“Roasting” beets in the crockpot is one of the absolute best ways to prepare them! These Rosemary Honey Slow Cooker Beets are perfectly tender and incredibly flavorful, and a great addition to weekend meal prep or even a holiday meal.
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I just got back from a run in 80+ degree heat, but I promise you, CROCKPOT SEASON IS COMING!
Believe me, I am SO glad that we’re having a long summer. Mainly because I know what’s on the other side of this, and I’m ALL about postponing the Minnesota winter ;-).
But that doesn’t mean I haven’t started thinking about cold weather dishes for all of you! In my eyes, October 1 (which is only a couple weeks away) is when it becomes acceptable to use your slow cooker several times a week.
From stews to beans to batch cooked proteins, you can use a slow cooker to transform pretty much any food into a warm, delicious meal.
I have long been a proponent of using this kitchen tool to save time and make meals in bulk. But I haven’t ever thought of using it to prepare my FAV vegetable…beets! Until now.
Roasting beets takes a long time, so why not do it in the slow cooker instead of the oven so you can set it and forget it? Plus, slow cooker beets require no foil and, in my opinion, make less of a mess!
I can’t promise that you won’t completely avoid staining your hands red, but I can promise that you will only have one dish to clean afterwards. And the smells that fill your kitchen, plus the juicy, tender, and flavorful beets you’ll make, are SO worth it.
How to Slow Cook Beets
- Slice off the tops and bottoms of each beet and remove their skins with a swivel peeler. Slice them into wedges.
- Place them in the slow cooker (no foil required!).
- Whisk together honey, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, rosemary, and sea salt.
- Pour over the beets, put the lid on the slow cooker, and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours.
One of the amazing things about this recipe is that you can easily double or triple it to feed large crowds. Sounds like a great idea for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or another holiday…don’t ya think?
Other Seasoning Ideas
You can also switch up the seasonings. The following combinations would pair well with earthy beets:
- Orange juice and zest + maple syrup + thyme + EVOO
- Garlic + onion + soy sauce + honey + EVOO
- Balsamic vinegar + maple syrup + sea salt + EVOO
For other ideas on how to boost the flavor of veggies, check out my Vegetable Seasoning Guide.
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Beets
Slow cooker beets are great to prep in bulk to add to lunch bowls, salads, and dinners all week long. You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5-7 days.
As a side dish, serve them alone or with crumbled goat cheese and pumpkin seeds. They would pair well with meat or fish.
For other beet dishes, try the Spiralized Golden Beet Salad with Rosemary Honey Dressing, Beet and Carrot Veggie Applesauce, Roasted Beets and Burrata with Orange Balsamic, and the Roasted Beet and Cabbage Slaw.
I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.
📖 Recipe
Rosemary Honey Slow Cooker Beets
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 medium beets - about 1 pound; trimmed, peeled, and sliced into quarters
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt - more to taste
- 2 tablespoon fresh rosemary - chopped, more for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the beets by slicing off the tops and ends and peeling them. Slice them into quarters and transfer to the slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and fresh rosemary. Pour over the beets and stir until coated.
- Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours until the beets are fork tender. Serve with more rosemary if desired and spoonfuls of the liquid/marinade.
Notes
Nutrition
Have a great weekend! – Lizzie
Shelley
Question
About how many pounds of beets? Sizes of beets at the farmers market vary wildly☺️
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Shelley – good question. Use about a pound of beets, or roughly 6 medium beets (about 2 to 2.5 inches in diameter).
D Phillips
Enjoyed this dish with the last of the beets from the garden and the rosemary I harvested. Wonderful!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Yay, I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Nancy
We love beets so I am glad I made this great recipe. I added a few leftover onion chunks. I am going to try this technique with other root vegetables. Thanks.
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Nancy, great! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and will try with other root vegetables. I love beets too!
Scott
Sooo good and hearty. Almost too sweet. Converted my non-beet eating family to beet lovers! Looking forward to eating leftovers. The few I hid away!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Scott, I’m so glad that you all enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Lisa
Used beets and carrots and they turned out great!!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Yum, love the addition of carrots! Thanks for leaving a review, Lisa!
Taz
Is it ok to freeze this dish?
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Yes, the beets should freeze really well. Let them cool completely then transfer to freezer bags, seal tightly (remove as much air as possible), and store for up to 6 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge before using.
kaila
I made these last week and everyone loved them so I will be making them for Christmas! The apple cider vinegar was a bit much so this time i will be doing 1 TBSP of balsamic instead
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Kaila, I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and made them for Christmas! I bet they tasted delicious with balsamic vinegar. Thanks for sharing!
Linda Zinkewich
Is the high/ low time on the recipe reversed?
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Linda, oh wow, great catch!! Yes, it should say 3-4 hours on high and 7-8 hours on low. Thanks for pointing that out. I just changed it to reflect the correct times.
Ashley Lohrberg
I’m making these for thanksgiving right now! Thanks!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Awesome, thanks so much for letting me know and rating the recipe. I hope you enjoyed them! Happy Thanksgiving :-)!