Instant Pot Beets {+ Beet Salad}

Name: Instant Pot Beets {+ Beet Salad}
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup water; 4 beets (peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces); 4 cups arugula; 1/2 cup goat cheese (crumbled); 1/2 cup chopped walnuts; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp dijon mustard; 1 pinch each salt & pepper

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These Instant Pot Beets turn out perfectly every time. Use the beets to make a tasty salad with arugula, goat cheese and candied walnuts!

Ingredients and substitutions

Beets – the beets are the star of this recipe, so you’ll want to leave them in.

Beet arugula salad

Arugula – spinach is the best substitute here. Kale would also work.
Goat cheese – feta cheese crumbles or another soft cheese can be used instead.

Candied walnuts

Chopped walnuts – you could also make candied pecans, almonds or another candied nut of your choice.
Honey – brown sugar, agave syrup or maple syrup would all work in place of honey.
Butter – coconut oil is the best substitute here.

Salad dressing

Olive oil – swap out for another neutral cooking oil like grapeseed oil, avocado oil or sunflower oil.
Balsamic vinegar – balsamic vinaigrette or red wine vinegar with brown sugar can be used in place of balsamic vinegar.
Honey – maple syrup, brown sugar or agave syrup would all be good in this dressing.
Dijon mustard – regular mustard or honey mustard can be used in place of Dijon mustard.
Salt & pepper – to taste.

How to make beet salad

Step 1: Cook the beets.

Add the 3/4 cup of water to the bottom of Instant Pot and then place trivet inside the inner pot. Add beets, seasoning generously with salt & pepper. Place lid on Instant Pot and make sure valve is set to seal. Press the pressure cook button and set to low, then cook for 15 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 5-10 minutes to come to pressure, then notify you it’s done by beeping.

Step 2: Make the dressing.

While the beets are cooking, mix together ingredients under the salad dressing heading.

Step 3: Make the candied walnuts.

Make the candied walnuts by heating butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add in walnuts and honey, stirring constantly for about 8-10 minutes until honey thickens and walnuts are coated. Remove from heat right away and let cool.

Step 4: Toss everything together and serve!

When beets are done cooking, press the Cancel button then do a quick release of the pressure on the Instant Pot by flicking the switch at the top with a spoon. Open the lid when pressure gauge has dropped and the lid opens easily. Carefully remove beets from Instant Pot and let cool slightly before serving over arugula. Top with goat cheese and candied walnuts, then pour dressing overtop when ready to serve and enjoy!

What are beets good for?

Beets are a great side dish to enjoy on their own or with other foods. They’re filled with healthy vitamins and nutrients like fibre, potassium and vitamin C, which makes them a great addition to any meal. Not sure how to serve this root vegetable? Here are some of the best ways to serve beets:

Salads: Beets are a popular ingredient in salads! Make your beet salad with a creamy and soft cheese like goat cheese or feta and candied nuts for the best flavour combo.
Side dish: Serve the steamed beets on their own with rich meats like pork, duck, ham or salmon.
Juice: Blend your beets into fresh vegetable juice or add them to your smoothies for an extra boost of nutrients.
Dips: Add beets into dips and spreads like hummus, tahini, Greek yogurt or labneh.
Pickles: Make pickled beets and pair them with your favourite veggies in a salad, a bowl or as a side dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are beets good for you?

Beets are super good for you and are a healthy addition to any meal, like in this delicious beet salad recipe. They’re full of important nutrients and vitamins like fibre, folate, manganese, copper, potassium and vitamin C.

Is it better to steam or boil them?

If you want your beets to retain all their nutrients for your beet salad, it’s best to steam them. Boiling them will result in the beets losing a lot of their nutritional value and they could get mushy (which no one wants). For this recipe, you’ll be steaming the beets in an Instant Pot using a trivet, so you’re still getting all those good nutrients and vitamins!

How long does it take to cook them in the Instant Pot?

The beets will need to cook for 15 minutes on low pressure in the Instant Pot. It takes the Instant Pot about 5 to 10 minutes to get up to pressure, and then you’ll need to do a quick release of the pressure, so the total cooking time is still less than 25 minutes for an easy beets salad!

Storing and reheating

You can store any leftover cooked beets in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Eat them cold straight from the fridge or warm them up in the microwave until they reach the desired temperature.

If you want to store the beet salad from this recipe, you’ll need to keep all the components separately. This will ensure that everything stays as fresh as possible and will prevent the arugula from wilting. When you’re ready to enjoy your salad, toss everything together fresh and then serve.

Can you freeze beets?

Yes, you can! If you’re looking to extend the life of your beets, you can freeze any leftovers for up to 8 months in an airtight container or freezer-safe Ziploc bag. Just keep in mind that the texture of beets will be different after you’ve frozen them. They’re definitely better fresh but if you’re in a pinch, you can try freezing them for later.

When you’re ready to use your beets, let them thaw in the fridge overnight then eat them cold or reheat them in the microwave.

More Instant Pot vegetable recipes

Meal prep tools for this recipe

Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on using this vegetable in your weekly lunches.
Freeze leftover beets in glass microwave-safe bowls.