How to cook beets quickly? This question is often asked not only by novice cooks, because the preparation of such a root crop has its own subtleties and secrets that will allow you to cook it correctly, without losing color, taste and nutrients. There are many ways to cook beets, and each of them deserves special attention.
How to cook beets quickly
Not every housewife wants to spend all her free time in the kitchen, so she is looking for tips that will help her quickly but tasty cook this or that dish. So it can take up to 4 hours to cook beets, but there are some tricks that will help reduce the time by several times.
First, boil water, then lay the beets and wait half an hour, then pour out the water and leave the root crop under a stream of very cold water for 15 minutes. Due to a sharp jump in temperature, the beets will reach full readiness and, as a result, the process will take only 50 minutes.
There is another option that will allow you to cook beets even faster. We put beets in a saucepan, pour in a lot of water and cook on high heat under a closed lid for 15 minutes, then also leave the root crop under running cold water for 10 minutes.
Cooking beets in a bag
Many housewives do not really like to cook beets because after it you need to wash the pan for a long time, and during the cooking process, a not very pleasant smell disperses throughout the apartment. But such problems can be easily solved with a regular package.
We put the beets in the bag, expel the air and tie the bag with the contents almost at the very edge. We lower the package with beets into a saucepan with water and, after boiling, cook it for an hour. This method allows you to boil delicious and sweet beets, since the vegetable does not come into contact with water.
Cooking beets in the microwave
You can cook beets in a conventional microwave. By the way, this is the most "lightning" way to cook it. To do this, we take a root crop and make punctures in several places, put it in a bag or in a microwave container. Bake for ten minutes at maximum power.
Boil the whole beetroot in a saucepan
To speed up the process of cooking large beets, some housewives cut them into pieces, then this method will lead to the fact that the beets will lose not only their rich color, but also all the nutrients.
So how do you cook a large beetroot? Reception with a sharp temperature drop is not suitable here due to the large size of the root crop, the core will still remain raw. But there is an effective way, which is that the beets are placed in water with vegetable oil and the root crop is boiled on the stove over medium heat. The thing is that as a result of mixing the liquid with oil, the boiling point rises, and the process of cooking beets is noticeably reduced.
How to cook in a slow cooker?
Quickly and without losing valuable substances, you can cook beets in a slow cooker. To do this, we put the well-washed and dried root crop in a basket for steam dishes. Pour water into the bowl of the device, about 8 multi-glasses, fix the basket with beets, set the "Steam" mode and time 40 minutes.
After the signal, we check the readiness of the vegetable, if it is not soft enough, then we extend the regimen time by another 20 minutes. It all depends on the size of the fetus and the power of the device.
If the beet is large, then it can be cut in half, and here you should not be afraid that the root crop will lose its value, the steam mode of the multicooker will not allow this. If the model does not support such a program, then you can select the "Cooking" or "Soup" mode.
- For cooking, it is not necessary to peel the beets, we even leave the tails, because the structure of the fruit is disturbed in this way, all the juiciness will come out of it, the beets will become dull and watery. Just thoroughly wash the root crop with a brush.
- At the beginning of cooking, you do not need to add salt to the vegetable, such a component will make the root crop hard and prolong the cooking process. It is better to salt directly the dish for which the beets were cooked.
- So that during the boiling process the beets do not lose their rich color, after boiling, you can put a spoonful of granulated sugar or citric acid or half a spoonful of vinegar to it.
- If you put a piece of bread in a pan with a vegetable, you can remove the very unpleasant smell that many housewives do not like so much.
- If the beet is wilted, you should not get rid of it, you just need to pour boiling water over it, then hold it in water at room temperature until the root crop swells, and then boil it.
- Also, do not pour water from under the beets, if you add cinnamon, ginger and lemon juice to the beetroot broth, you can get a healing and tasty drink.
- Be sure to use young (not old) beet tops in cooking, because it contains more vitamins than beets themselves. Some housewives cook borscht, beetroot or cook pkhali from it.
