Instant Pot Beets are an easy 30-minute recipe that results in perfectly cooked beets every time. Perfect for meal prep, snacking, salads, spiralizing, and more. Time cooking chart included.
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If you are a beet lover, make sure to use these beets for Spring Veggie Power Bowl, Beet Hummus, Golden Beets Kale Salad, and Raspberry Beet Salad.
Why You’ll Love This:
- Easy, simple, 2-ingredient recipe.
- Cooking time is cut in half thanks to the efficiency of the Instant Pot.
- Pressure cooking beets locks in their nutrients (as opposed to boiling).
- Rich, earthy, and quite delicious when used in a variety of dishes.
How to Buy Beets
Beets are a healthy root vegetable that are in peak season from summer to late fall and come in a range of colors from red to pink to golden. Here are my best tips when shopping for whole beets at your local grocery store or farmer’s market:
- Stems attached: Buy a bunch of fresh beets with the stems attached (an indication of freshness), but remove them as soon as you get home. The stems continue to pull nutrients from the beetroot as they stay attached.
- Avoid hairy roots: Stay away from beet bunches with overly hairy roots, which indicates the beet is older and tougher.
- Size and taste: The flesh of small to medium beets will be sweeter while large to extra large beets will be earthy.
- Shape and color: The skins should be smooth, with no signs of blemishes or bruises. Red beets have a deep maroon color whereas golden beets should be deep orange.
Recipe Ingredients
Beets in the Instant Pot is a serious game changer and requires 2 ingredients – beets and cool water. Here’s a little more detail about each one:
- Beets: You can use red beets or yellow beets. The key is to pay attention to the beets diameter in relation to the cooking time. This is broken down for you in the handy chart below.
- Water: Water quantity will vary based on the size of your Instant Pot. Use 1 cup of water for a 6-quart and 2 cups water for 8-quart.
TIP: Don’t throw away those beautiful beet greens, which carry both flavor and nutrition. Cut the stems away and toss the delicate greens in salads.
Find the full recipe with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.
How to Cook Beets in Instant Pot
Cooking beets in the Instant Pot takes half the time when compared to oven-roasted beets and boiling beets on the stove. Here’s how to do it:
Scrub Beets
Scrub beets to remove as much dirt as you can (since we’ll be cooking them with the skins), then cut off stems about one inch from base.
Prepare Instant Pot
Place steamer basket or rack inside the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Fill with 1 cup water for 6qt Instant Pot (2 cups for 8qt Instant Pot).
Pressure Cook
Place beets on steaming rack in one single layer. Set the vent to sealing position and set cooking time on Manual mode for 15 minutes. Larger beets may need about 20-30 minutes. Smaller beets may only need 10 minutes (refer to time chart below).
Wait 5 minutes once the timer goes off, then do a natural pressure release.
Note: make sure to keep your face away from the valve and do not cover it with a towel.
Remove Skins
Use tongs to remove beets and place them in colander. Rinse beets under cold water and gently rub skins off with a paper towel.
Place beets on cutting board and trim ends off. Cut into quarters, slices or make noodles for easy meal prep.
Beets Cooking Time Chart
Instant Pot beetroot has never been easier thanks to this handy time cooking chart:
| Size of the Beets | Beets Diameter | Pressure Cooking Time (high pressure) |
| Very Small | 1.5 – 1.75 inches | 15 minutes |
| Small | 2 inches | 20 minutes |
| Medium | 2.25 inches | 25 minutes |
| Medium-Large | 2.5 inches | 30 minutes |
| Large | 2.75 inches | 35 minutes |
| Extra-Large | 3 inches | 40 minutes |
Beet Recipes
Once these Instant Pot beets have been cooked, the possibilities are endless. Having cooked beets in your fridge or freezer is so handy, and I love to use them in any of the following ways:
- Quarter the beets for snacking.
- Spiralize them into noodles for a side dish.
- Chop them for salads and toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
How to Store
Cooked beets will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Freeze: Transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or to room temperature before enjoying.
Recipe Tips & Notes:
Here are some of my best tips for the most consistent Instant Pot beets recipe:
- How to measure beets: Use a flexible fabric tape to measure the diameter and base the cooking time off of the largest beet in the bunch.
- Pressure cooking time: Cook time will vary based on the size of the beets. Refer to the cooking times in the chart above.
- Peel while still warm: It’s easier to remove the beet skins while they are still warm. You can also wear gloves to prevent staining your hands.
- Texture note: The cooking times listed results in fork tender beets. If you don’t like soft beets and prefer them firm and crisp, reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes respectively.
- Time-saving tip: Cut the beets in half with a sharp knife to reduce the pressure cooking time to 10 minutes, or cut them in quarters to reduce the time to 5 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
What is the healthiest way to cook beets?
The healthiest way to cook beets is to steam them. This is done easily and quickly with the help of our electric pressure cooker.
Can I eat the beet skins?
Yes, beet skins are edible and contain fiber and nutrients, however they are bitter tasting. I always recommend peeling the beets for the best flavor.
What if my beets are too firm?
If the beets are too firm, close the lid and pressure cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until fork-tender.
What if beets are odd sizes?
Most of the time, a bunch of beets vary in size. To counter this, you can cut the large ones in half and cook them along with the smaller beets. Always base the cooking time off of the beet with the largest diameter.
How do I know if beets have gone bad?
Raw beets that have gone bad will have an off-odor, soft texture, and slight discoloration. Discard any beets that have passed their expiration date before cooking.
If you make this Instant Pot Beets recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating on the blog! I love hearing from you, and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Xx Ashley
How To Make Instant Pot Beets
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs red beets or golden beets, about 4-6 beets
- 1 cup water, see notes
Instructions
- Scrub beets to remove as much dirt as you can; cut off stems about one inch from base.
- Place steaming rack inside Instant Pot (pressure cooker) and fill with 1 cup water for 6qt Instant Pot (2 cups for 8qt Instant Pot) and place beets on steaming rack in one layer; not piling on top of each other.
- Using Instant Pot manual mode and vent in the sealing position, cook beats for 15 minutes. Larger beets may need about 20 minutes. Smaller beets about 2" in diameter may only need 10 minutes.
- Pressure release: Once the timer goes off, carefully manually release the pressure.
- Remove and rinse: Use tongs to remove beets and place them in colander; rinse beets under cold water and gently rub skins off.
- Serve and store: Place beets on cutting board and trim ends off. Cut into quarters, slices or make into noodles for easy meal prep.
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