How To Peel Beets

By Ashley

September 8, 2026

3 min read

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How To Peel Beets

If you’ve ever spent ten minutes at the sink scrubbing magenta off your fingers and cutting board, you already know: peeling beets can feel like a messy chore. But it doesn’t have to be. There are three reliable ways to get the skin off—roasted, boiled, or raw—and the best choice depends on how you plan to cook them. Here’s how to peel beets without the fuss.

Table of Contents

What You’ll Need

Fresh beets, scrubbed clean
A sharp paring knife or Y-shaped vegetable peeler
Parchment paper or foil (for roasting)
A large pot (for boiling)
Kitchen towels or paper towels
A bowl of cold water

Method 1: Roast First, Peel After

This is the hands-down easiest method, and it gives beets a deeper, sweeter flavor. Heat the oven to 400°F. Wrap each beet loosely in foil (or place them on a parchment-lined sheet and cover with another sheet). Roast until a fork slides in easily—about 45 to 60 minutes, depending on size.

Let the beets cool just until you can handle them comfortably. Warm beets are fine; hot ones will burn your fingers.
Hold a beet in a paper towel and gently rub the skin. It should slip right off.
For any stubborn spots, use the paring knife to lift the skin away. Trim the root and stem ends, then slice or chop as needed.

This method preserves the beet’s color and nutrients, and there’s almost no stained cutting board involved.

Method 2: Boil Then Slip

If you’re making borscht or simply want fast, tender beets for a salad, boiling works well. Don’t peel them beforehand—the skin keeps the flesh from bleeding its color into the water.

Place the beets in a large pot and cover with water by 2 inches. For every quart of water, add a splash of vinegar (about 1 tablespoon)—it helps hold the color.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until a knife pierces the thickest part with little resistance, usually 30 to 45 minutes.
Drain and let cool in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes.
Trim the stems and roots, then use your thumbs to push the skin off. It should come away in large pieces.

Method 3: Peel Them Raw

Raw beets are crisp and lovely shredded into slaws or thinly sliced for carpaccio. Peeling raw requires a steady hand, but it’s simple once you get the hang of it.

Trim the leafy tops (save them for sautéing!) and the long root tip.
Stand the beet on a flat cutting surface. Hold it firmly from the top.
Run a Y-shaped peeler downward, away from your hand, following the beet’s curve. Rotate and repeat until all the skin is gone.
Rinse briefly to remove any grit from the newly exposed surface.

If you feel the beet rolling around, slice a thin piece off the bottom so it sits flat. A cut-resistant glove is a smart idea for this method—beets are dense, and your fingers deserve protection.

💡 Note: Wear disposable kitchen gloves for any of these methods if you want perfectly pink-free hands. Even with roasting and boiling, the skin contact can temporarily stain your nails.

One more thing: if your beet has bruised, soft, or ugly-looking skin, just peel it before cooking. Otherwise, trust the skin to do its job—it locks in moisture and makes peeling effortless once the beet is tender. Whichever method you choose, the takeaway is simple: cook first, peel second, whenever you can.

Beets are one of those vegetables that feel more intimidating than they are. Once you’ve peeled a few this way, you’ll stop avoiding them—and that earthy sweetness will be well worth the five minutes of your time.

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