Boiled beets are not a very appetizing vegetable. But in the composition of many dishes, it is boiled beetroot that plays a key role, and without it, the taste and aroma would be completely inexpressive. And there is no better way to enrich a salad, soup or other healthy dish than to quickly boil beetroot and add it to the main ingredients. The only problem is that by cooking the beetroot quickly, you can easily deprive it of its beneficial properties and turn it into a vegetable "dummy" suitable only as a source of fiber. Even the color of boiled beetroot is lost and becomes dirty brown instead of rich burgundy.
Boiling beet for a long time is also not an option: it’s a pity for time, and you don’t want to turn the kitchen into a steam room. And here is the time to remember modern kitchen appliances, which greatly facilitate many culinary processes, including cooking beetroot. We don’t know what opportunities you have, so just in case, we’ll tell you how to quickly cook beetroot in a microwave, slow cooker, pressure cooker and double boiler. Although you can quickly cook beets in the old fashioned way, in a saucepan, if you follow some subtleties. By the same rules, you can quickly cook beetroot, carrots and other root crops.
Beet boil time. The composition, properties and features of the preparation of beets
Buryak was part of the human diet long before our era, and the root crop and beet tops were valued and used for food almost on an equal footing. Beet leaves are a light dietary product, like any greens, and the underground part of the vegetable has a much greater nutritional and energy value. This is true for all varieties of beets, table, sugar and fodder, including the common red beet, which is prepared at home: 
Raw beets could be called more useful than boiled, if not for one feature. Boiled beetroot is better absorbed by the body, especially with a sensitive digestive system. In order to completely boil beetroot in water until soft, it will take at least an hour with active boiling. During this time, most vitamins will be destroyed. To reduce the loss of vitamins, beetroot is boiled in a peel, without even removing the base of the stems and roots. In such a simple way, you can save the benefits, taste and color of boiled beetroot.
How to properly and quickly cook beetroot in a saucepan?
The speed of cooking beetroot on the stove depends on the correct preparation of vegetables. Try to buy small beets so that all beetroots are about the same in weight. This will allow you to cook beetroot in 20-40 minutes instead of a full hour. Use a light saucepan and cold unsalted water: 
- Rinse the beet under running water and scrub with a brush to remove the slightest dirt. But do not use a knife, do not cut off the peel and even the eyes, in order to keep the skin as intact as possible and not create holes for the beet juice to leak.
- Place the washed beets in a saucepan and cover with cold water to completely cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce it and cook the beet for another 20 minutes under the lid.
- After 20 minutes, take the pot off the heat, immediately pour out all the boiling water, and pour the beets in the pan with as cold water as possible. Leave the boiled beetroot in cold water for 10-15 minutes, then pierce it with a fork or the tip of a knife to check for softness.
How to quickly cook beetroot in the microwave?
The microwave oven is great for quick cooking beetroot. Microwaved beets are sweeter, brighter, and more reminiscent of roasted vegetables than boiled ones.
- Choose medium-sized beets, and if there are none, cut the large ones into identical pieces. Be sure to wash the beetroot and then pierce the skin with a fork in several places so that it does not burst when heated in the oven.
- You can cook beetroot in the microwave in a special dish or a bag for baking in the microwave - the result will be about the same. In the first case, pour a tablespoon of water on the bottom of the dish and cover with a lid, and in the second case, no water is needed.
- Microwave small vegetables or chunks separately, in small portions, so that they are distributed either around the perimeter of the round stand, or all in the center. This requirement is due to the uneven distribution of microwaves inside the oven.
- Turn on the microwave at a power of 800-850 W for 15 minutes. After that, check the softness of the beetroot and, if you need to continue cooking, turn the root crops over and turn on the oven for another five minutes.
How to quickly cook beetroot in a slow cooker?
Cooked in a slow cooker, the beets remain tasty, healthy and beautifully colored, suitable for salads and snacks:
- Medium-sized beets can be cooked whole, after washing thoroughly. It is advisable to peel a large beet after washing and cut into small cubes.
