How to Cook Beets without the Mess

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 7

Good news! There is a quick and easy way to cook beets without the mess.

Get Fresh Beets: Get fresh firm beets. Purple beets should be a deep purplish red color. Golden beets should be a deep bright gold color. Avoid beets that are soft, slimy or discolored.
Wash & Trim Beets: It is very common for beets to be dirty as they are root vegetables. Wash them under running water and pat dry with paper towels. Use a knife to cut off the top stem and leaves as well as the bottom tip.
Peel Beets: Use a peeler to peel the beets. If using bare hands, red beets may slightly color finger tips red but color can be removed with soap and water. Pierce each beet several times with a knife. TIP: Put plastic wrap on the cutting board for easy cleanup and to prevent staining of light surfaces.
Cover & Cook: Place peeled beets in a microwave safe dish with 1/2 inch of water. Do not stack beets and ensure beets are not touching each other. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, microwave for 3-5 minutes, flip the beets and microwave for an additional 2-3 minutes (depending on size). See specific cooking times in notes.
Let Cool & Enjoy: Allow the beets to cool. Then cut according to preference or recipe. Enjoy!

Cooking Times

Small beets (less than 2" in diameter) cook time = 3 minutes/flip/2-3 minutes.
Medium beets (2"-2.5" in diameter) cook time = 4 minutes/flip/3 minutes.
Large beets* (3"+ in diameter) cook time = 5 minutes/flip/3 minutes.
*Large beets may be tough and/or lack the flavor of small to medium sized beets.

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