The only drawback of beetroot is its density, due to which the root crop can literally be cooked for hours, depending on the size. Fortunately, we have a few secrets of how to quickly cook whole beets, and we will share them in this material.
How to quickly cook whole beets in a pan?
If you want to get a moderately boiled root crop, then the process of its preparation in an accelerated version will take about 40 minutes. Preparation for cooking is simple: the beets are not cleaned, but simply washed well, removing any remaining external contamination, and placed in a saucepan filled with water. After the liquid boils, it should be detected for 30-40 minutes. At the end of time hot water drained from the root crops, and ice water is poured in instead (the colder the better). The temperature of cold water should be constant, therefore it is advisable to leave the saucepan under a small stream of water for 15 minutes, or drain the water every minute or two.
Another fast way it takes 15-20 minutes to cook beets, but is only suitable for those who want to preserve the texture of the vegetable. Washed roots are poured large quantity water and leave on high heat until boiling. After the start of boiling, it is necessary to detect 15-20 minutes, and at the end of the time, again, immediately pour the beets ice water. The temperature difference will bring the vegetable to readiness.
How to cook large beets quickly?
Like it or not, but large beets will always have to be cooked longer than their relatives of medium and small sizes. Put the washed root vegetables in boiling water so that the liquid completely covers them, and immediately reduce the heat to medium. Boil the beets for about 40 minutes, then lower the heat to low and leave for another 15 minutes. Be sure to immediately pour ice water over the root vegetables - this trick will help soften them and make it easier to peel.
How to steam beets correctly and quickly?
An alternative to boiling beets in water is steaming. Many housewives claim that steamed root vegetables cook faster, and nutritionists supplement that with this method of cooking, maximum content vitamins.
Boiling beets for a couple is easy: if you cook on the stove, then just place the washed root vegetables in a bowl, place it over boiling water, cover and check readiness after half an hour. Owners can use a kitchen gadget for this purpose by selecting the “Steaming” mode and setting the timer for 40 minutes.
Certain ones are cooked the fastest, especially Bordeaux - small flattened root crops with a thin skin. True, finding a certain type of vegetable can be difficult, therefore, even in case you come across an old 
thick-skinned beets, a microwave will help speed up cooking.
The fastest way involves pre-cutting the root crop, in this case At maximum power, cooking will take no more than 10 minutes.
A whole vegetable will have to be baked in the microwave for 14 minutes. After washing the beets, they are placed in a container suitable for cooking in the microwave, pour 100 ml of water into the same place, cover and set to cook for 7 minutes on one side. After, turn over and continue cooking for another 7 minutes. At the end of cooking, the beets are left to reach for another 10 minutes without opening the oven.
For those who are tired of the tediously long cooking of beets, we will tell you how to reduce the cooking time in a saucepan using little tricks that many housewives successfully use in their kitchens.
How to quickly cook whole beets?
There is a fairly common quick way to cook beets. Initially, a well-washed root crop is placed in cold water and put it on the stove. After a full boil, reduce the intensity of the fire to a minimum and cook medium-sized beets - thirty minutes, medium - forty minutes, and larger root crops - one hour. Then we drain the water and immediately substitute a bowl with a hot vegetable under a stream of cold water for about fifteen minutes. A temperature difference is created, which brings the beets to readiness.
Some housewives prefer to use the temperature difference method in a slightly different way. We put a pot of a slightly larger volume than is actually necessary in order to boil a certain amount of vegetable along with it on the stove. Pre-fill with water so that it barely covers the contents. After boiling, pour a little ice water into the vessel, and each time let it boil well again. Thus, the beets are cooked as much as in compliance with the previous recommendations, according to the size of the root crop.
How to quickly and tasty cook red beets for vinaigrette in a saucepan?
As you know, for beets it is better to bake in microwave oven or in the oven, and then everything taste qualities vegetables will be at the maximum high level. Its pulp will remain sweet, juicy and extremely saturated with vitamins and various elements. But if there is no desire or opportunity to use the oven or, then you can achieve the same effect simply in a saucepan. This will be completely easy to do.
So, thoroughly washed from the ground and dirt, the root crop is placed in a sealed tight plastic bag and tightly tie it to prevent air and moisture from getting inside. We place the workpiece in a saucepan with cold water and put it on the stove. After boiling, cook the beets in a bag at a moderate boil for one to two hours, depending on the size. Of course, it will take more time than we would like, but the taste of the vegetable will remain at its best and the vitamins will be in full order.
