Instant pot beets make a great side for most grilled or barbecued foods. These beets are pressure cooked whole, peeled and quartered, and tossed in EVOO, Balsamic vinegar, dried tarragon, salt and pepper. The result? Perfectly done, super-delicious beets!

The sweet, earthy taste of beets goes so well with most entrees, especially if you're serving up dishes like grilled chicken or meat chops. And if you are vegetarian or vegan, steamed beets in a salad is what you're probably looking at. Either way, the instant pot makes short work of this tough root vegetable. In fact, if I were asked to give just one good reason for owning an instant pot, it would be these instant pot beets! They cook so effortlessly in the instant pot, you won't ever think of doing them on the stovetop again.

The best part about this recipe is that peeling and cutting the beets is a breeze. The skins come off easily once they're cooked, and your knife will slide through them while quartering them. And then of course, you get to toss them in a beautiful dressing that comes together in literally two minutes. What's not to love?

Ingredients in these pressure cooker beets

Note: exact amounts are given in the recipe card further down.

Small fresh whole beets, washed and unpeeled
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Brown sugar
Dried tarragon
Sea salt
Black pepper, ground
Fresh parsley

How to make instant pot beets

Pressure cook the beets - Pour 1.5 cups plain water in the inner steel insert of your instant pot and place a steamer basket (affiliate link) or trivet in it. Arrange the beets on the steamer basket. Secure the lid and pressure cook the beets for 13 minutes. When the timer beeps, do a quick release and open the pot. This is what the beets will look like when done.

beets in a steamer basket in instant pot

2. Peel and quarter the beets - Remove the steamer basket and let the beets cool down. Once cool enough to handle, remove the skins with the help of a knife (they will peel easily) and cut them into quarters.

3. Prepare the dressing - whisk the other ingredients (olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, tarragon, sea salt, and pepper) in a bowl and add the beets. Toss well, top with parsley, and serve warm with your main dish for the day.

cooked and quartered beets in plate with dressing in bowl

Some useful tips

Choosing the beets - A few things to remember while choosing beets at the supermarket. One, pick small-sized beets. They are less fibrous and juicier than big beets. They also take less time to cook. Second, hold one in your hand and squeeze gently. Fresh beets are quite firm and should not yield even slightly under pressure. If they do, they aren't the best. Third, the skin should not be wrinkled. Wrinkled skin is a sign that the beets have been sitting around for longer than they should.
Prepping - once you get them home, make sure to scrub the beets under running water to rid them of the soil or dirt stuck to the skins. You will be steaming them whole in your instant pot so clean them well before putting them in the pot. Try not to pierce the skin though while cleaning since you don't want too much juice leaking out in the pot while they're cooking.
How to avoid beet stains - wear disposable kitchen gloves while peeling and quartering beets and wipe off stains right away with a damp cloth if the juice gets on the countertop. I like to spread a sheet of newspaper or plastic on my work surface as I hate cleaning up the red stains afterwards.

More beet recipes you might like

Beetroot sabzi - an Indian-style dish that goes well with naan bread or rice. Grated beets are cooked in onions, tomatoes, and spices.
Beetroot raita - a cooling yogurt dip that is the perfect side for spicy Indian mains.

📖 Recipe