Instant Pot Beets
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Published Oct 04, 2022, Updated Jun 04, 2024
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Here’s how to cook beets in the Instant Pot perfectly every time! These Instant Pot beets are so easy and come together in about 20 minutes, which is less than half the time of cooking beets in the oven.
I’m a huge beet lover and will eat them just about any way – pickled, marinated, roasted… you name it! The only thing I don’t love is how long they can take to cook. For example, roasted beets can take up to 90 minutes to cook depending on how large the beets are. That’s where instant pot beets come in! Cooking beets in your pressure cooker take only 15 minutes, which is seriously a game changer because I don’t have a ton of extra time on hand to cook right now with a toddler and newborn at home.
Beet Nutrition
Beets are a healthy root vegetable that everybody should add to their diet! They’re a great source of fiber and antioxidants and packed with a ton of vitamins and minerals, like folate, potassium, iron and vitamin C. Beets also contain pigments called betalains, which possess a number of anti-inflammatory properties… pretty cool! Consuming beets has been linked to reduced blood pressure and improved exercise performance! (Source).
Type of Beets
You’re probably familiar with the common deep-red beets, but did you know there are many different variations:
- Golden beets – I love golden beets! They are sweeter and less earthy than red beets.
- Chioggia beets – these beets are pink and white striped… so fun! Also sweeter and less earthy tasting.
- White beets – I haven’t tried these but they are also sweeter. Some claim that they lack some nutrients compared to the colorful variations but I can’t say for sure!
- Red beets – what most people think of when they hear “beets.” A delicious, slightly sweet vegetable.
Buying & Storing Beets
When purchasing fresh beets from a local grocery store, you’ll want to look for bright green leaves that aren’t wilting. The root should be a deep maroon color that’s firm to the touch and has smooth skin without cuts or bruises. Avoid them if they’re soft or wrinkled!
You should remove the green leaves after purchasing. You can do this by twisting and pulling them from the root. Use your beet greens in another recipe – I love my sautéed beet greens! The leaves and stems keep pulling nutrients from the root as long as they are there and will cause the root to go bad quicker. Once your leaves have been removed you can keep your beets in the fridge for up to one month.
How to Cook Beets in The Instant Pot
This instant pot beets recipe is so easy! First, prep your beets by cutting off the greens about ½ inch above the beetroot.
Use a vegetable scrubber to scrub the beets well, removing any dirt that you can front the root vegetable. Now, you’re ready for the Instant Pot!
Place trivet into the bottom of your Instant Pot and add 1 cup of water into the pot. Place the beets on the rack in a single layer, cover with a lid and set the valve to the “sealing” position. Pressure cook on high pressure for 12-18 minutes, until fork tender. Time will depend on the size of the beets. Release pressure manually by carefully moving the valve to the “venting” position.
Check to ensure the beets are done by inserting a knife into the center. If it goes in easily, the beets are ready! If not, then cook on high pressure for another 2 minutes until the beets are tender. Let the beets cool, peel the skin off, slice/chop, season to taste with salt and pepper and use in recipes as desired!
Ways to Use Instant Pot Beets
- Serve alongside a protein: apple cider vinegar chicken, spinach feta turkey burger, black bean burger, crispy baked tofu, balsamic glazed salmon or air fryer salmon.
- Serve with a grain: farro, brown rice, cauliflower rice or quinoa. Cooked beets would also be a great addition to this buddha bowl.
- Add to a salad: beet power mason jar salad, baby beet and clementine salad or beet salad with arugula.
- Make this beet hummus and serve with pita chips and veggies.
Storing & Reheating
Store any leftover beets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. I like to reheat the beets in a toaster oven or regular oven to help them crisp up a little bit before enjoying. You can also freeze cooked beets to use at a later date. Just dice up your beets and store them in an airtight freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
More Beet Recipes
- Beet Power Mason Jar Salad
- Baby Beet and Clementine Salad
- Beet Hummus
- Sautéed Beet Greens with Roasted Beets
- Simple Beet Greens
- Easy Roasted Beets
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
- Apple Steel Cut Oatmeal (Slow Cooker or Instant Pot)
- Instant Pot Egg White Bites
- Butternut Squash and Turkey Chili
Be sure to check out all of the beet recipes as well as the full collection of side dishes on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Instant Pot Beets
Ingredients
- 4-6 medium beets
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Trim beets and discard the roots and stems. I highly recommend saving the beet greens for another recipe! Wash well, making sure to scrub off any residual dirt.
- Place a rack into the bottom of your Instant Pot and add 1 cup water into the pot. Place beets on the rack in a single layer, cover with the lid and set the valve to the “sealing” position.
- Pressure cook on high pressure for 12-18 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Release pressure manually by carefully moving the valve to the “venting” position.
- Check to make sure the beets are done by inserting a knife into the center. If it goes in easily, the beets are done. If you’re met with some resistance you can place the cover back on the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for another 1-2 minutes or until the beets are tender.
- Let beets cool, peel the skin off and chop or use in recipes as desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I usually roast beets and now have tried this and it is so easy and so much faster. Plus no foil waste–when I do in the oven I line the sheet pan with foil and cover the beets –etc so this method eliminates all of that.
Yay! I am excited to hear that you are loving this method, Frances! Thank you for coming back and sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it.
I’m going to dust off the instant pot for this one. I love roasting beets in the oven, but not only does that require more advanced planning, but it’s almost always a “no” in the summer as it gets the kitchen too hot.