Note that this option of cooking beets in a saucepan is preferable not only for reasons of preserving the taste properties of the vegetable. It is also important that the pan after the process of such cooking remains completely clean, unlike the consequences of traditional cooking.
How to quickly cook large beets?
We will not offer barbaric methods for preparing large beets, which simply involve cutting the vegetable into several parts. After all, even an inexperienced culinary specialist is clear that in this way the vegetable is largely 
lose both taste and appearance, and will be left without an impressive portion of nutritional and beneficial properties.
So what to do in this case? The temperature difference method may not work here due to the impressive thickness of the fetus. In the center, the pulp of the vegetable may remain raw. But there is another effective method by which you can significantly speed up the process of cooking large beets. On the initial stage add a few tablespoons of vegetable oil to the water along with the vegetable. As you know, the boiling point of oil is higher than that of water. Thus, by adding oil to the water, we will increase the average temperature of the environment in which the beets will be boiled, which will contribute to its faster cooking.
It is considered a familiar everyday product. Many people use it in borscht, for herring under a fur coat, vinaigrette and other salads.
It's extremely healthy vegetable, containing a large number of vitamins (B, PP, P, folic acid), fiber, magnesium, iodine, potassium, manganese, iron, sulfur, rubidium, cesium. The composition of the root crop includes amino acids - arginine, betanine, histidine and many others.
During storage, beets do not lose vitamins and minerals, which makes them a natural source in winter.
The vegetable is low-calorie - only 40 kcal, so it has proven itself in dietary nutrition.
How to choose the right beet?
So that the red root crop has positive influence on the body, it must be learned how to choose, cook and store it correctly.
Criterias of choice:
- Small size - 5-10 cm. The size is hallmark table varieties of beets. The fodder and sugar beets are large and intended for livestock and industrial production Sahara. It is better to choose Gribovsky, Egyptian or Round Bordeaux. These are table varieties with excellent taste.
- Unwashed root crop. It is better to give preference to an unwashed vegetable in the store, as washing in production forces the use of special products to better remove dirt. They tend to accumulate, thereby threatening health. To eat such a beetroot, it must first be washed for a long time under running water. Not everyone knows about this, so it’s better to just clean it from dirt on your own at home.
- The beets should be free from sores, wormholes, mold and rot. The presence of this indicates incorrect storage and spoilage of the product. The greenish hue of the peel indicates the presence of solanine. This is a poisonous substance that has a toxic effect on the body.
- In the cut, the beet should be evenly colored. Color can vary from red to burgundy. The main thing is that there are no white or yellow blotches and patches in the pulp. This can be indicative of both fodder varieties and overuse of chemicals. The amount of nitrates in such a product will significantly exceed the norm.
How to choose the right root crop? Video:
How much is brewed?
Cooking beets takes quite a long time (about 2 hours on average). This is due to the special structure of the pulp, which contains a large amount of fiber and a small amount of starch. The time spent also depends on the size of the beets. The larger the size, the longer it will cook.
Cooking time also depends on the cooking method:
- in a saucepan - 30-90 minutes (it is better to lower the vegetable into boiling water, it will be faster);
- in a slow cooker - about an hour;
- in a double boiler - one hour;
- in the oven - about half an hour;
- in the microwave - from 8 to 20 minutes.
Before you start cooking, cut the tops, but do not cut the tails. This will help keep the color of the flesh, and the beet will not be watery. It is important to wash the peel well before starting cooking, without damaging it.
Traditional brewing method:
The readiness of the tubers can be checked with a fork.
When the fork easily pierces the peel and pulp, then cooking can be stopped.
The second way to determine readiness is by peel. Take out the vegetable and touch the skin with your finger. If it comes off easily, then the beets are ready.
Ways to speed up cooking
In order for beets to cook quickly, you need to know some tricks. Young root crops can speed up the cooking process.
Chopped vegetables cook much faster than whole ones. For example, if beetroot needs to be added to borsch, then it is rubbed on a grater and stewed in a pan. This will help speed up the cooking process.
If a red vegetable needs to be boiled urgently for a salad, then a fresh tuber needs to be peeled and chopped small cubes. Place in a container, add water and put in the microwave.
Boiled for about 10-15 minutes. To speed up the preparation of the salad, along with beets, you can send other ingredients - potatoes, carrots - to be prepared in a similar way. Salad, thus, will be prepared in half an hour.
It is not necessary to salt the beets until cooked, this will only slow down the cooking.
