Beet Greens

Beet Greens Recipes

 

Availability: July-August

Storage tips: Refrigerate in a plastic bag. Beet Greens should last at least a week.

How to eat: Beet greens are the baby beet plants before they mature to full sized roots and are eaten whole: root, stem and leaf. They need to be washed very thoroughly as they harbor small bits of grit in and around the baby roots. Beet greens are best steamed in a very little amount of water or in a steamer basket. Steam them whole or chopped for 5-10 minutes until tender. Top with butter, salt, pepper, and a splash of vinegar.

How to preserve:  Best way to preserve beet greens is to blanch and freeze it. Wash well and chop leaves and stems up into smaller sizes (whatever you'd like to use coming out of the freezer). Submerge in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, remove, cool in ice cold water. Squeeze water out of beet greens and pack into ziplock bags. Freeze for 6+ months.

Baked Greens and Feta Balls

I put this under beet greens, but you can use any kind of greens you want in it. When we made it last we used it as a "clean out the fridge" recipe adding chopped radish greens, kale, spinach and chard. Really good as an appetizer or interesting veggie side!

  • 10 cups loosely packed, finely sliced greens
  • 3-4 tablespoons oil
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 2-3 garlic scapes, minced
  • ½ cup cilantro (or other fresh herb), chopped
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1-2 eggs

Sauté onion in oil until soft. Add scapes, cilantro, and cumin for 1 min. Add greens to wilt. Remove from heat. Cool 10 min. Add rest of ingredients & salt to taste. Form balls, place on baking sheet, and bake at 375 for 15-20 min.

Beet Green Crisps

This roasting technique is delicious!  But only the leaves can get crispy, not the stems and roots so you can remove those and use them in a separate application if desired.  Otherwise throw them in, too, for a delicous beet dish with incredible sweetness.

1 bunch of beet greens, leaves removed from stems and baby roots (either reserved or added in), washed and dried
oil
salt

Very lightly drizzle oil over beet greens and toss to coat on both sides.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper or foil and lay the beet greens on these.  Sprinkle with salt.  Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes, turn over and bake another 5 mintues or until crispy.  Do not walk away from the oven since these cook very fast!

Beet Green Curry
  • 1 bunch beet greens, chopped
  • 1 bunch scallions, chopped
  • 1-5 garlic scapes, chopped
  • 1 bunch salad turnips + greens, chopped
  • Cooking oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Sauté above ingredients until tender crisp. Combine the following into a sauce and add to sauté for 1 min:

  • 2 TBLS peanut butter 
  • 2 TBLS curry paste or powder
  • 2 TBLS soy sauce
  • 1 TBLS grated ginger root
  • ½ bunch minced parsley

Add a little water and cook covered until everything is very tender. Add 1-2 cups coconut milk and a squeeze of lemon. Serve over rice. 

Beet Green Frittata

This can be made with any kinds of cheese.  I have suggestions here but you could switch it up and it will still be amazing!

  • 8 slices thick bacon, cut into 1" peices
  • 1/4 sliced onion or green onion
  • 1 bunch beet greens, rinsed well and chopped, including the little beets
  • 2 garlic scapes minced, or garlic cloves to taste
  • 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
  • 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
  • fresh basil, chopped or other fresh herb or favorite dried herb(s)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 8 eggs, beaten

Cook the bacon in an oven safe skillet until crisp.  Remove bacon from skillet.  Remove fat from skillet, but retain.  Wipe out skillet if it has stuck parts.  Add back 1 TBSP bacon fat, or as needed, and add onion, beet greens, and garlic scapes.  Saute on medium until softening, stirring.  Add bacon back into skillet.  Add cheeses, salt and pepper, and any herbs you want.  Add eggs and stir to combine everything.  Cover and cook on low until starting to set.  Remove lid, put under broiler for approx. 3 min to brown top.  Serve hot or room temperature.  Yum!

Beet Greens and Eggs

You can also make this with other greens including chard, kale, spinach and more!  Great healthy breakfast option!

  • 6 TBLS cooking oil
  • ½ cup chopped scallions
  • 1 bunch beet greens, leaves and stems chopped separately, roots diced
  • 1 bag ‘Tatsoi’, chopped
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • Salt, pepper, and chili flakes to taste
  • 2 tsp garlic (or garlic scapes), minced
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 6 eggs
  • ½ cup feta or goat cheese, crumbled

Heat oil in large skillet. Add scallions, and beet greens’ stems and diced roots and stir-fry until softening, 5-7 min. Add beet green leaves and ‘Tatsoi’ and stir-fry until wilted, 4-5 min. Add wine, seasonings, garlic, and broth and stir-fry 2-4 min, until most liquid is absorbed. Crack eggs over veggies, cover and cook until whites have set, 3-5 min. Serve hot with cheese crumbled over top.

 

Beet Greens Bruschetta
  • 3 TBLS cooking oil
  • 1/4-1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 cup steamed beet greens, chopped
  • 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ tsp dried basil
  • 4 oz cheese of choice, grated
  • 4 slices bread

Heat oil in large skillet over med heat. Saute onion until softened. Add beet greens, tomato, garlic, red pepper, salt, and basil. Stir-fry until everything is hot and any liquid from veggies is mostly gone. Meanwhile, toast bread until lightly browned. Spoon veggies onto toast, top with grated cheese, and toast for additional 2-3 min until cheese is melted. Serve hot. 

Easy Sauteed Beet Greens

We pretty much only ever make beet greens this way or simply steamed whole since they're so good cooked in simple recipes like this one. 

1 bunch beet greens (or just the greens from 1 full sized bunch of beets; full sized roots would not be used here)
1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic or garlic scapes
1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the baby roots off with about 1 inch of stem above them and wash very thoroughly.  Wash the leaves very well as beets tend to harbor small pebbles.  Coarsely chop greens, rinse again and then dry well.  Heat oil over medium heat.  Add baby beet roots and saute stirring until they just start to become tender, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic or garlic scapes and chopped beet greens and saute stirring until greens are wilted down and baby roots tender, about 5 minutes.  Add lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and serve hot.  Serves 2-4.
 

Moroccan Beet Greens
  • Cooking oil
  • 1 garlic scape, minced (or 1 clove garlic)
  • ¼ TSP each cumin and paprika
  • 1 bunch beet greens, rinsed and chopped
  • ½-1 cup water
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼-1/2 TSP lemon rind, grated
  • hot chili flakes, to taste
  • 1-2 TBLS cilantro, chopped

Heat oil in skillet. Sauté garlic, cumin, paprika for 10 seconds. Add beet greens, water, salt. Simmer covered until all is tender, 20-30 min. Add rest of ingredients. Cook 2-3 min. Serve.
 

Vegetable Pancakes

This recipe is so flexible.  You can use any kind of greens you have on hand and it was originally for cabbage.  Soooo good!  I like to shred the veggies ahead of time and keep in the fridge.  Then right before eating, mix in the other stuff and fry.  Definitely check out the sauce, too!

8 cups shredded greens (beet greens, kale, pac choi)
½-1 cup grated roots (salad turnips, carrots, etc.)
3-4 scallions, thinly sliced at an angle
6 eggs, beaten
½ cup flour
cooking oil
Salt to taste

Toss veggies, salt, and flour.  Stir in egg.  Heat oil in skillet on medium-high.  Dollop batter onto skillet and smooth out into large ½” pancakes. Fry on both sides until cooked through.  Serve hot with this sauce: https://smittenkitchen.com/2013/05/japanese-cabbage-and-vegetable-pancakes/