how to cook beets in instant pot

Make this Healthy Superfood Instant Pot Beets Recipe (Pressure Cooker Beets). This health-boosting nutrients goldmine is gluten-free, paleo, whole food. Super easy to make & great for salads, soups, pickled snacks, desserts, puree, or even smoothies!

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Beets.

Nutrients-bombs ruby gems with earthy robust flavors & fragrance.

Love the refreshing crunch with a soft chew, slightly juicy & sweet.

None can escape being beet up with blood-stained tongues & fingers…

What Are Beets?

What is beets and how to cook beets in Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker

Beets or beetroots are an ancient root vegetable – a health-boosting, immune-boosting nutrients goldmine.

Some research found that beets may possibly lower blood pressure, drop risks of heart disease, boost endurance performance, help fight inflammation, prevent chronic diseases, and help purify your blood and liver.

Even endurance athletes and bodybuilders try to incorporate beets into their regular diet.

Why Eat Beets?

Beets are on the road to becoming a rock star, gaining the spotlight on the healthy food stage.

You'll Enjoy Instant Pot Beets Because:

It's a nutrients powerhouse that improves your health: rich in antioxidants, essential vitamins, low in calories, high in iron, fiber, vitamin C, no cholesterol.
Super easy to make and easy to incorporate them into your regular diet (fits gluten-free, grain-free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, whole food diets)
Great source of beneficial carbohydrates to give you energy
Great crunch & satisfying texture

Make Instant Pot Beets Recipe (Pressure Cooker Beets): super easy to make for salads, soups, pickled snacks, desserts, puree, smoothies. Gluten-free, paleo, whole food, vegetarian, vegan.

Instant Pot Beets are Great for:

Side dish or snack – enjoy it as is, marinated or pickled
Adding into salads, soups, entrees, desserts as an ingredient
Making beet puree or even smoothies!

*Pro Tip: you can also eat beets raw after washing, trimming & slicing off the skin

Instant Pot Beets Experiment

Beets vary widely in sizes. So, how long should we pressure cook them for?

The best pressure cooking time highly depends on the thickness of the food item, so there's no one-size-fits-all cooking time for these ruby health-boosting gems.

Time for another pressure cooking experiment! 🙂

Pressure Cooker:Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker
Altitude: close to sea level
Liquid: 1 cup cold water
Pressure: High Pressure (10.15~11.6 psi)
Beets Circumference: 5 inches – 9 inches
Pressure Cooking Time: 8 mins – 30 mins
Release Method: Quick Release

Instant Pot Beets Recipe (Pressure Cooker Beets) Pressure Cooking Experiment using different sizes of fresh whole beets

Instant Pot Beets Experiment Results

We conducted 9+ tests with various sizes of beets at different cooking times in our Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker.

Instant Pot Beets Recipe (Pressure Cooker Beets) Experiment Results - tested in Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker — (Click on photo to enlarge chart)

Instant Pot Beets Experiment Conclusion

From the experiment results above, we've created a handy time chart for cooking Instant Pot Beets!

Instant Pot Beets Time Chart

Beets Circumference	Texture Preferences (firm & a little crunch – soft with some chew)
5 inches	High Pressure 11 – 15 mins, Quick Release
5.5 inches	High Pressure 14 – 18 mins, Quick Release
6 inches	High Pressure 17 – 21 mins, Quick Release
6.5 inches	High Pressure 18 – 23 mins, Quick Release
7 inches	High Pressure 20 – 25 mins, Quick Release
7.5 inches	High Pressure 24 – 28 mins, Quick Release
8 inches	High Pressure 27 – 31 mins, Quick Release
8.5 inches	High Pressure 30 – 34 mins, Quick Release
9 inches	High Pressure 32 – 36 mins, Quick Release

Ingredients for Instant Pot Beets Recipe

Make Instant Pot Beets Recipe (Pressure Cooker Beets) Experiment with different sizes of fresh whole beets

6 (1 3/4 lb, 784g) medium beets (7.5" circumference)
1 cup (250ml) cold water

Instructions for Instant Pot Beets Recipe

Step 1
Prepare Beets

Ingredient

6 (784g) medium beets (7.5" circumference)

Rub and wash the beets under cold running tap water.

If your beets come with greens & stems, trim them off and save them for another dish (stir-frying with garlic tastes great). Instant Pot Beets Recipe (Pressure Cooker Beets): trim off and discard the roots before pressure cooking Trim off & discard the roots.

Step 2
Pressure Cook Beets

Ingredient & Tool

1 cup (250ml) cold water

Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker
Steamer Basket

*Pro Tip: Measure your beets' circumference with a measuring tape, and adjust your pressure cooking time accordingly using the time chart below.