How to cook beetroot? Video:
Whole in a pot
To boil the whole beets, it is better to choose a small size. Pre-wash well (clean from dirt). Eyes and tails do not need to be cut off. This will help keep the color and keep excess moisture out.
In a saucepan, a vegetable can be cooked in several ways:
- Put a pot of water on gas and boil. pure product immerse in boiling water and cook until tender.
- Put the roots in a saucepan, pour cold water (so that the water covers the tubers by 5-10 cm). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender.
- A quick way of cooking is the effect of temperature changes. Cook in the second way, only after the water boils, boil for 30 minutes. After the vegetables, cool with cold water or ice for 15 minutes. After another 5 minutes, check readiness. If the beets are still not ready, then boil for another 10 minutes. But in most cases, such manipulation is not needed. The temperature difference helps the pulp to reach readiness.
In a slow cooker or pressure cooker
This kitchen gadget has made life easier for many housewives. With the help of a slow cooker, you can cook root crops quickly and tasty.
To do this, you can use one of the programs:
A pressure cooker will help to cook the root crop in the shortest possible time. But before using it, you need to check its serviceability. The pot should be no more than 2/3 filled with water. Place the root crops in a container with water, close the lid tightly and you can start cooking. At the end of cooking, release steam.
In a double boiler
This is the most useful way cooking. With the help of a double boiler, all useful substances are preserved in the product. whole vegetable Steamed for an hour.
Chopped will be ready in half an hour. When the edges of the beets become translucent, this indicates that they are ready.
in the microwave
Beets in a bag for baking in the microwave
This method takes 10 to 25 minutes. With the help of a microwave oven, the beets become sweeter and tastier and more reminiscent of baked beets.
You can cook both whole tubers and cut them into several parts.
For vinaigrette or herring in a fur coat, this is an ideal way, since the appearance of excess liquid is excluded.
Place a well-washed product in a special container for microwave ovens or a baking bag (but do not tie it). Place in the microwave on high power.
After 10-15 minutes, check the status of readiness. Continue cooking if necessary. There are special containers for microwave ovens with a double bottom. Water is poured there, and the product is prepared according to the principle of a double boiler. This method allows you to get a more juicy vegetable.
grated
For borscht, chopped beets are needed. It is pre-cleaned and rubbed on a grater. Next stew with a small amount broth or water.
To prevent the red tuber from changing its color, you can sprinkle it with vinegar or lemon. If there is a borscht sour cabbage, this will also preserve the brightness of the color.
If you grate the beets for Korean carrot, then this form can also be prepared using a double boiler. This will take 20-30 minutes of your time.
Video from the chef:
Cubes
To cook a red vegetable as quickly as possible, it must be cut into cubes and cooked in the microwave, steamed or in a saucepan - this will take 10-15 minutes. Chopped cubes can also be baked in the oven.
Depending on the cooking method, you can get juicier or drier pieces. To prevent the beets from losing their color, you need to add a little sugar when cooking.
To prevent the pieces from coloring other vegetables, boiled beets should be sprinkled with vegetable oil.
The cooking method must be chosen, taking into account what boiled beets are for and how much time is available.
Beets are not only a very common product in our latitudes, but also extremely useful, thanks to high content fiber, a whole range of trace elements and vitamins (A, B, C), as well as organic acids and amino acids. It is used as a remedy for a hangover, improves the functioning of the endocrine system and kidneys, is useful for diets and is necessary for pregnant women. Another interesting property of this root crop is its special resistance to heat treatment. It is known that when cooking, vegetables and fruits lose most of their useful components. The statement is true, but not for beets. Comparison fresh vegetable with boiled shows that the difference in performance is insignificant. It is this property that makes the root crop an indispensable source of vitamins, especially in the cold season.
Which beets to choose for cooking
The range in today's markets and stores is quite wide, but sometimes you can see fodder beets mixed with canteen, sluggish or spoiled root crops on sale. It's no secret that poor-quality raw materials can ruin any dish. 
To avoid this, you must adhere to three rules for choosing a vegetable:
- Table beet - medium size and smaller. Giant root crops can only be in a fodder variety.
- Dark burgundy color is also a good sign. Even an unripe table variety has an amaranth color. But the pinkish color is a clear sign of a tasteless vegetable.
- The skin should be even, smooth and without damage. Remember: even minor damage to the product becomes an entry point for bacteria.
Classic cooking recipe
The traditional way of boiling vegetables, regardless of their type, is most often the same:
- My product. We can clean, we can cook in the peel.
- Place in a pot of cold water and set over medium heat.
