Beets are nutritious and naturally sweet, but they often take a long time to cook. With the right methods, you can significantly reduce cooking time without losing flavor or color.
How to cook beets faster
To cook beets faster, cut them into smaller pieces, use pressure or steam cooking, or roast them wrapped tightly to trap heat.
Why beets usually take so long to cook
Beets have dense fibers and a high water content. When cooked whole, heat takes longer to reach the center, especially during boiling.
Keeping the skin on also slows down heat penetration.
Fastest ways to cook beets
- Pressure cooker
- Steaming in pieces
- Roasting in foil
- Microwave cooking
Steaming beets (fast and balanced)
- Peel and cut beets into wedges or cubes.
- Place in a steamer basket.
- Cover with a lid.
- Steam for 15–20 minutes until tender.
Roasting beets quickly
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Wrap whole or cut beets tightly in foil.
- Add a little oil inside the foil.
- Roast for 35–45 minutes.
Pressure cooker method
- Place whole beets on a rack with water below.
- Seal the lid.
- Cook on high pressure for 12–15 minutes.
- Release pressure naturally.
How to know beets are cooked
- Knife slides in easily.
- Skin peels off without effort.
- Interior is uniformly tender.
Common mistakes
- Cooking beets whole in a large pot of water.
- Overboiling until color fades.
- Peeling before cooking when boiling.
- Using low heat.
Conclusion
Once you know how to cook beets faster, they become much easier to include in everyday meals. Cutting them smaller and choosing efficient cooking methods saves both time and flavor.