Beets are beautiful! With a distinctive red-purple color, you can use them to brighten up countless dishes. Enjoy them on their own if you’re feeling bold!
While beets can be eaten raw, they’re delicious cooked, and your microwave will do just the trick!
Beets can be baked or boiled to soften before eating or to create moisture for dressings and sauces.
Follow our steps below for the best beets possible!
What You’ll Need:
- A microwave-safe container of marked plastic, glass, or ceramics (as always, no metal!) Shallow dishes will allow for more even heating!
- Paper towels for dampening and covering the beets. A microwave-safe food cover will also work.
- A sharpened knife for puncturing and cutting, preferably serrated, as beets are thick!
Preparation:
For heating and softening, essentially baking:
- Place whole beets in a safe dish with slight space in between.
- Puncture multiple holes in each beet; otherwise, they may burst! (Heated beet juice is almost certain to stain your microwave or dishware!)
- Cover with damp paper towels.
For heating and producing beet juice, boiling:
- Halve or quarter the beets before placing them in about an inch of water. Cover with a damp paper towel.
- Beets cuts should be soaked but not completely submerged in the water.
Cooking:
As with most starchy vegetables, cook time will vary with the size, thickness, and the number of beets you’re microwaving.
The same goes for the desired doneness. Longer time for softer beets, less time for crunchier beets.
Bake Time:
Most covered small beets will soften within 5-7 minutes on high heat. Additional time, up to 10 minutes, may be required for multiple beets.
Boil Time:
Place beet cuts or (very small whole beets) in water, cover, and heat for 7 minutes minimum, more time for more beets.
Regardless of the method, be sure to let beets stand and cool after the microwaving is complete!
The beets will be hot and may produce steam as well.
Once beets have cooled for 2-4 minutes, they’re ready to be peeled and enjoyed!
We certainly hope our guidelines will help you produce a snack that can’t be, well, beet!
Sources:
https://www.healthy-beets.com/fresh-beets.html
https://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips/tips/a4756/all-about-beets-105239/