- Place a whole beetroot in the multicooker bowl and turn on the appliance in the “Baking” mode for 40 minutes.
- Put the chopped beets into a multicooker bowl and fill with water. Cook in the "Cooking" mode for 15-20 minutes.
How to cook beetroot correctly? Useful tips about cooking beetroot
Cooking beets quickly does not always mean right, but it is quite possible to combine these conditions. Recommendations concern not only the cooking process itself, but also the choice and preparation of beetroot for cooking:
- Choose Bordeaux beetroot for cooking. It is easy to distinguish by its characteristic slightly flattened shape, rich color and small, neat root crops.
- Salt in the water in which the beetroot is boiled will make the vegetables tasteless and hard. If you want to salt the dish, do it at the stage of combining the ingredients, when you add the already cooked beetroot.
- To preserve the beautiful ruby color of the boiled beet, add freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 large lemon per 3 liters of water), table vinegar (1 tablespoon per 3 liters) or a pinch of granulated sugar to the water.
Temporary norms for cooking beets in a saucepan, steamed, in a slow cooker and microwave.
Beetroot is a tasty and healthy vegetable with a rich color. It is very popular in winter, when there are very few fresh vegetables and herbs on store shelves. Beets contain a lot of vitamins and minerals, in addition, this product is ideal for feeding children and people with low hemoglobin.
How long does it take to cook beets until tender in a vinaigrette pot?
The cooking time of the root crop depends on many factors. A huge role is played by the age of the root crop, its size and method of preparation. Devices such as a slow cooker, microwave and steamer help speed up the process of cooking vegetables.
Features of cooking beets in a vinaigrette pan:
- If you put the vegetable in cold water, then the cooking time will be 1.5-2 hours
- You can speed up the cooking process by immersing the root crop in a pot of boiling water.
- When vegetables are immersed in boiling water, they will cook in 1 hour.
- If you are in a hurry and want to quickly boil the beets, you can pour the juice of one lemon into boiling water. This amount of acid is enough for 3 liters of water. Cooking time will be 40 minutes
How long to cook young beets until cooked in a saucepan?
Young beets are a storehouse of vitamins. This is an excellent product that is best used fresh for making Korean-style cabbage and carrot salads.
Instruction:
- Get a pot full of water and put it on the fire. After boiling, pour in a little vinegar. This will help the vegetable not lose color.
- Immerse young root crops, you do not need to remove the skin from them
- If the fruits are small, boil them for 40 minutes. Vegetables of medium and large size can be cooked 1-1.5 hours
If you want to make it easier to remove the skin after cooking a vegetable, after boiling it, pour ice water over it and let it stand.
How much to cook beets for salad with garlic and herring under a fur coat?
In winter and early spring, when there are few fresh vegetables on the shelves and they are quite expensive, delicious salads with garlic, herring, nuts and raisins are prepared from beets. The cooking time of vegetables for these salads depends on the size of the root crops.
Time and features of cooking beets for herring under a fur coat and salads:
- Vegetable for such dishes should be well cooked and not crunchy.
- Small root crops should be put in boiling water and boiled for 40 minutes
- Large vegetables will take longer to cook, the cooking time is 1.5 hours
Readiness can be determined with a fork. It should be up to half and easily enter the root crop.
How and how much to cook beets in a slow cooker?
There are several ways to cook root vegetables in a slow cooker. If you want the beets to retain the maximum benefit and vitamins, steam them, that is, using a metal bowl with holes. Beets can also be boiled in the "Soup" mode.
Instructions and cooking time for beets in a slow cooker:
- The fastest way and saving the maximum of useful substances, you can cook the root crop in a slow cooker in the “Steamer” mode
- To do this, fill the bowl by a third with water. Cut large root vegetables into 4 pieces and place cut-side up on a perforated insert. This is necessary so that the juice does not leak during cooking.
