Learn how to cook beets in the instant pot. This is the quickest and easiest way to cook tender beets. These are perfect for any Beet Salad or Borscht.
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The Best Way to Cook Beets
Beets are so nutritious and low in calories. Instant pot beets are so fast and easy compared to roasting or any other method that you won’t have an excuse not to eat this hearty and healthy root vegetable. Why you’ll love this method:
- Quick and easy
- Super sweet
- Less messy
- More nutritious than boiled beets (nothing lost to boiling water)
How to Buy Beets
- Stems Attached – Select beets that still have the bright green stems attached if possible because you know they are fresh and haven’t been sitting in storage for a while. You can use the leafy beet greens in soups as we did with our Superfood Borscht, or even add them to a Breakfast Frittata.
- Root Attached – beets should have one long central taproot attached. Avoid beets that also have tiny/hairy roots which indicates the beet is older and tougher.
- Size, Shape, and Color – smaller beets are sweeter. They should have unblemished skin and deep maroon color (unless you are buying a different variety such as pink or golden).
Pro Tip: Taste the beets after they are cooked. Older beets tend to have a more earthy taste and fresher beets are much sweeter. If the beet doesn’t taste good now then it won’t taste good in recipes and you should toss it out.
How to Store Beets
- Remove the leaves. Twist off the beet green stems from the beets just above the beetroot as soon as you buy them, otherwise, they will continue to pull nutrients from the beet. Beet greens are best enjoyed fresh as they do not keep well.
- Do not wash beets before storing and if they do get wet, be sure to dry them thoroughly.
- Refrigerator – Store beets in a perforated plastic bag for ventilation and place them in the vegetable crisper drawer for 1 month or longer.
How to Cook Beets in the Instant Pot
- Scrub Beets – clean the beats and remove any dirt or dust.
- Cut off roots and stems – this will make them easier to peel later
- Pressure Cook – Place a rack in the bottom of a 6 Qt Instant Pot and add 1 cup water. Place beets on the rack in a single layer and cook according to the time chart depending on the beet diameters and desired doneness.
- Cool and Peel – once beets are cool enough to handle, you can peel the skins.
Pro Tip for Peeling Beets: Since beets stain, we highly recommend wearing gloves so you don’t discolor your hands or nails.
Instant Pot Beets Time Chart
These chart timings produce soft beets that are easily pierced with a knife. For beets that are more crisp-tender, reduce cooking time by 5 minutes. Cook the beets on high pressure followed by a quick pressure release.
- Very small beets (1.5” to 1.75” diameter) – 15 minutes
- Small beets (2” diameter) – 20 minutes
- Medium beets (2 1/4” diameter) – 25 minutes
- Medium-large beets (2 1/2” diameter) – 30 minutes
- Large beets (2 3/4” diameter) – 35 minutes
- Extra Large beets (3” diameter) – 40 minutes
Want to cook the beets even faster? You can cut beets in half to reduce the cooking time and base their cooking time on their new diameter.
Common Questions
Check the refrigerator stored beets periodically and discard any that have softened.
If you desire more tender beets, you can cover the lid and pressure cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
Cooked and peeled beets can be refrigerated and stored for 3-5 days in an airtight container. You can also transfer them to a freezer safe container or zip bag, remove any extra air, and freeze for 3-6 months.
Beet skins are edible and rich in fiber. I prefer to peel and discard the skins for most recipes but you can eat the skins.
Beets will cook evenly when they are even thickness. If you have a variety of sizes, you can cut the big ones in half and still cook them together. I base my cooking times on the widest diameter beet in the pot.
If you love Instant Pot Recipes, these pressure cooked beets are a must-try. It’s a wonderful short-cut every beet lover should know.
Beet Recipes
Having cooked beets in your refrigerator or freezer is so handy for making your favorite beet dishes. Use your instant pot beets in these recipes:
- Beet Salad with Arugula – with the best dressing
- Beet Soup – even faster with cooked beets
- Russian Hren (beet horseradish sauce)
- Shuba – layered beet salad
- Creamy Beet Salad – Mom’s classic recipe
- Citrus and Beet Salad – stunning and delicious
Instant Pot Beets Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 medium beets
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Clean beets to remove any dirt or dust. Cut off and discard roots and stems.
- Place a rack into the bottom of a 6 Qt instant pot and add 1 cup water. Place beets over the rack in a single layer, cover with the lid and set the valve to the “sealing” position. Pressure cook on high pressure then do a quick pressure release by carefully flipping the valve to the “venting” position until all of the steam is released according to the pressure indicator.
- Cool the beets and wear gloves to peel the skins.
Notes
Cook all beet sizes on high pressure followed by a quick pressure release.
* Very small (1 1/2” to 1 3/4” diameter) – 15 min
* Small (2” diameter) – 20 min
* Medium (2 1/4” diameter) – 25 min
* Medium-Large (2 1/2” diameter) – 30 min
* Large (2 3/4” diameter) – 35 min
* Extra Large (3” diameter) – 40 min