Whole Instant Pot beets whole have never been easier to make! Using your multipot pressure cooker you too can make vegetables tender and flavorful in no time at all. A Crockpot Express or Ninja Foodi works well for this as well.

Close-up of a fork holding a slice of cooked beet, tenderly prepared using an Instant Pot, on a plate with more beet slices in the background.

Do you love a beet side dish but have never made it at home yourself? Well if you follow this easy pressure cooker beets recipe you'll be amazed at how simple it is to go from fresh but hard out of the garden to tender and good! one of many Instant Pot recipes here on Pynmi blog. (affiliate links present)

Instant Pot Beets Whole

This is a underestimated vegetable for sure. If you have never tried them it is all about the seasonings and getting them soft so the texture is solid. All you need is an electric pressure cooker, a trivet or steamer basket and that is it! You'll get tender bites of healthy veggies in no time.

You don't need to have an official IP either. We make these in our Crockpot express or Ninja Foodi pots too and those work as well. You could slice or make them cubed to begin with but why? It is easier to throw them in and when they are soft it's easier to cut and eat or blend to Cure Salmon with Beets.

If you are new to pressure cooking we have a lot of easy one pot meal recipes for you here. To begin with let's start with a few basic tips:

You can PRINT this —–> Instant Pot cooking times cheat sheet that will help you understand how long meat, vegetables and beans take to cook in your pressure cooker.
We HIGHLY recommend you buy this non stick pot.
- You should know how to deglaze a pressure cooker after sautéing but it won't have as many issues with this better liner.

For reference, this is the model we have (a 6 quart) and use for all recipe creations.

A white Instant Pot with a Star Wars theme sits on the kitchen counter, ready to tackle your favorite beef arm roast recipe. The digital display glows "On." Next to it lie a patterned cloth and some green onions, all against the backdrop of blue kitchen cabinets and a stovetop.

Instant Pot Beets without Steamer Basket

We do have all the things and this is an option to keep them out of the hot water at the bottom but you can skip that. use the trivet your pot came with is all you need if left whole as you see here.

Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker Beets

First we made air fryer beetsgood but not as fork tender. In the Foodi you can do both of these. You can use this timing and instructions to pressure cook red and yellow versions. Works the same way. The difference between the two is these are sweeter and have more of an earthy flavor to them really. They don't stain our fingers either like it's counterparts.

Can you pressure cook beets and carrots together?

Yes! These can be cooked together with others pretty well since they are hard and need some time to get soft. We pair them together in our Instant Pot potatoes and carrots recipe too. Both are great together as side dishes.

We agree, they do look a bit intimidating. Especially right out of the ground in your garden they are hard with areas that don't look edible. Before the emergence of the good electric pressure cooker we didn't even think about attempting to cook one. BUT now it's as easy as making baked potatoes!! If you have a Ninja Foodi you can make air fryer beets now too.

Two whole instant pot beets rest on a plate with parsley, accompanied by a glass of water, oil, spices, and a spoon on the marble surface.

How do you prepare beets to eat?

First you have to get rid of the paper thin skin. Peel it off while it's raw or when they're succulently tender. Then rub the skins off with a paper towel. (note that your fingers will get quite discolored, not in a pretty way, so if this bothers you put on a pair of gloves first.

That's right…. dump a cup of cold water or so into your pot. Lower down a trivet (we like one with handles), place the beets on top, quick release, and once your cook time is done they're perfectly tender! You could use a steamer basket too. Are you new to this colorful vegetable??

Can beets be eaten raw?

Yes!! If you shave them thinly or grate them you can eat them raw. They're much sweeter before they're cooked actually. A totally different taste actually if not cooked so you should try them both. Raw has all of the vitamins and nutrients possible.

Do you have to peel beets?

Yes you will want to. The outside is quite bitter, tough, and fibrous. You won't want to eat this area and it is best to cut or peel it off before consuming. Some like to steam quickly so they peel off easier but you can do it raw too. Wear gloves though or your hands will be stained.

Ingredients

2-3 medium to large whole beetsthe size of a baseball were used and fit with a bit of room in between them.
Water or broth can be used to steam to tender
Olive oil to coat the outsides
Pepper if you like that seasoning
We like Himalayan pink salt as the other flavor

Swaps

Seasonings are up to you, we use the basics. You could sprinkle on red pepper flakes for heat or use garlic powder for more of a savory dish.

