How to Steam Beets

Co-authored by Hannah Madden

Last Updated: November 2, 2020 References Tested

Beets are hearty, delicious vegetables chock full of key nutrients. Since beets are so tough when they’re raw, it’s important to cook them before eating them, and steaming your beets is a great way to soften them up without losing any flavor or color. You can use a steamer basket for a classic way to steam your beets, or you can make your own steam in the microwave for a shorter cooking time. However you steam your beets, you’ll end up with velvety soft slices to put in a beet salad or toss in olive oil and salt.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:
Steamer Basket

1
Cut the greens off the beets and throw them away. If your beets came with the tops on them, use a knife to cut them off. You don’t need the leaves anymore, so you can put them into your compost pile or in the trash.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- If you’re feeling adventurous, you can save your beet leaves and use them in a salad.
2
Rinse the beets and scrub them with a vegetable brush. Use cold water to rinse the outside of your beets. Use a vegetable brush to scrub off any dirt or grime on the outside of your beets. If you don’t have a vegetable brush, you can use a soft sponge instead.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Vegetable brushes are thick, scrubby brushes that are perfect for scrubbing the outer layer of skin from veggies. You can find these for under $5 at most home goods stores.
- If you want to shorten your steaming time, you can also cut your beets into halves or quarters.
3
Fill a pot with 2 in (5.1 cm) of water. If you’re using a steamer basket, you need to make sure the water doesn’t go above the steamer itself. Grab a large pot and fill up the bottom with just a little bit of water to create steam, and make sure it doesn’t touch the bottom of the basket.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- Make sure you grab a pot that’s just slightly larger than your steamer basket!
4
Put the basket and the beets inside your pot. Set your pot on the stove, then gently place your steamer basket inside. Place all of your whole beets on top of the steamer basket, making sure they aren’t touching the water below.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- You can fill your steamer basket all the way as long as you can still fit a lid on the top.
5
Bring the water to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer. Turn your stovetop on high heat and wait for 5 to 10 minutes. When you hear the water starting to bubble, it’s time to turn the heat down just a bit.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- The steamer basket will be covering the water, so you won’t be able to look for the large bubbles rising to the top of the water.
6
Cover the pot with a lid and steam the beets for 30 to 40 minutes. With your heat on medium, put a lid on your pot to trap the steam inside of the steamer. Small-medium beets need about 30 minutes in the pot, and large beets need about 40 minutes in the pot.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- You can tell the beets are done when you can pierce them with a knife or a skewer. If the beets aren’t done yet, they’ll still be hard on the outside.
- Small beets are usually 1.5 in (3.8 cm) around, medium beets are usually 3 inches (7.6 cm) around, and large beets are usually 4 inches (10 cm) around.^{[7]
  X
  Research source}
7
Transfer the beets to a plate and let them cool. Use metal tongs to grab your beets one by one and put them on a plate. Let them cool down before you peel them so you don’t burn your hands.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- You can also use a slotted spoon.
8
Pinch the top part of the beet and pull down to remove the skin. Put on some gloves (if you don’t want beet-stained hands) and hold a beet in one hand. Start from the top and gently pull the skin down with your thumb, sloughing off the entire skin at once. If there’s any leftover, gently tear it off the beet before moving onto the next one.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Beet skin is pretty tough and not very nice to eat.
- If you want to store your beets or cool them down, put them in an airtight container and set them in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:
Microwave

1
Cut the greens off the beets and scrub the outside. Use a knife to cut the leafy tops off the beets and throw them away. Grab a sponge and use it to wash off any dirt or grime from the outside of each beet.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- If you have a vegetable brush, you can use that instead of a sponge.
2
Chop the beets into quarters. Use a sharp knife to cut each beet into 4 pieces that are roughly equal in size. The smaller pieces of beet will steam much faster than large, whole beets, so it can cut your cooking time down by quite a bit.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- If you’re steaming a lot of beets (say, more than 5), you may want to cut them down even smaller.
3
Place the pieces into a bowl and add 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of water. Grab a microwave-safe bowl and put the beets at the bottom in a single layer. Pour 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of water over the beets to create steam as they heat up in the microwave.^{[12]
X
Research source}
- If you have too many beets to fit in a single layer, microwave them in 2 batches.
- If you aren’t sure if your bowl is microwave-safe, flip it over and look at the writing on the bottom. It will usually say “microwave-safe.”
4
Cover the bowl with microwave-safe plastic wrap. To trap the steam, spread a layer of microwave-safe plastic wrap over the bowl and make sure it’s airtight. Secure the edges of the plastic wrap by pressing them down onto the bowl with your hands.^{[13]
X
Research source}
- You can also cover the beets with a microwave-safe plate.
5
Microwave the beets for 12 to 15 minutes on high. Depending on the size of your pieces and the amount of beets you have, this could take a little bit longer or shorter. When you can stab a knife or a skewer through the beets, they’re ready to be taken out of the microwave.^{[14]
X
Research source}
- If you’re just steaming one whole beet, it only needs about 7 minutes in the microwave.
6
Let the beets cool, then remove the skin by pinching the top and pulling down. Let the beets cool down for about 5 minutes, then put on gloves to protect your hands from stains. Grab the outer layer at the top of the beets and pull downward to take the skin off. You now have perfectly steamed beets to put into a meal or enjoy on their own!^{[15]
X
Research source}
- Beet skin is tough and it doesn’t taste very good, which is why you should take it off before using your beets.
- You can store your steamed beets in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.