Recently, I’ve been hitting the gym like a boss. A few dude friends and I formed a little club called DADSTRONG (yes it has to be in all caps). DADSTRONG is formed of either recent dads or soon-to-be dads. We go to the gym twice a week (okay once a week) and pump iron, talk about dad stuff, and mostly flex in the mirror.
It’s a good time and is usually followed by enough beer to counteract whatever possible benefits we gained by flexing. DADSTRONG.
The staff at our gym has a cork board where they hang up recipes. They just photocopy stuff from cookbooks and magazines and hang them up without attribution. I guess that’s cool?
Anyway, for like the last month this recipe for Balsamic Roasted Beets has been hanging on the cork board. The last thing I crave after a workout is a beet, but the idea kind of seeped into my brain over the last month and I eventually just found myself sticking beets in my grocery cart so I could make them.
They are super easy and good enough to sway even a beet-hater.
Rosemary Roasted Beets
Ingredients
- 4 medium beets, peeled and cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Peel beets and cut them into 3/4-inch cubes (no need to measure).
- Toss cubed beets with a drizzle of olive oil, rosemary sprigs, and salt and pepper. Transfer beets to a baking dish lined with foil (for easy clean up).
- Bake beets for about 25 minutes until they are fork tender.
- Drizzle beats with honey and vinegar and stir to combine. Return to oven and turn heat up 425 degrees F. Roast for another 5-10 minutes.
- Serve beets while warm as a side dish.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Balsamic Roasted Beets
The Hardest Part
The hardest part of this recipe is peeling the beets. While normally I just roast beets whole and then peel them, this recipe really benefits by cubing the peeled beets and then roasting them so you can glaze them evenly.
The two best ways to peel a beet is with a good veggie peeler or with a simple paring knife. Either works fine, but your hands will get a little stained.
Once you peel the beets, cube them into roughly 3/4 inch cubes. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
Toss the beauties with some olive oil, a few rosemary sprigs, and a big pinch of salt and pepper.
Baking the Beets
Beet clean up is a little rough, especially if you have white baking dishes so I like to line my baking dish with foil before baking.
These will need to roast at 375 degrees F. for about 25 minutes until they are fork tender.
The Glaze for Balsamic Roasted Beets
Once the beets have roasted, there might be a lot of juice in the baking dish. Just go ahead and carefully drain that out. It’ll make the glaze too watery.
Then drizzle in some honey and balsamic vinegar and stir everything together to coat.
Then back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes and crank up the heat to about 425 degrees F. to give the glaze a chance to really caramelize.
That’s all there is to it, you have Balsamic Roasted Beets. An easy side dish, for sure, but one that goes with a lot of meals (even Thanksgiving if you’re looking for a last minute side).
One final note: If you are a Portlandia fan, be sure to check out one of my favorite skits: 911 Beet Emergency (sound). Hat tip to my friend Sean for the reminder on this skit!
Have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow everyone! I hope everybody makes it safely to wherever they are going.
Be sure to check back over the weekend! I’ll be publishing another Ultimate Guide like my Homemade Pizza Guide!
More easy side dishes!
Winter Crunch Pasta Salad
Roasted Sweet Corn Cornbread
Spicy Corn Orzo Bake
meghanssj
Totally making these for the big day. I was planning to serve beets but these are just a little more interesting than the absolutely plain beets I usually make. Thanks!
Jeanne
This looks like a winner — even with the extra work. Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving to all three of you…
Valerie
Can’t beet (groan) the recipe or your DADSTRONG group! I recently replaced my 30+year old vegetable peeler, which has made a *huge* difference in peeling beets and other veggies. :) Thank you for your website, lovely e-mails, and fabulous recipes!
omlet
Absolutely gorgeous and recipe looks delish!
Massy
Been craving beets for a while, making this today :)
Massy
Update: They were delicious!! :D
Sarah O.
I am having a huge issue right now, which is that I need to join DADSTRONG but I happen to be a 25-year-old female. Alas and alack!
I will have to console myself with these beets, because they look smashing.
Nick
Ha! We do not discriminate in DADSTRONG Sarah. :)
Erica
Heads up this recipe takes about double the time quoted! Maybe that was just my experience
Emilie
Same here! Aside from the extra cooking time everything looks good though.
Monique
Same here…takes way more than 25 minutes cooking, double that cooking time.
Richard Hudak
Dude! I needed to take something to a potluck tonight, and I am too tired to make anything fussy, with multiple ingredients. All I need are the beets. Rosemary’s in the kitchen garden, and I have some nice balsamic from a gourmet store I visited on vacation.
Nick
Make them happen sir! I think you’ll like them!
Lisa
this can be simplified and is so delicious!
Brhea
Wanting to make these for Christmas Eve Dinner (along with an her roasted prime rib, twice baked potatoes, orange glazed asparagus with toasted pine nuts and more!) wondering if you think I could prep these ahead? Or at least peel and cube the beets today and roast tomorrow. Would they dry out? Thanks!
Nick
I think that would work just fine! I would just keep them covered in the fridge until you are ready to roast! :)
JeanEats
I can’t wait to try these, I’m a new fan of beets! :-)
Anna
Made exactly this but added to arugula and sprincled with blue cheese. It was great success at my party!
Sherry
I’m needing to add beets to my diet to help with inflammation and this recipe looks great! Rosemary and EVOO also help with inflammation so this recipe is hitting all the marks. Thanks for sharing it. I pinned it to make tonight.
Evelyn Cirignotta
I’ve got frozen beets-should I thaw them before making the dish or just toss it together straight from the freezer?
Nick
Hey Evelyn,
I think I would thaw them first. Good luck!
donna
If you put the beets in hot water and turn on low temp till the skins will come off like peaches do.
David
They worked well with venison tenderloin and asparagus, I substituted green peppers instead of mushrooms.
[email protected] Hampton
How much honey and balsamic vinegar. I have never cooked beets and am looking for some basic guidelines.
Suzy bergmann
I’ve turned my beet hating kids and friends with this dish. The only thing I added was feta at the end. So grateful for this! It’s one of my favorite sides and so colorful!