For much larger pieces you may want to increase cook time to 30 minutes. 25 works for med./large but some ginormous ones may need a bit longer to become fork tender.

What can you make with steamed beets?

Pickle them like you would cabbage or cucumbers
Mash them like potatoes and add a bit of butter and olive oil
Slice them to put on sandwiches
Add diced pieces into your risotto
Blend them into your homemade tomato soup
Drizzle with olive oil and serve as a side dish

We was late to the game when it comes to this interesting veggie. Like Instant Pot brussel sprouts we was hesitant but we guess the older you get the more you realize that “you never know” and you should at least try something once.

Low and behold they were added to the “now we like them” list and our kids thought they were fun too. Color is everything when it comes to vegetables and kids we think. Speaking of color….

How to Cook Instant Pot Beets Whole

Clean off to remove any dirt on their surface. Cut off any leaves and root they beets may have.
Place the steaming rack into the pressure cooker pot, then pour in the water and arrange them on the steaming rack.
Close the pressure cooker, position the valve to sealed, then select the pressure cook setting on high for 25 minutes.
Once time is up allow the pot to naturally release steam for 5 minutes before carefullypositioning valve to venting to release the rest of the pressure.
Remove the beets from the pot and either allow to cool until you can handle them, or run them under cold running water.
Peel off the skin and cut off any root or tops that may remain.
Cut or slice into any shape you'd like, we sliced the cook beets into thin(ish) wedges.
Drizzle the olive oil over the sliced beets, then sprinkle the pepper and salt. Carefully mixuntil the beet pieces are well coated in the oil, pepper and salt.
Taste and adjust as desired. Serve at room temperature or you can also refrigerate until ready to eat.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

What happens when you eat beets?

It might be quite alarming if you weren't expecting it but yes, your pee might be red or pink after eating them. We know! Not to be alarmed, it's the natural color coming out of you (literally). This is likely to occur when you drink beet juice too.

Is it safe to drink beetroot juice every day?

Studies show that 2 cups daily lowered blood pressure (obviously check with your doctor first on this), and it was safe in healthy adults.

Timing will vary slightly according to how you like to eat beets. A bit more firm = less time, etc.. You get the idea. Here are a few other pressure cooker vegetable recipes you can use as healthy side dishes:

Try our Instant Pot spaghetti squash!
Instant Pot steamed vegetables are the way to go in order to cook several types all in one pot.

Are canned beets as good as steamed beets?

Most nutrients and fiber in the canned vs. fresh cooked beets are similar. Canned beets have more sodium than fresh which is the biggest difference. Steaming them this way is best so you can control the amount of salt added especially if you have high blood pressure. Follow the same instructions below if you want to make this as an easy Ninja Foodi recipe.

Instant Pot Beets

By Instant Pot beets whole have never been easier to make! Using your Ninja Foodi multipot pressure cooker you too can make tender flavorful beets in no time at all too. Prep: 5 minutes minsCook: 25 minutes minsServings: 6 Save Recipe Saved! Pin Recipe Comment Print Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients

2 med./large beets, the size of a baseball were used
1 c water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp Himalayan pink salt

Instructions

Make sure that the beets are thoroughly cleaned off to remove any dirt on their surface. Cut off any leaves and root they beets may have.
Place the steaming rack into the pressure cooker pot, then pour in the water and arrange the beets on the steaming rack.
Close the pressure cooker, position the valve to sealed, then select the, pressure cook setting on high for 25 minutes.
Once time is up allow the pot to naturally release steam for 5 minutes before carefully positioning valve to venting to release the rest of the pressure.
Remove the beets from the pot and either allow to cool until you can handle them, or run them under cold running water.
Peel off the skin and cut off any root or tops that may remain. Now cut or slice into any shape you'd like, we sliced the cook beets into thin(ish) wedges.
Drizzle the olive oil over the sliced beets, then sprinkle the pepper and salt. Carefully mixuntil the beet pieces are well coated in the oil, pepper and salt.
Taste and adjust as desired. Serve at room temperature or you can also refrigerate untilready to eat. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy!