Beet Juice

Beets have a sweet, earthy flavor and tons of nutrients. There are many great ways to cook beets, but you can also eat the roots raw. Learning how to make beet juice is a quick and easy way to tap into the health benefits of beets with just a few minutes of work, and you can drink it (carefully) on the go. The best and somewhat surprising part: You don’t even need a juicer!

You may know beets for their gorgeous color and how well they go with goat cheese and balsamic vinegar, but drinking beet juice offers a pure taste of the root vegetable. In addition to good old vitamin C, folate, potassium and iron, beets contain antioxidants, such as betalains and betaine, which reduce inflammation and may help prevent heart disease and cancer. If you’re wondering, how can I make beetroot juice without a juicer? Simply blend the peeled vegetable with some liquid, strain and serve.

Ingredients for Beet Juice

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• Beets: Beets come in various colors, including deep red, golden yellow, pink-striped Chioggia or even white. Look for firm, unblemished roots that are similar in size. You may want to wear gloves to peel and cut the beets—the juice will stain your hands (and anything else it gets on).
• Water or apple juice: If you don’t have a juicer, add some liquid to the blender with the beetroot chunks. Water is perfectly fine, but try apple juice or apple cider if you’d like a sweeter result when juicing beets.

How to Make Beet Juice Without a Juicer

Step 1: Blend the beets

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Place the beets and water or juice in a blender and pulse until smooth.

Editor’s Tip: You can skip peeling the beets, but thoroughly wash them before blending.

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Strain through a colander lined with a layer or two of cheesecloth. Discard the pulp. If desired, garnish your juice with a citrus wedge.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t discard the pulp entirely! You can put it to good use in baked goods, sauces and more (see below).

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How to Make Beet Juice with a Juicer

If you have a juicer, simply chop clean beets into pieces and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Because beets are on the dense side, you may want to use your juicer’s higher speed settings, if applicable.

Beet Juice Variations

• Try some fruit: Adding pieces of fruit, such as apples, plums, blueberries or your favorite fresh citrus, rounds out the flavor of the beets and makes your juice even more nutritious. Want it sweeter? Drizzle in a little raw honey.
• Add other roots: Carrots and beets are super together, concerning both flavor and nutrition, and both go nicely with zingy fresh ginger and a smidgen of turmeric. (If you do use turmeric, adding a pinch of black pepper helps you absorb all its goodness.)
• Drink a whole salad: Combining beets with kale, cucumber and celery, plus some apple chunks and lime juice, gives you tons of nutrition in a drinkable package. Toss in some chia seeds for good measure.

How to Store Beet Juice

Freshly made juice is best when consumed immediately, but you can store it in sealed containers in the fridge. I like to put mine in glass jars with screw-top lids.

How long do beets and beet juice last?

The USDA recommends keeping raw, unwashed, unprocessed beets in the fridge for up to two weeks. You should consume homemade beet juice within two days.

Can you freeze beet juice?

Yes, beet juice freezes nicely. Some people like to freeze it in ice cube trays, but you can also freeze it in jars, provided you leave plenty of space for the juice to expand as it crystallizes. Beet juice is good for two to three months in the freezer.

Beet Juice Tips

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Can I pre-chop the beets for beet juice?

If prepping the beets in advance will allow you to make more beet juice, we say go for it. Chopped beets last for up to five days in the fridge but are best used within the first day or two. To keep the cubes from drying out, store them in an airtight container and consider draping them with a damp paper towel.

How can you use the beet leaves or beet pulp?

Beet leaves are edible and very healthy, so if any were attached to your beets, reserve them for another use, such as cooked beet greens. The fiber-rich pulp that you strain out with the cheesecloth can be added to soups or stews, such as classic borscht or slow-cooker beef stew, or use it in this honey beet bread.

How else can you use juice from beets?

If you have leftover juice, use it to make blushing pink pickled eggs with beets or to color the whites of Easter deviled eggs. You can also add it to braised or stewed dishes that already include beets.