- After that, place a container with holes over a bowl of water and turn on the "Steam" mode for 40-50 minutes
- If cooking in the "Soup" mode, then simply put the beets in a container of water and cook for 60 minutes
How and how much to cook beets in a double boiler for a couple?
A steamer and a pressure cooker can save a lot of time when cooking. A special cooking mode speeds up the readiness of products.
Instructions for boiling beets in a double boiler:
- Fill the main container 2/3 full with water, you can add a little lemon juice and salt to the water. Boil the water
- Place a sheet with holes on top of the main container, lay the washed root crops on top of it. They must first remove the ponytails
- Close the steamer with a lid and cook the vegetables for 25-45 minutes. The smaller the root vegetables, the faster they will cook. Large beets cook 45 minutes
How and how much to cook beets in a pressure cooker?
In a pressure cooker, vegetables are not just boiled, but cooked under pressure, this is what allows you to significantly reduce the cooking time of products.
Instructions for cooking beets in a pressure cooker:
- Wash the beets and rub them with a brush. Cut off the ends and rinse the roots again
- Put the vegetables in a container and fill it with water so that it covers the food a little.
- Turn on the pressure cooker and cook the beets for 30 minutes
How quickly and how much to cook beets in the microwave?
The microwave is a real helper in any kitchen. It allows you to cook, fry and heat food.
Instructions for cooking beets in the microwave:
- Rinse the root vegetables and pre-cut the ends
- Place the vegetables in a deep dish and cover with a special microwave lid. No need to pour water into the bowl
- Turn on the oven for 10 minutes at 800 watts. After that, cool the beetroot and test it for readiness by piercing it with a knife
How many hours to cook large, large beets, whole?
The cooking time of beetroot depends on its age and method of cooking.
Cooking time for large and whole beets:
- Regular pot simmering in cold water: 3 hours
- Normal cooking in a saucepan when immersing a vegetable in boiling water: 1-1.5 hours
- Cooking in the microwave at maximum power: 30 minutes
- Cooking in a pressure cooker: 40 minutes
How much to cook whole medium and small beets?
Many housewives prefer small beets. Such root crops have a pleasant sweet taste and are quickly prepared.
Cooking time for small beets:
- Cooking in a saucepan in boiling water when immersed in it immediately: 40 minutes
- In a pressure cooker: 25 minutes
- Microwave at maximum power: 10 minutes
How much to cook grated beets?
Most often, the root crop is rubbed to make borscht. Many housewives recommend not to cook, but to fry the root crop along with onions and carrots when preparing tomato dressing.
Options for cooking grated beets for borscht:
- Fry with onions and carrots for 5 minutes and simmer after adding the tomato for another 5 minutes. Enter into borscht before turning it off
- You can add beets directly to the broth. To do this, 15 minutes before the end of the cooking process, add the grated vegetable and pour in a spoonful of lemon juice. Cook for 10-15 minutes
How much to cook peeled and chopped beets?
Cooking time depends on the size of the pieces.
Cooking time for peeled beets:
- If the pieces are small, 20 minutes is enough. In this case, the vegetable is placed in boiling water. Salt the dish at the end
- If you cut a large beetroot into 4 pieces, you can boil it in boiling water in just 30-40 minutes
How and how much to cook beets for borscht?
It all depends on how the first dish is prepared. Many women do not fry anything, but lay the peeled vegetables in turn and boil them. In this case, the beets are chopped and boiled for 30 minutes, after adding a spoonful of lemon juice. This is necessary so that the beets do not lose color.
You can prepare a dressing for borscht, in which case the beets are cut into strips and fried together with onions and carrots. After acquiring golden vegetables, pour in the tomato and simmer for another 7 minutes. Zazharka is introduced into the broth 7 minutes before the end of cooking.
How and how much to cook beets for beetroot?
There is a lot of controversy about the origin of this dish. Someone considers beetroot a dish of Russian cuisine, but some are sure that this is a Belarusian product. Usually beetroot is served cold and has a rich color.
