Roasted Beets with Citrus Recipe (Makes a perfect Side Dish)

• Food: Roasted Beets with Citrus
• Writer: Lizzie Green
• Content-Type: Food Blog

Learn how to make flawlessly roasted beets every time! A bright citrus marinade transforms ordinary roasted beets into a gorgeous side dish in this simple recipe.

This recipe for roasted beets showcases what I like best about beets. Their sweet, earthy flavor is enhanced by a simple citrus marinade, and the smooth, soft texture is enhanced with juicy orange slices. With a pinch of flaky sea salt, a handful of greens, and a squeeze of orange zest, you’ve got a cold-weather side dish that’s as fresh and tasty as any summer salad.

This roasted beets recipe is one of my favorite fall and winter side dishes. It’s not only delicious, but it’s also really simple to prepare! You can put the whole meal together in minutes if you roast and season the beets ahead of time.

How to Roast Them?

It’s quite simple to roast beets if you’ve never done so before. No cutting is required because I roast the beets whole and peel them once they’ve cooked. All you have to do is follow these steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. With a drizzle of olive oil and hefty pinches of salt and pepper, wrap each beet in aluminum foil.
3. Roast the covered beets until they’re fork-tender on a baking sheet. My beets normally take 35-60 minutes to cook, depending on their size and freshness.
4. Remove the beets from the wrapper and lay them aside to cool.
5. Rub the skins off when they’re cold to the touch. For simple cleanup, I prefer to complete this step under running water.

That’s it! You can use the oven-roasted beets in whatever recipe you choose, or you can try the serving suggestion here. I toss them with a few pinches of salt and pepper, a splash of sherry or balsamic vinegar, fresh orange and lemon juice, and a splash of sherry or balsamic vinegar. Then I add orange segments, zest peels, and a handful of watercress or arugula to the plate. The beets can be roasted and marinated up to two days ahead of time, making this recipe incredibly simple to put together and serve.

Variations on the Roasted Beets Recipe

Want to make this roasted beets recipe more interesting? Here are a few suggestions:

• Crunch it up with crumbled, toasted pistachios or walnuts.
• Serve with tangy feta or goat cheese on top.
• To make it heartier, add roasted chickpeas, quinoa, farro, or wheat berries.
• Garnish with thyme leaves or chopped parsley before serving.
• Make a salad instead of watercress! Serve the beets chopped on a bed of spinach.
• Switch up the marinade! Toss the roasted beets with a lemon vinaigrette or an apple cider vinegar dressing.

Serving Suggestions for Roasted Beets

This recipe for roasted beets is a tasty dinner side dish. Serve it with hearty pasta, such as my mushroom pasta, sun-dried tomato pasta, butternut squash ravioli, or spaghetti Aglio e olio.

It’d be a terrific addition to a Thanksgiving or holiday feast, served with classics like these:

• Potatoes Mashed
• Casserole of Green Beans
• Sweet Potatoes Casserole
• Roasted Delicata Squash Maple Roasted Acorn Squash Roasted Brussels Sprouts Butternut Squash Soup

Beets Roasted with Citrus

These citrus-marinated roasted beets are delicious! Roast and marinade the beets up to a few days ahead of time to make this a simple holiday side dish. Then, just before serving, toss in the orange wedges, zest, and watercress.

Ingredients

• 6 to 8 small or medium red or yellow beets
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 1 large navel orange
• Sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
• Juice ½ lemon, or to taste
• A handful of watercress leaves, arugula, or microgreens
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Flaky sea salt, optional

Another extra (optional) topping idea:

• Goat or feta cheese
• Chopped walnuts or pistachios

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Drizzle olive oil, pinches of sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper generously over each beet on a piece of foil. Wrap the beets in foil and roast for 35 to 60 minutes, or until soft and fork-tender, on a baking sheet. The amount of time required will be determined by the size and freshness of the beets. Remove the beets from the oven, discard the foil, and allow to cool. Peel the skins when they are cool to the touch. I like to hold them under flowing water and use my hands to remove the skins.
3. Peel long strips around the orange with a citrus peeler, avoiding the white pith. Zest, grated, would also work. 34% of the orange should be cut into segments, with the remaining 14% wedge set aside for squeezing.
4. Place the beets in a basin and cut them into 1″ wedges or chunks. If you’re using red and yellow beets, split them into separate basins to prevent the red beets from staining the yellow ones.
5. Toss with olive oil and sherry vinegar, lemon juice, orange juice squeezed from the remaining wedge, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
6. Season to taste with extra salt (flaky sea salt, if using) and pepper, as well as more vinegar (for more tang), orange, or lemon juice, if desired, before serving.
7. Serve with the orange segments, watercress, and citrus curls on a plate.