- After the water boils, reduce the heat and cook for several hours until tender. Make sure the water always covers the vegetables.
Important! Whichever method you choose, be sure to place the beets in cold water at the end. Among other things, this will allow you to then remove the peel easily and quickly.
The only difference in cooking beets is a long cooking process, about 3 hours on fire. By the way, if you put a vegetable in already boiling water, the cooking time will be reduced to 1 hour due to the temperature difference. 
How to quickly cook beets
We bring to your attention a recipe for even faster decoction, which takes no more than half an hour.
- We wash vegetables, do not cut tails.
- Dip them in a pot of boiling water and cook for about 20 minutes.
- Quickly transfer the vegetables to another container with cold water and leave there for 10 minutes. Ready!
However, there is a way to cook a vegetable even faster:
- We wash and clean the root crop and fill it with water 3-4 fingers above the beets.
- Put on high heat and bring to a boil. The pot should always be with the lid open.
- Boil for about 15 minutes over high heat.
- After that, place in a container and put under a stream of cold water for 10 minutes.
Video: how to cook beets quickly
Did you know? By adding different ingredients in the cooking process, we can get a different effect. So, when adding 1/2 tsp. vinegar in a pan, the beets will retain their beautiful burgundy color and will not stain all the dishes during the cooking process. The same effect will have on the product lemon juice and sugar. As for salt, salt does not affect the taste of the future dish in any way, because it evaporates in the process. But the root crop will definitely make it harder, which can be both a plus and a minus, depending on its purpose.
How to cook beets in the microwave
The sequence of actions is as follows:
- My vegetable. As for skinning - the choice is yours, you can do this and that.
- We pierce the root crop with a fork in different places for better penetration of microwaves.
- We place the beets in a baking sleeve or a regular plastic bag and put in the oven.
- With an oven power of 800 watts, the baking time is about 10 minutes.
V this method water is not used, as microwaves can penetrate deep into the product without additional means. You can bake not only in the microwave, but also in a conventional oven. The sequence of actions differs from the previous recipe only in that the bag or sleeve does not need to be used. Baking time in the oven - about half an hour at 200 ° C. Keep in mind that baking both the first and second recipes gives a sweeter taste than boiling or frying, but vitamin C almost completely evaporates.
Video: how to cook beets in the microwave
How to cook beets in a slow cooker
If you stand for hours at the stove - the prospect is not for you, a slow cooker will come to the rescue. The method is also good because with the help of this kitchen assistant you can not only boil, but also bake or stew beets.
The most useful way is steam cooking:
- We wash the vegetables, but do not clean or cut the tails.
- Pour water into a bowl. Place a steam rack on top.
- Lay the vegetables on the grill. It is important to choose root crops of the most similar size so that everything boils evenly. If it doesn't work, the most large vegetables can be cut into 2-3 parts to reduce size.
- The mode we need is "Steam". If this is not available, "Cooking" or "Soup" will do. Cooking time - 30-40 minutes.
- Open the slow cooker and check the readiness of vegetables with a fork. If necessary, turn on the mode again for 15-20 minutes.
Using a slow cooker and root crops, you can also cook baked beets:
- We wash the vegetables and put them in a slow cooker in a peel and with ponytails. It is tastier and healthier to bake the whole product, but you can cut it to speed up the process.
- We start the "Baking" mode and cook vegetables for 40-60 minutes. Remember that the younger the root crop, the faster it cooks.
- At the end, we check the readiness with a fork and, if necessary, start the process again for another 5-10 minutes.
Video: how to cook beets in a slow cooker
Important! If you cut the root vegetables, do not forget to add a little vinegar so that everything does not turn red.
How to steam beets
One of the mildest and most vitamin-saving ways of preparing a product is to steam it. The recipe is not only useful, but also simple:
- Wash, clean and cut the root crop.
- We put the chopped product in a double boiler and cook for 20 minutes.
How to cook vegetables for vinaigrette
One of the favorite recipes in our latitudes is vinaigrette salad. Its preparation itself is quite simple, but there are several nuances.
Ingredients (6-8 servings):
- 400 g
- 400 g
- 300 g
- 200 g
- 150 g
- 1 can of canned
- vegetable oil and salt to taste.
Recipe:
- The first step is to start cooking beets, as even the most fast option still takes longer than other products. For vinaigrette, beets can be boiled or baked.
- Boil potatoes (about 30 minutes) and carrots (15-20 minutes). Remember that these root vegetables need different times, so cook them separately or put the carrots in later.
- Cool the roots, peel and cut into cubes. We also cut into cubes pickled cucumbers and onions.