Instructions for cooking beets for beetroot
- Wash the vegetable, but do not peel. Cut off the tails and submerge the whole roots in the boiling liquid.
- Boil the vegetable for 50-60 minutes
- A slightly damp root crop must be peeled and grated. Grated beets are introduced 10-15 minutes before the end of cooking
How much to cook beets for a child
In winter, mothers try in every possible way to diversify the baby's menu, while retaining all the vitamins. Since there are few fresh vegetables at this time, vinaigrettes, caviar are often prepared from beets for babies, or simply served with oil and salt.
Cooking time for beets for a child:
- It is best to cook a vegetable for babies in a peel, so it will retain a maximum of vitamins.
- Wash the vegetables and put them in a pressure cooker. Leave for 30 minutes
- You can cook vegetables in a saucepan in boiling water, for this, the roots are immersed in a saucepan of boiling water and boiled for 40-60 minutes
- Choose small root vegetables for cooking
Beets are an excellent vegetable from which you can cook a lot of first courses, salads and snacks. The maximum of vitamins is contained just in boiled beets in the peel.
VIDEO: Beet Boiling Methods
Do you still think that cooking beets is long and tiring? But knowing simple and effective tips, the whole beet will cook as quickly as possible, while retaining all its unique beneficial properties. Step by step recipe with photos. Video recipe.
Beetroot is a unique vegetable with a lot of useful properties, so it is very common in cooking. Salads, first and second courses are prepared with it. For the first, most often boiled root crops are required. Beets are cooked for quite a long time - from 1.5 to 2 hours. It depends on size and age. Therefore, in most cases, this nuance is taken into account and the tubers are boiled in advance. But sometimes it happens that there is no time for long cooking, and then the task is to reduce the cooking time of the vegetable. Today we will learn one of these ways.
Secrets of how to cook beets correctly, and not only ...
- Do not cut off the tail while cooking. If you break the integrity of the beets, juice will flow out of it, it will turn out whitish and watery.
- At the beginning of cooking, do not salt the beets, because. the salt will evaporate anyway and make the vegetable hard, which will increase the cooking time. Salt the beetroot dish already.
- Beets will retain their beautiful bright color if, after boiling, add 0.5 tsp to it. vinegar, 1 tsp sugar or a little lemon juice.
- Don't like the smell of beets? Neutralize it by putting a crust of bread in a saucepan.
- If the beets are dry, scald them with boiling water, pour water at room temperature and leave to swell. After that, send it to the fire without changing the water.
- So that other vegetables (for example, potatoes) do not “color” in the vinaigrette, cut the boiled beets into slices and sprinkle with vegetable oil.
- Calorie content per 100 g - 89 kcal.
- The number of servings - 3 pcs.
- Cooking time - 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- Beets - 3 pcs.
- Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp.
- Citric acid - 1 tsp
Step-by-step preparation of quick cooking beets, recipe with photo:
1. Pour drinking water into a saucepan and place on the stove.
2. Add vegetable oil to the water.
3. Next, pour in citric acid and bring the water to a boil.
4. Clean and wash the beets well with a brush. Do not remove the peel, cook the fruits with it.
5. Dip the beets in boiling water so that the roots are completely covered, otherwise the water will boil away before the vegetables are cooked.
6. Bring the water back to a boil over high heat, as after adding the beets, the temperature will cool down a bit.
7. Boil the beets for half an hour without covering the pan with a lid, and transfer the fruits to a bowl of ice water. Keep it for 15 minutes.
8. Drain the cold water and use the beets in salads and other dishes.
The secret of fast cooking of beets lies precisely in the temperature difference, which brings the beets to readiness and the whole cooking process takes 40-50 minutes. If you put the root vegetables in a pot of cold water and put it on the stove, the cooking time will be 2-3 hours. Therefore, always finish the cooking process with cold water. Then the beets, in addition to being ready, will also be easier to peel.
See also the video recipe on how to quickly cook beets.
