Techniques
Vegetables
Skill
Beginner
2 min

Roast beets before blending to make a smoother puree

Roast (cook off) beets until tender before blending so they puree easily and smoothly.

Cut the beets, season with a little oil, salt, and pepper, then roast until tender. Once softened, blend into a puree for drying into powder.

The short version

  • Roasting first makes blending easier and smoother

What you need

  • oven
  • sheet tray
  • blender

How to do it

  1. 1

    Cut the beets into pieces suitable for roasting.

    Watch this step
  2. 2

    Season with a little oil, salt, and pepper.

    Watch this step
  3. 3

    Roast at 350°F for about 30 minutes.

    Watch this step
  4. 4

    Blend the roasted beets into a puree.

    Watch this step

What goes wrong

Trying to blend firm beets without cooking them first

Roast (or otherwise cook) until softened before blending

Why it works

Beets are firm when raw; roasting softens their cell structure so a blender can break them down more completely, reducing graininess.

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