It’s no wonder why air fryer vegetables are so popular. From these beets cooked in air fryer to Air Fryer Corn, Air Fryer Asparagus, and even Air Fryer Green Beans, air-fried veggies are an easy way to pack major nutrition with few calories and exquisite taste. Plus, unlike veggies roasted in the oven, these recipes take less than 15 minutes to make—with five ingredients or fewer!
Learning how to air fry beets is a simple skill any chef can benefit from. This guide has what you need, from how to cook whole beets in an air fryer to peeling tips.
Ingredients
You only need four basic ingredients to whip up this air fryer beets recipe. Fast, tasty, and gluten-free, this delectable recipe won’t require any last-minute trips to the grocery store.
- Beets: Many different beet varieties will work for this air fryer recipe. Red beets, golden beets, and Chioggia beets (AKA candy cane beets) are just a few of my favorites. Whichever type you choose, just be sure to peel and cut them into small, 1-inch chunks before cooking them in your air fryer. With that being said, you can roast beets as a whole or with other root vegetables (i.e., sweet potatoes and carrots.)
- Oil: You can use either olive oil or avocado oil when cooking beets in an air fryer.
- Salt and black pepper: These two simple seasonings are the key to bringing out your air fryer beets’ earthy flavor and natural sweetness.
Optional Add-Ins
- Other root vegetables: Take this easy side dish to the next level by air frying your beets alongside another nutritious vegetable. Air fryer beets and carrots make a tender, filling combination, while air fryer beets and sweet potatoes will tantalize your tastebuds with a mildly sweet flavor. Or, roast all three together for a colorful veggie mix!
- Seasonings: Herby and light, fresh herbs like mint or parsley make a fantastic addition to your air fryer roasted beets. Or, top your beets with Italian seasoning for an extra earthy flavor.
- Toppings: If you’re a fan of rich, creamy flavor, you’ll love topping your roasted beets with goat cheese or feta cheese. Add a drizzle of olive oil, and your whole table will ask for seconds.
How to Cook Beets in Air Fryer?
Anyone can prepare roasted beets in an air fryer in minutes. In just five steps, these simple instructions will have even novice chefs making this great healthy side dish.
- Prepare the beets: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Peel and cut beets into 1-inch pieces.
- Toss the ingredients: Transfer the beet pieces to a mixing bowl. Drizzle them with olive oil, sprinkle them with salt and black pepper, and toss the ingredients until thoroughly combined.
- Add beets to the basket: Arrange the seasoned beets in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Cook beets in the air fryer: Place beets in the air fryer and cook for 15 minutes, flipping them halfway through the frying process.
- Serve: Transfer the air-fried beets to a serving platter and add additional seasoning if necessary.
Can I Cook Whole Beets in Air Fryer?
Yes! You can easily make roasted whole beets in the air fryer and eliminate the extra prep time that comes with chopping.
With that being said, there’s a direct correlation between size and air frying time, so choosing similarly-sized veggies is essential to ensure even cooking. Therefore, when roasting whole beets in an air fryer, I recommend selecting beets that are small and close to the same size.
The process and the air frying temperature do not change when roasting whole beets in an air fryer. Simply air fry your whole beets at 400 degrees F. and test for doneness after 15 minutes, flipping the veggies halfway through. Keep in mind, however, that it can take up to 20-25 minutes to roast whole beets in an air fryer, depending on the size of your beets.
You will also need to peel your veggies before placing the whole beets in the air fryer, as peeling them afterward will be more difficult. Using a vegetable peeler will make this step particularly easy.
How to Store, Reheat, and Freeze?
Air-fried beetroot is fantastic when it comes to easy storage. Whether you freeze your air fry beets for months or save your leftovers for the next day, these storage tips are a meal prep must.
- Store: Once you cook your beets in the air fryer, let them cool completely. Then, store them in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Reheat: I love to eat my leftover beets cold. However, you can also reheat your beetroot in the air fryer should you prefer to eat them warm. Place your leftovers in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- Freeze: To ensure your air-fried beets maintain their tender, roasted texture, you’ll need to flash-freeze them. Spread the cooled beets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze them solid. Then, transfer the pieces to a freezer-safe bag, remove as much air as possible, and freeze for up to three months.
How to Serve Air Fried Beets?
When you roast beets in an air fryer, you can design your menu in countless different ways. These menu ideas guarantee a five-star meal, from crisp salads to hearty mains.
- Top off a salad: Tender and flavorful, roasted beets from an air fryer make an excellent salad topper. Roasted Beet Salad is one of my favorite beet recipes to prepare during busy weekdays.
