Freezing Beets the Easy Way
Learn all the tips and tricks for Freezing Beets to stock your freezer with this amazing healthy vegetable. Learning how to freeze beets is a great way to preserve this versatile crop without needing any special equipment.
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Do you love beets but don’t have the time to properly prepare them during the week? Creating your own freezer stash of ready to cook frozen beets is an edible insurance policy for fast and healthy side dishes.
I have a thing for beets. See: Hasselback Roasted Beets, Air Fryer Roasted Beets, Instant Pot Beets, and Refrigerator Pickled Beets. And now, this tutorial on how to freeze beets is giving us even more beety goodness.
Can You Freeze Beets?
Absolutely! This hardy root vegetable is a great candidate for the freezer. When properly prepared, frozen beets can be stored in the freezer for 9-12 months. If you’re out of freezer space and are looking for a shelf-stable way to preserve beets, check out this tutorial on How to Can Beets.
Do You Have to Cook Beets Before Freezing Them?
Yes (and also no). For freezing beets, pre-cooking them helps to retain vitamins and nutrients and also preserves the color. Unblanched beets will be mealy and grainy when defrosted or cooked.
But, I know a lot of people enjoy uncooked shredded beets on salads. If you are looking to freeze shredded beets, there is no need to precook them.
Freeze shredded beets on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment, a silpat, or waxed paper. Once frozen, transfer to freezer storage (we love these reusable silicone bags for freezing items. Use “sustainablecooks15” for 15% off).
How to Reheat Frozen Beets
In most cases, you can cook the beets directly from the freezer. My favorite way to use frozen beets is to roast them. Preheat the skillet you’re using (or the air fryer) to make sure that the frozen beets start cooking as soon as they hit the skillet/air fryer basket. This will roast them instead of steaming them while they slowly heat up in a cold oven/air fryer.
Boiling vs. Steaming Beets
I prefer to steam beets for freezing rather than boil them. I think it’s easier, faster, and retains more of the nutrients. If you prefer to boil yours, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. For small beets, you’ll boil them for 20-25 minutes, and for medium to larger beets you’ll boil them for 40-50 minutes or until a knife easily pierces the beet.
Other recipes might recommend steaming/cooking the beets with the root and skin still on and then peeling them after the fact. That requires your hands to look like a scene from Carrie and plus, you’re going to be dealing with some hot AF beets.
You though? You are super smart and you’re cutting the skin off first and then steaming or boiling. Cut the beet top and beet butt (technical people will call it the root end, but whatevs) off. Place the root end on a cutting board and using a sharp knife, cut downward to remove the skin.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Working with beets can be messy. If possible, wear gloves to avoid excessive staining of your hands.
- I also put a clean dark towel under my cutting board to prevent any beet juice from staining the countertop.
- Save your beet greens for a salad, Instant Pot sous vide egg bites, or a quiche. If you want to freeze the greens, you can follow these instructions for How to Freeze Swiss Chard.
MORE “HOW TO” POSTS LIKE THIS:
- Check out my entire guide on how to freeze fresh produce.
- Freezing Zucchini
- How to Freeze Spinach
- Freezing Peppers
- How to Freeze Celery
- Freezing Apples
- Freezing Corn on the Cob
- How to Freeze Pineapple
- Freezing Cranberries
- How to Freeze Potatoes
- Freezing Pesto
- How to Freeze Garlic
- Blanched Green Beans
Freezing Beets
Equipment
Ingredients
- beets {choose tender smaller to medium beets if possible}
- ice
Instructions
Prepare the Beets
- Cut the beet top and root end off. Place the root end on a cutting board and using a sharp knife, cut downward to remove the skin.
Cooking the Beets
- Prepare a large mixing bowl with ice water.
- (INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS): Put a trivet/steamer basket in your Instant Pot and add 1.5 cups of water. Place the beets on top of the trivet.Secure your lid. Set the vent to "sealing", then Manual>High Pressure>13 minutes.When the cook time is up, use a dish rag to carefully flip the vent to "venting". Remove beets from the Instant Pot and place in the ice water.
- (STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS):Place a steamer basket in a pot and add enough water to cover the bottom. Place a lid on and steam for 30-50 minutes or until the beet is easily pierced with a knife.
- Whether you are steaming in a pressure cooker or on the stove, transfer cooked beets with a slotted spoon to the ice water. Allow them to sit for 3 minutes, and then drain into a strainer.
- You may leave the beets whole, cut them in half, or into slices.
How to Freeze Beets
- Add a piece of parchment paper to a rimmed baking sheet. Place the beets on the parchment, ensuring they're not touching each other.
- Freeze for 3 hours.
- Break apart any clumps that have formed on the baking sheet and transfer the beets to freezer-proof storage.
Notes
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