! Don’t stress over the dirty stem area too much; we’ll be removing it off soon. Simply put, we don’t require them for roasting.
Should I Peel Beetroot Before Roasting?
No, beets don’t need to be peeled. When baked, the skin will easily peel off if you choose to leave it on while roasting. Just be sure to give the beets a good scrub to get rid of all the dirt if you don’t plan on peeling them before roasting them.
What Flavors Pair Well With Beets?
Warm spices such as allspice, cumin, pepper, paprika, cinnamon, and caraway seeds, as well as dried or fresh herbs such as basil, tarragon, parsley, rosemary, mint, thyme, or coriander are all great additions that pair well with beets.
Do Beets Make Your Pee Red?
Some people’s pee appears pink or red after eating beets, which might be concerning because it resembles blood. These changes in odor and color are harmless. However, if your urine has a pleasant scent, you should be concerned because diabetes may be the cause.
Is It Ok To Eat Beets Every Day?
Like any food, eating too many beets might cause some health issues. Overconsumption has risks, such as:
- Kidney stone risk is increased: As a result of their high oxalate content, beets can cause kidney stones when consumed in excess.
- Beeturia: When you have beeturia, your urine may color pink or crimson.
Bottom Lines!
Roasted beet is a great alternative to other vegetable options. It is easy to prepare, and pairs exceptionally well with fresh basil.
While beets and basil may not sound like the most appetizing combination, I can assure you that they are delicious together. Roasted beets have a distinctive sweet flavor that pairs beautifully with intense flavors such as the freshness of basil.
This dish also looks gorgeous once it is plated. If beets aren’t your thing, try Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes, Roasted Potatoes, Roasted Kabocha Squash, or Roasted Carrots And Parsnips instead!
As always, in the end, I’d like to say, try this Roasted Beets with Basil recipe, and let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment on this post! I’d love to hear your feedback… Have A Blessed November!
If you enjoyed this post about Roasted Beets With Basil and would love to see more, join me on Youtube, Instagram, Facebook & Twitter!
Get discounted copies of my cookbook here.
Fortunately, because of the ads on our website, readers and subscribers of Healthier Steps are sponsoring many underprivileged families.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Healthier Steps.
Roasted Beets With Basil
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beet
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves chopped (or cilantro)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven 425F. Cut off tops and roots of beets and reserve for steaming later (delicious).
- Wash beets and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Cover with foil paper and roast for 45 minutes-1 hour or until beets are tender when pierced with a fork
- Allow beets to cool for 15 minutes or until able to handle.
- Remove skin which will slip off and cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Place beets In a medium bowl, toss with basil, lemon juice maple syrup and salt.
Obsessed with this recipe. Simple, perfect pairing of fresh flavors…. and used up a couple things in my CSA box. Officially adding it to my repertoire!
yum i love that you mixed them with basil! i’ll have to try that!
I am in love with oven roasted beets – love the sound of adding in some basil for an extra kick. Delicious