- Serve it as a side with meat: If you want a meal to impress, you’ll adore this sophisticated pair. After cooking beetroot in the air fryer, sprinkle it with feta or goat cheese and fresh herbs, such as fresh mint or parsley, and serve it alongside a hearty protein. Air-fried beets go exceptionally well with elevated meat dishes, such as Instant Pot Lamb Shanks or Reverse Sear Chateaubriand.
- On top of hummus: Out of all the great combinations, easy roasted air fryer beets and savory hummus are among the greatest. Add your cooked beets to tasty hummus recipes, like my Mediterranean Hummus or Carrot Hummus, and you won’t believe how much variation you can achieve in your snacks.
Expert Tips
There’s no secret to this mouthwatering air fryer beet recipe. Following these pro cooking tips, your beets will be perfectly tender and exquisitely crisp every time.
- Oil: One tablespoon is the ideal amount of oil for 1 pound of fresh beets that are medium-sized. We initially tried making this recipe using a teaspoon of oil as we wanted to use the least amount of oil possible. However, we quickly found out that an adequate amount of oil is an important factor when it comes to ensuring that your beets don’t dry up or lose their tender texture during the air frying process.
- Peeling and cutting: For the best results, I recommend peeling and cutting your raw beets into 1-inch chunks before air frying them. This is not to say you can not do it later, but we found it much easier to do it beforehand.
- Roast with other root vegetables: If you can’t get enough vegetarian recipes, you’ll love air frying your beets alongside another nutritious root vegetable. Carrots and sweet potatoes are two of my favorite air-fried pairs, and they take the same amount of time in the air fryer to cook properly.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket: When air frying beets, it’s essential that you don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket, as too many beets will result in uneven cooking. I also recommend tossing your beets halfway through the roasting process to give each side equal roasting time.
FAQs
The total time it takes to make air fryer roasted beets is 15 minutes at 400 degrees F. However, there is a direct correlation between the size of the beets and air frying time. For best results, we recommend cutting beets in equal sizes before roasting them in the air fryer.
I highly recommend peeling your beets before cooking them in your air fryer. Unlike boiled beets, air-fried beet skin is much more difficult to remove after cooking.
If necessary, you can roast canned beets in an air fryer. Just be sure to dry each piece as much as possible with a clean paper towel before mixing it with the oil and seasonings.
Yes! If you want a zesty, mellow alternative to red beets, air fryer golden beets are an excellent choice. The process and air frying time do not change. Simply follow the air fryer beets recipe below as written.
To see if your air fryer beets don’t need more cooking, insert a knife into their center. If the blade enters easily, your beets are ready to serve. If the knife finds resistance, you may add a few minutes of cooking time.
Other Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes You Might Like
I think we can all agree that air fryer veggies are healthy and easy to make. Not to mention, they make a great side dish. Here are a few more easy recipes to help you satisfy your cravings and get your fill of healthy nutrients:
If you try this Air Fryer Beets recipe or any other recipe on Foolproof Living, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.
Air Fryer Beets Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound beets, red, gold or Chioggia beets would all work
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer and prep the beets: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Peel and cut beets into 1-inch pieces.
- Season the beets: Transfer to a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Transfer to the air fryer: Transfer the beets into the now-preheated air fryer basket and make sure they are in a single layer.
- Air fry: Air fry for 15 minutes or until they are fork tender. Be sure to turn once halfway through the air frying process.
- Serve: Carefully transfer them to a serving platter, taste for seasoning, and add more if necessary.
Notes
- Store: Once you cook your beets in the air fryer, let them cool completely. Then, store them in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Reheat: I love to eat my leftover beets cold. However, you can also reheat your beets in the air fryer should you prefer to eat them warm. Place your leftovers in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- Freeze: To ensure your air-fried beets maintain their tender, roasted texture, you’ll need to flash-freeze them. Spread the cooled beets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze them solid. Then, transfer the pieces to a freezer-safe bag, remove as much air as possible, and freeze for up to three months.
- Roasting whole beets: You can roast whole beets in the air fryer. However, please remember that there’s a direct correlation between size and air frying time, so choosing similarly-sized veggies is essential to ensure even cooking. Therefore, when shopping for beets, purchase beets that are small and equal in size. The ones you see in the photos took about 15-20 minutes, but larger ones would take more time to fry.
- Using other root vegetables: Thanks to similar air frying times, you can roast sweet potatoes and carrots along with beets.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