Make Instant Pot Beets Recipe (Pressure Cooker Beets): measuring beets sizes and circumference to determine best pressure cooking time — Measuring Beets' circumference

Beets Pressure Cooking Time Chart:

Pressure Cooking Method: High Pressure, then Quick Release

Beets Circumference: Texture Preference (Firm & a little crunchy – Soft with some chew)
5 inches: 11 – 15 minutes
5.5 inches: 14 – 18 minutes
6 inches: 17 – 21 minutes
6.5 inches: 18 – 23 minutes
7 inches: 20 – 25 minutes
7.5 inches: 24 – 28 minutes
8 inches: 27 – 31 minutes
8.5 inches: 30 – 34 minutes
9 inches: 32 – 36 minutes

Pour 1 cup (250ml) cold tap water in the pressure cooker.Place a trivet or steamer basket in the Instant Pot, then place 6 medium beets (784g, 7.5" circumference) on the trivet.

Make Instant Pot Beets Recipe (Pressure Cooker Beets): super easy to make for salads, soups, pickled snacks, desserts, puree, smoothies. Gluten-free, paleo, whole food, vegetarian, vegan.

Close the lid and cook at High Pressure for 24 minutes (firm and a little crunchy) – 28 minutes (soft with some chew) + Quick Release (immediately release the pressure by turning the venting knob to venting position).

Carefully open the lid.

Step 3
Peel and Serve Instant Pot Beets

Tool

Optional: Disposable Gloves

The skins are edible. To peel or not to peel is of personal preference.

Cut beets into quarters (you can wear disposable gloves to handle the beets if you don't want beet-stained fingers).

Season with salt if desired and serve hot or cold.

Make Instant Pot Beets Recipe (Pressure Cooker Beets): super easy to make for salads, soups, pickled snacks, desserts, puree, smoothies. Gluten-free, paleo, whole food, vegetarian, vegan.

*Storage: Cooked Beets can be stored in refrigerator for up to 4 – 5 days.

Cooking Tips for Instant Pot Beets Recipe

1. Choosing Beets

As mentioned above, the best pressure cooking time highly depends on the thickness of the beets, so choose beets roughly the same size to have evenly cooked beets!

2. How to Remove Beets Stains?

We found that if we wash our hands, towels, or chopping board with tap water immediately after handling the beets, the red coloring washes off fairly easily. But when we let it sit too long, the blood-red stains can be a little scary on your fingers.

But don't worry! Lemon juice or baking soda will work their magic in removing the beet juice stains. 🙂

Make Instant Pot Beets Recipe (Pressure Cooker Beets): super easy to make for salads, soups, pickled snacks, desserts, puree, smoothies. Gluten-free, paleo, whole food, vegetarian, vegan.

Servings 6

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Rate this Recipe

▢ 6 (1 3/4 lb, 784g) medium beets (7.5" circumference)
▢ 1 cup (250ml) cold water

♥ Share this Recipe so We can create more yummy recipes for you. Thank you 🙂

Prepare Beets: Rub and wash the beets under cold running tap water. If your beets come with greens & stems, trim them off and save them for another dish (stir-frying with garlic tastes great). Trim off & discard the roots.
Pressure Cook Beets: Pour 1 cup (250ml) cold tap water in the pressure cooker. Place a trivet or steamer basket in the Instant Pot, then place 6 medium beets (784g, 7.5" circumference) on the trivet. Close the lid and cook at High Pressure for 24 minutes (firm and a little crunchy) - 28 minutes (soft with some chew) + Quick Release (immediately release the pressure by turning the venting knob to venting position). Carefully open the lid.

*Pro Tip 1: Adjust the cooking time according to your beets' size using the time chart below.

Beets Pressure Cooking Time Chart:

Pressure Cooking Method: High Pressure, then Quick Release
Beets Circumference: Texture Preference (Firm & a little crunchy - Soft with some chew)

5 inches: 11 - 15 minutes

5.5 inches: 14 - 18 minutes

6 inches: 17 - 21 minutes

6.5 inches: 18 - 23 minutes

7 inches: 20 - 25 minutes 7.5 inches: 24 - 28 minutes

8 inches: 27 - 31 minutes

8.5 inches: 30 - 34 minutes

9 inches: 32 - 36 minutes
Peel and Serve: The skins are edible. To peel or not to peel is of personal preference. Cut beets into quarters (you can wear disposable gloves to handle the beets if you don't want beet-stained fingers). Season with salt if desired and serve hot or cold.

Storage Tip:Cooked Beets can be stored in refrigerator for up to 4 - 5 days.

*Rate Recipe: If you've tried the recipe, don't forget to Rate the Recipe in the Comments Section. Thank you!

Make Instant Pot Beets Recipe (Pressure Cooker Beets): super easy to make for salads, soups, pickled snacks, desserts, puree, smoothies. Gluten-free, paleo, whole food, vegetarian, vegan.

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