Delicious fork tender, flavoursome microwave beets. Let me show you the best way to cook beets using the microwave and a steamer basket. You can then use the beets for salads, roasting, one pot dinners, snacking on and so much more.
Also known as microwave beetroot, you will love how easy it is to prep and cook beetroot in the microwave.
Cooking Beets In Microwave
Growing up, I didn’t consider myself to be a fussy kid when it came to vegetables. My grandad had an allotment and I loved to get excited with him at something else he had grown.
I ate carrots with the skin on, binged on peas from their pod, ate way too many gooseberries and thought strawberries was the most delicious fruit ever created.
Even now in my 40th year, I still get excited by the smell of parsnips and cherry tomatoes on the vine.
But one vegetable as a child that I could not stomach and made me feel sick was beets, or as us Brits call it beetroot.
It was always so bright and slimy, and I never understood why people loved pickled beetroot so much.
I even made instant pot beetroot with the hubby a few years ago, just to see if it was a fussy child thing or I just hated beetroot.
It still did nothing for me, but then last year a reader asked me to make them some air fryer beets and to figure out the cook time and temperature and some good beet seasoning.
Well, maybe I am not a pickled beets kind of person, because I fell head over heels in love with roasted beets in the air fryer and couldn’t get enough! Whenever beets are in season now, they are going in my air fryer.
Well, fast forward to our month dedicated to the microwave and I wanted to see just how microwave beets compare to air fried….and I have to say I love beets in the microwave and follow along and see if you love them too!
Best Way To Cook Beets?
The best way to cook beets, is to cook beets is to steam beets. This is because you don’t have as much blood from the beets bleeding and its also a great healthy way to cook beets before figuring out, how you plan to serve them.
For steaming beets, I recommend the instant pot, using a traditional steamer and of course steaming beets in the microwave.
Can You Microwave Beets?
Yes, you can microwave beets. And best of all, microwave beets taste amazing, and you can then use them in a LOT of different beetroot recipes. But that’s not the only reason why you should microwave beets. Its also the fastest way to cook beets.
Is It Better To Microwave Or Boil Beets?
It is much better to microwave beets rather than to boil beets. That is because when you boil fruits or vegetables, the boiling removes the amazing nutrients and loses the great flavour.
When you microwave beets it is like steaming beets, so it keeps its flavour and goodness and the beetroot tastes amazing.
What Is The Healthiest Way To Cook Beets?
Like I mentioned above, it is the microwave. That is because you lose the nutrients when you boil your beetroot and the microwave retains its amazing goodness.
As well as this, when you microwave beets you are microwaving them with just a little seasoning, making them a plant based recipe.
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Microwave Beets Recipe Ingredients
Beets – I recommend about 750g of fresh beetroot. Though of course, it depends on how many people you are feeding. We got a bag of beets from the green grocers and they were a bit small so we used more than we planned to.
Water – To steam beets in the microwave you will need a tablespoon of water into the bottom of your steamer basket.
Seasoning – Then for seasoning for beets I recommend you keep it simple with salt, pepper, dill, coriander, and garlic powder. Dill is amazing for flavouring beets and I recommend you give it a good coating before cooking.
Then for the kitchen gadgets that we have used in this microwave beets recipe it has just been our Panasonic Microwave Oven. We have this one and its wonderful for many types of microwave recipes.
As well as your microwave you will need a good steamer basket that will fit in your microwave. We recommend this one.
How To Cook Beets In Microwave?
- Liquid. Start by adding a tablespoon of water to the bottom of your steamer basket. This is so that you can perfectly steam your beetroot.
- Prep. Peel and then slice your beetroot into wedges (see below for extra tips on this) and then load into the steamer basket and toss in your seasonings.
- Microwave. Then place the lid on your steamer and then load your steamer basket into the microwave. Microwave your beets for 7 minutes. Then remove the lid, wait for the steam to reduce and then serve.
And I am sure you can see now how easy it is to steam beets in the microwave and why it is a firm favourite of mine for a quick veggie side dish for dinner.
How To Cut Beets?
The best way to prepare beets for the microwave is to peel and cut your beets into the same shape as potato wedges.
Though I am sure you are wondering, do you peel beets? After all they do bleed a LOT. And the answer is YES you do!
Simply, peel and dice your beets on a chopping board and then load them into the steamer basket and any leftover juices and marks will be left on your hands and your chopping board not on your worktop or the steamer basket.
And this is the chopping board after prepping our beets for the microwave:
Though note after 2 hand washes and a quick clean of the chopping board a couple more times, and there is no sign of red at all.
Microwave Beets Before Roasting
The best way to make beets taste good is in the air fryer. Because they are tossed in seasonings and extra virgin olive oil, and it is just like roasted beets.
The best of both is to microwave beets before roasting them in the air fryer.
Reduce the cook time in the microwave to 5 minutes and then toss them in a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and air fry for 8 minutes at 180c/360f and you will be amazed at how good they are.
What To Do With Cooked Beets?
I treat beets like any other roasted root vegetable. I serve it in salads, I have it on my dinner plate with air fryer whole chicken, I load it into casseroles, and I also just snack on it because it tastes so good.
Plus, because of the colour of beets, the kids keep staring at my casserole, wondering how it went to such a vibrant red colour.
How Long Dos It Take To Cook A Beet In The Microwave?
Beets cooking time is JUST 7 minutes and this is on an 800w microwave. So if you have a more powerful microwave than me, then you are going to have perfectly cooked beets much quicker than me.
More Microwave Vegetable Recipes
- How To Steam Carrots In Microwave
- How To Steam Broccoli In Microwave
- How To Steam Cauliflower In Microwave
- How To Steam Cabbage In Microwave
- How To Steam Green Beans In Microwave
- Microwave Frozen Broccoli
Plus, we also have a fantastic FREE microwave cooking times chart, and you can receive it for FREE and download it in PDF when you subscribe to the Recipe This Newsletter.
Your how to cook beets in microwave recipe is below, note you can print it out with or without photos, adjust servings, or click between metric and imperial depending on where you are in the world.
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Microwave Beets
Ingredients
- 750 g Fresh Beetroot/Beets
- 1 Tbsp Dill
- 1 Tbsp Coriander/Cilantro
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- Salt & Pepper
Kitchen Gadgets
Instructions
- Place one tablespoon of water in the bottom of your steamer basket.
- Using a vegetable knife cut the top and bottom off the beetroot and then peel and slice into wedge shapes.
- Add the beets to the steamer basket. Then add your seasonings and mix with your hands for an even coating.
- Place the lid on the steamer and then place in the microwave.
- Microwave for 7 minutes on full power.
- Then do a fork test to make sure your beets are fork tender before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Can’t make it now? Then save it for later!
I love pickled beets but never tried them like this, i was pleasantly surprised. I am trying to up my microwave game and your recipes are really helping me, the basket is a great idea and these vegetables cook so quick.