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Learn all the tips and tricks for Freezing Beets to stock your freezer with this amazing vegetable. Learning how to freeze beets is a great way to preserve this versatile crop without needing any special equipment.
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 tasty side dishes.
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?
Technically you don’t “have” to, but I highly recommend it. 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.
Boiling vs. Steaming Beets
I prefer to steam beets for freezing rather than boil them. I think it’s easier and faster. 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 Dexter 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 egg bites, or a quiche. If you want to freeze the greens, you can follow these instructions for How to Freeze Swiss Chard.
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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 stem 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 cooking time is up, use a dish rag to carefully flip the vent to "venting". Using a slotted spoon, remove beets from the Instant Pot and place in the ice water. Allow them to sit for 3 minutes, and then drain into a strainer.
- (STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS):Place a steamer basket in a pot and add enough water to cover the bottom. Place a lid on the pot and steam for 30-50 minutes or until the beet is easily pierced with a knife.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove beets from the pot and place them in 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
- Frozen beets will keep in the freezer for 9-12 months.
- You do not need to thaw the beets before reheating them.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love it
I roast the beets and then chop them and freeze them. That gives them a lovely flavour when time comes to cook and serve and eat them. In a perfect world I double wrap them in tinfoil and roast them on the coals in the wood stove but a regular oven will do the just with a fair bit less fussing and attention. You have to keep turning them over if you do them on hot coals.
Mmmmmm, roasted beets are one of my favorites! You’re a lady after my own heart.