- We put everything in one container, add peas, salt and oil and mix thoroughly. Ready!
Did you know? Beets are one of the most common foods in the world and have been eaten since time immemorial. However, before people began to eat root crops, for a long time only tops were considered edible. It is worth emphasizing that it is in the leaves of this vegetable that a shock dose of vitamins is contained, so this gastronomic habit of the ancestors should not be abandoned at all.
Remember that there are many variations of the well-known salad. So, some people cook vinaigrette without peas or onions, with sauerkraut Mayonnaise is used instead of butter. Whichever option you like, you should know some recommendations from professionals. So, in a salad you can put not boiled, but baked beets. Together with sour-salted cucumbers and / or cabbage, such a dish will have a pleasant sweet and sour taste. 
To make a salad colorful, and not completely red, two tricks can be used. First of all, during the cooking process, you can add a little vinegar to the pan, it traps the color inside the product. Another option is to cut such a coloring product after the rest of the products, put it in a separate container and mix with a small amount of vegetable oil. It envelops the beet cubes and prevents the juice from flowing out. With boiling carrots and potatoes, there are usually no difficulties. If you boil potatoes whole, you can avoid overcooking by piercing each one with a knife or fork beforehand. These little tweaks will help create a truly flawless salad.
Important! With all the range of useful substances, there are some side effects with excessive use of the product. Fructose and glucose content can be harmful for people with type 2 diabetes. Do not lean on this vegetable and patients with osteoporosis, as beets prevent the absorption of calcium by the body. The third limitation is imposed by oxalic acid in the composition, which is undesirable in kidney diseases, in particular in urolithiasis.
As you can see, there are many ways to cook beets, and it is not necessary to spend half a day on this. Do not miss the opportunity to enrich the body with such a set of trace elements, which distinguishes this product.
Boiled beetroot is a product that is included in many delicious and healthy meals. However, housewives do not like to mess with beets, because the process of its preparation sometimes stretches for a long time. But how to quickly cook beets, giving them the necessary softness in just 15-40 minutes instead of the usual several hours of cooking? Simple recipes will help.
Cooking beets on a gas stove in a saucepan
Few people know that there is a quick way to cook beets on the stove that saves time. To quickly boil beets for salad, prepare them for cooking.
- Rinse the beets well under running cold water, if necessary, even wipe the contaminated areas with a brush. Do not remove ponytails and eyes from the root crop so that juice does not flow through the slices.
- Pour the root crops with ordinary cold water, bring quickly to a boil over high heat. When the water boils well, reduce the heat to moderate, cook for another half hour.
- Drain the boiling water immediately, and put the pan with beets under cold running water for 10 minutes. Then turn off the tap, wait another five minutes, and then taste the beets with a toothpick. If it enters the beets easily, then the root crop is ready. If necessary, cook for another ten minutes - and again under cold water. The temperature difference will allow the beets to become soft.
But in order to cook beets as quickly as possible, it is recommended to do this in the microwave and slow cooker.
Cooking beets in the microwave
Kitchen appliances, a pressure cooker and a microwave oven, will help you quickly cook beets, giving it an unusual sweetish taste. Washed large beets, cut into pieces, pierce the skin in several places, so that steam comes out better. To quickly cook beets in the microwave, you do not need a large amount of water.
Add just one tablespoon to a special microwave mold where the root vegetable lies. If you put beets in a baking bag, you can do without water at all. Place the beets in microwave oven or straight down the center or around the edges, cut into small pieces. The middle of the microwave has the weakest radiation, so fill it completely or leave it completely empty. Adjust the power to 750-800 watts, hold for about 15 minutes. Check the readiness of the beets with a fork. When the beetroot is soft, dip it in fairly cold water to make it easier to remove the skin.
Cooking beets in a slow cooker
Cooking vegetables in a slow cooker is very easy! They keep all their beneficial features, vitamins and minerals, and pleasant appearance. How to quickly cook beets in a slow cooker? choose correct mode, follow the instructions.
So the steamed beets will cook for about half an hour, the beets in the "Extinguishing" mode - up to three hours. The fastest way to cook beets is in the "Soup" or "Cooking" modes - from 40 minutes to an hour. Beets must be thoroughly washed and immersed in untreated water. Cut off the bottom of the beets and the tail.
You can put the beets in the oven. This will take approximately an hour. Beets cooked in a slow cooker will be soft and tender in taste. You can quickly prepare a salad from it or use it for the subsequent preparation of borscht.
