Baked Beets

4 servings Prep: 10 m Cook: 2 h Total: 2 h 10 m Beginner
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Baked Beets
Cut and diced style beets are a perfect compliment to a meat or fish entree. They’re also an excellent source of fiber and a half-cup serving of beets contains just 35 calories! Baking them this way makes them a little sweeter and they are much easier to handle.

Ingredients

4 servings
  • 6 fresh beets
  • 1 tbsp Splenda
  • Disposable gloves

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Trim roots and stem but don’t do anything else to the beets. Bake whole beets on a foil-lined cookie sheet until tender when pierced with a fork, about two hours.
  3. Cool and then peel, cut in chunks and sprinkle with splenda.
  4. Don’t forget to wear disposable gloves to keep your hands from being dyed red!

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why are my beets still hard after 2 hours?

A: Larger beets can take up to 2.5-3 hours to become tender. Test with a fork - it should pierce easily to the center. If they're still firm, continue baking and check every 15 minutes.

Q: Can I use canned beets instead?

A: Yes, but canned beets are already cooked, so you'll miss the concentrated sweetness that roasting provides. If using canned, just drain, warm, and add the sweetener.

Tips and Techniques

The beets are done when a fork slides in easily with no resistance. Let them cool enough to handle comfortably before peeling - the skins will slip right off under running water.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Splenda: brown sugar or honey
  • fresh beets: canned beets

Equipment Needed

  • Foil-lined baking sheet
  • Disposable gloves
  • Fork for testing doneness