How to Freeze Beets: Cooking, Cooling, and Freezer Storage

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Knowing how to freeze beets is useful after a big harvest, because beets keep well in the freezer once they are prepared correctly. Beets are handled differently from snap beans and most other garden vegetables. They are cooked until tender rather than given a short blanch, and the skins are removed after cooling. This guide explains each step using extension publications from Mississippi State, the University of New Hampshire, and Utah State.

Quick answer

Choose young or mature beets no more than 3 inches across, wash them, sort them by size, and trim the tops to about half an inch of stem.
Cook the beets in boiling water until tender. Small beets take 25 to 30 minutes and medium beets take 45 to 50 minutes.
Cool the beets quickly in cold water, peel them, and cut them into slices or cubes.
Pack with half an inch of headspace, seal, and freeze at zero degrees Fahrenheit or lower.

How we chose

The three sources are a Mississippi State University Extension freezing publication, a University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension freezing guide, and a Utah State University Extension publication on freezing vegetables. Each was opened on 2026-10-27. The cooking times, cooling steps, and storage guidance come from those documents. No retail pages or product recommendations were used.

Why beets are cooked before freezing

Most vegetables are blanched for a few minutes before freezing, but the extension publications for beets describe a different route. The Utah State publication lists beets as a vegetable that is cooked until tender, rather than blanched. Its instructions say to use young, tender beets that are not more than 3 inches across, wash and sort them by size, trim the tops, cook them until tender, cool them, and then skin, slice, or dice them.

The reason for cooking is practical. Beets need to be soft enough to eat after freezing, and the cooking step makes the peel easy to slip off. The heat also inactivates enzymes, which the general freezing guidance from the Utah State publication describes as the purpose of heating vegetables before storage. Because beets are cooked fully, the cooling step matters just as much as the cooking itself.

Step 1: Select and prepare the beets

Mississippi State’s freezing publication says to freeze beets that are young or mature, but to discard those more than 3 inches across. Wash the beets and sort them by size so that each batch cooks in a similar time. Mixing very large and very small beets in the same pot means some will be overcooked while others are still firm.

Trim the tops, leaving about half an inch of stem. The University of New Hampshire guide describes the same step, and adds that the root should be left attached during cooking, with the stem and root removed later. The sources describe leaving the skins on until after cooking, so peel only after the beets are cooked.

Step 2: Cook until tender

Place the beets in a pot of boiling water and cook them until a fork or knife slides in easily. Mississippi State gives cooking times of 25 to 30 minutes for small beets and 45 to 50 minutes for medium beets. The University of New Hampshire guide uses the same ranges, and it says to cook the beets in boiling water until tender. Check a few beets near the end of the cooking time, because size and age both change how long they take.

Keep the water boiling. Use a pot large enough that the beets are fully covered by the water while they cook.

Step 3: Cool quickly and peel

Move the cooked beets into cold water as soon as they are tender. Mississippi State says to cool the beets quickly in cold water. The University of New Hampshire guide says to cool them in cold water, then peel them, remove the stem and root, and cut them into slices or cubes. The cooling step makes the beets easier to handle before peeling.

Peel the beets by rubbing the skins with your hands or a paper towel. Wear gloves if you do not want your fingers stained. Trim away any remaining root tip and stem end, then cut the beets into slices or cubes. Uniform pieces pack more neatly and thaw more evenly.

Step 4: Pack with headspace and freeze

Pack the cooled beets into freezer containers or freezer bags. Mississippi State says to pack into containers, leaving half an inch of headspace, then seal and freeze. The University of New Hampshire guide says to package the beets with a half inch of headspace, label and date the package, and freeze it. The Utah State publication says to pack cold foods into waterproof containers or bags, pack tightly, and press out air before sealing.

Label every container with the word beets, the date, and the form, such as slices or cubes. Freeze beets at zero degrees Fahrenheit or lower. The University of New Hampshire guide says to freeze food at zero degrees Fahrenheit or lower, and it warns against overloading the freezer, since that slows freezing.

How long frozen beets keep

The University of New Hampshire guide says frozen vegetables maintain high quality for 8 to 12 months at zero degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Beets are a vegetable within that general guidance, and the cooked-and-peeled product is best used within that range. Keeping a simple inventory of containers helps you use the oldest beets first.

Frozen beets are most often used in soups, salads, and side dishes. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight or add them directly to a warm dish.

Common mistakes when freezing beets

The most common error is treating beets like snap beans and trying to blanch them for a few minutes. The sources describe cooking until tender for beets, so a short blanch will not produce the texture the publications describe. A second error is skipping the cold-water cooling step, which the sources describe as part of the process. A third is packing without headspace, which can leave containers overfilled after freezing.

Some people also freeze large, woody beets. Mississippi State says to discard beets more than 3 inches across, and it is worth following that guidance so the finished product is tender.

What we could not verify

The sources give cooking times for small and medium beets, but they do not give a time for large beets that are within the 3-inch limit. Cooking time also depends on the variety and on whether the beets were harvested fresh or stored for some weeks. The sources do not describe how frozen beets change after 8 months or 12 months, so the storage range should be taken as general guidance.

What the sources do not say

The sources cited here do not describe pickling beets or home canning them. Those are food-preservation methods with their own safety requirements, and the guidance is to follow tested USDA or state extension procedures. The sources also do not describe freezing raw, unpeeled beets, so this guide does not recommend that method.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to blanch beets before freezing them?

The extension sources cited here describe cooking beets until tender, not a short blanch. Cool them quickly in cold water after cooking, peel them, and then pack them for the freezer.

How long should I cook beets before freezing?

Mississippi State gives 25 to 30 minutes for small beets and 45 to 50 minutes for medium beets, cooked in boiling water until tender. Check a few beets near the end of the time to confirm they are soft all the way through.

Why do the beets go into cold water after cooking?

Cold water cools the beets quickly so you can handle them and peel them. Mississippi State advises cooling them quickly in cold water before peeling and cutting.

How long do frozen beets last?

The University of New Hampshire guide says frozen vegetables keep high quality for 8 to 12 months at zero degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Label each container so you can use the oldest first.

Can I freeze beet greens too?

The sources cited here describe the root, not the leaves. If you want to freeze beet greens, check a current extension guide for leafy greens before you do, since this guide does not cover them.

For more on growing the beets you plan to freeze, see how to grow beetroot from seeds. For general advice on preserving harvested produce, read how to freeze vegetables from the garden.

Sources

Mississippi State University Extension Service, freezing publication P0974, https://extension.msstate.edu/sites/default/files/document/2025-12/P0974_web.pdf (opened 2026-10-27).
University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, freezing guide (Resource006078), https://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource006078_Rep8581.pdf (opened 2026-10-27).
Utah State University Extension, “Freezing Vegetables” (FN 168), https://extension.usu.edu/files-ou/publications/publication/FN_168.pdf (opened 2026-10-27).