Nope, You Don't Have to Peel Carrots, Beets, or Even Squash (2024)

FAQs

Nope, You Don't Have to Peel Carrots, Beets, or Even Squash? ›

But do they really have to be peeled? As it turns out, no. As long as you wash and scrub the root vegetables before chopping, dicing, or otherwise preparing them for a recipe, you're likely okay. Carrot skins are not as thick as some other vegetable skins, like potatoes or beets.

Sometimes beets are peeled before cooking. They may also be scrubbed and cooked until tender with their skins on; the skins slip off fairly easily after cooling. (Some people are happy to leave the skins on; they are fine to eat.) You can also pickle cooked beets.

Because a carrot's skin isn't as thick as other root vegetables (like potatoes) or winter squashes, carrots are perfectly safe and delicious to eat without peeling so long as they are properly cleaned. When it comes down to it, peeling carrots or keeping the skin on is a matter of personal preference.

Every part of the beet—from the stem to the bulb—is edible. If you're using the whole beet, be sure to wash it well before cooking to get rid of any fertilizers or dirt. You can peel the beet before cooking or eat it with the skin on. Beets have a distinctive, earthy flavor.

Also be aware that some root vegetables are coated with a layer of wax to help preserve them—these are most commonly found in supermarkets, and not at farm stands. Rutabagas and turnips are the most common culprits here. The waxy skin should be peeled before using.

Canned or cooked vegetables without skin or peel (includes peeled carrots, mushrooms, turnips, asparagus tips) Potatoes without skin. Cucumbers without seeds or peel.

No need to peel before or after baking. The skin, which is perfectly edible, just seems to disappear during the baking process. The trick to pan-roasted beets is to drop the temperature a bit. I always roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and pretty much all the other veggies at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Rutabagas mix well with other root vegetables. Mix with carrots, pota- toes, and turnips to make a healthy vegetable stew. The wax and skin of rutabagas must be peeled before cooking. A sharp paring knife is better than a vegetable peeler.

It's not essential to peel turnips before cooking. If this skin appears to be thin enough you can leave it on and cook as is. However if the skin feels thick and leathery, you can peel it off with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler. Both the roots and leaves, also known as turnip greens, are safe to eat.

"From a health point of view, and I think from a taste and texture point of view, it's much better to leave the skin on," Simon says. "The skin of the potato is very high in fibre, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B — all of those good, healthy things are in high concentration in the skin."

Do I need to peel ginger? ›

If the ginger is young and the skin is very fine or if it is going to be finely chopped or grated, you can skip the peeling step. If the skin is thicker or you're chopping the ginger more coarsely and don't want the skin to be included, then it's best to peel the ginger beforehand.

Tasters unanimously preferred the peel-free carrots in the glazed and roasted samples. In both cases, the skins on the unpeeled carrots became wrinkled, tough, and gritty. Their flavor was “again earthier, but not in a good way” and they weren't particularly appealing looking.

Anyone who has low blood pressure or is currently taking blood pressure medication should speak with a healthcare professional before adding beets or beetroot juice to their diet. Beets contain high levels of oxalates, which can cause kidney stones in people with a high risk of this condition.

Most people do peel beets, because the skin is a bit unattractive and can be dirty even after a good scrub. But beet skins are rich in nutrients and perfectly fine to eat too.

Luckily, beets have a number of anti-inflammatory benefits, thanks to their high content of betalains. You can maximize getting all this goodness by consuming beets in juice form. Trust us, it's tastier than you think. Studies have shown that beet juice reduces inflammation across your whole body.

Potatoes (and Sweet Potatoes)

The Best Baked Potatoes use larger, starchy russets where a salt bath makes their crispy skin a feature. Similarly, sweet potatoes cook up supple and fluffy in the oven with their skins on. These Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Chives boast crackly skin to contrast with their soft interiors.

Not only is the brightly colored peel edible but it's rich in vitamin C, carotenoids, fiber, and other antioxidants, too. And it's “a good source of pectin, a viscous soluble fiber that reduces cholesterol levels and slows gastric emptying so you feel full for longer,” Salge Blake says.

WHAT VEGETABLES SHOULD NOT BE REFRIGERATED? Vegetables that should not be refrigerated include avocados, bell peppers, onions and potatoes. Some vegetables that you may want to refrigerate include mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach and asparagus.