beet greens

I had lots of beet greens on hand during the week that I was testing all of these beet recipes, so I decided to combine them with julienned beets in a stir-fry. The greens should be crisp-tender.

Stir-Fried Beet Greens, Tofu and Beets

sugar

salt (to taste)

soy sauce

dry sherry

sesame oil

grapeseed oil, sunflower oil or peanut oil

firm tofu, diced (1 cup)

garlic (2 large cloves)

ginger

beets

leek,

beet greens, stemmed, washed well

sesame seeds

cilantro

cornstarch

Combine the sugar and salt in 1 small container, the soy sauce, sherry and sesame oil in another, and place within arm’s reach of your wok. Have the other ingredients in separate containers within arm’s reach of your wok.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and swirling the pan, then add the tofu and spread out in a single layer. Don’t stir for 1 minute, then stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until it begins to color. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add the beets and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the leek and stir-fry for 30 seconds to a minute, until it softens, then add the beet greens and salt and sugar. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the greens have wilted. Add the sesame seeds, soy sauce, sherry and sesame oil, and cilantro and stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in the dissolved cornstarch and stir-fry until the liquid in the wok glazes the vegetables and tofu, less than a minute. Remove from the heat and serve with rice, noodles or other grains.

This simple sautéed beet greens recipe is a delicious, nutritious side dish!

Sautéed Beet Greens

olive oil

garlic (finely chopped)

golden raisins

Lemon wedge

walnuts

Sea salt and black pepper

Separate the stems from the beet greens. Finely chop the stems and coarsely chop the leaves.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and the beet stems and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the beet greens, a few pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper, and sauté, tossing, until just wilted.

Turn off the heat, add the raisins, a big squeeze of lemon, and toss. Transfer to a platter, top with the walnuts and season to taste with more salt and pepper.

Ninja Foodi Fresh Beet Greens - Beet greens and stems are edible too. Simple and quick in an electric pressure cooker and packed with healthy nutrients.

Ninja Foodi Fresh Beet Greens

beet greens (fresh)

water

salt

black pepper (fresh ground)

garlic (minced)

trim

Trim the beet leaves&nbsp;from the beets.&nbsp;Cut the leaves and stems into about 2-inch pieces.

wash

Wash the greens thoroughly. They can be very gritty and sandy.

Pour 1/2 cup water into the Ninja Foodi&nbsp;liner pot.&nbsp;&nbsp;Place the greens in the pot and season with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, and 1 minced garlic cloves. Stir to distribute the seasonings.

cook

Place the pressure cooking lid in place and lock. Set to high pressure and cook for 3 minutes.

release

Quick release by carefully turning the pressure release control to vent.

Instead of tossing your beet greens, use them to make fermented beet green kimchi -  a  spicy side dish with a boost of gut-healthy probiotics!

Beet Green Kimchi

green onions (chopped)

garlic

beet greens (chopped)

tsp red pepper flakes

sea salt (as needed)

water (as needed)

In a quart canning jar, combine the ingredients - layering the garlic and onions between the greens. Sprinkle with salt as you layer... you want a 2% brine (which is .64 oz of salt).

Pound the greens down until they start to release their own juices. If you mash them enough, there will be enough juice to cover the contents of the  jar.  If not, top off with a little water.

Lay a fermentation weight  in the top of the jar to keep everything submerged, or use a jelly jar in the mouth of the quart canning jar.

Top with an airlock, and allow to ferment anywhere from 2-7 days until it tastes the way you like.  Then move to the refrigerator to slow fermentation.

Beets are not always a well loved vegetable, but when prepared correctly they are delicious! Beets with their greens are two for one deal as they can both be used. I&#39;ll show you how to cook beets and beet greens with a recipe for roasted beets and sauteed beet greens!

Roasted Beets and Sauteed Beet Greens with Bacon

Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

pepper

bacon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.&nbsp;

Wash the beets well. Cut the root tips off then cut the greens from the roots.

If your beets are big, cut them into smaller wedges. If they are small leave them whole or simply cut them in half.&nbsp;

Put them on a piece of tinfoil (lined with parchment paper if you prefer) on a sheet pan or in a cast iron skillet, drizzle the wedges with olive oil, and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

Close up the tinfoil and put the beets in the preheated oven for at least an hour.

After an hour check the roasting beets with a knife to see if they are tender. They may need to cook for up to 30 minutes longer. 

Once the beets are fully cooked pull them out of the oven and open the foil to let them cool for a little while.

After they have cooled enough to handle, peel the beets with a paring knife.

Roasted Beets

In the meantime, cook the beet greens. Wash them well and roughly chop up the greens.

Heat a large skillet on medium heat and add the bacon or pancetta pieces.

Once the bacon starts to get a little crispy, add the beet greens to the pan. You may need to add a little oil or butter if your bacon or pancetta didn’t render a lot of fat.

Add a little salt and pepper and sauté until the greens start to soften just a bit.&nbsp;

Then add some minced garlic to the pan and continue to cook until the greens are wilted and fully cooked through.

Sauteed Beet Greens

Ideal for peak summer, when hot meals seem unthinkable yet fresh produce is bountiful, chłodnik litewski is perhaps the best-known of the Polish chłodniki (chilled soups). Chłodnik litewski translates to Lithuanian cold soup and is cherished in both countries. In Lithuania, it’s known as&nbsp;Šaltibarščiai. The dish&nbsp;reflects a time when Poland and Lithuania were under the rule of the same dynasty starting in the late 14th century, a period in which Polish cooking was influenced by Lithuanian cuisine and vice versa. It’s certainly the most eye-catching, with a lovely magenta hue that emerges when the roasted beets meet the kefir and sour cream to form the soup’s tangy base. It combines both cooked and raw ingredients — you’ll need to roast some beets and boil some potatoes and eggs — and is best prepared in advance, ready for easy assembly. (For the most vibrant pink color, be sure to refrigerate the soup overnight, as the color deepens with time.) Beets and their greens lend an earthy note, and fresh cucumbers and radishes provide a satisfying crunch. A tangle of fresh herbs and vegetables and a soft-boiled egg on top complete the dish.

Chłodnik Litewski (Chilled Beet Soup)

yellow baby potatoes

Salt and black pepper

cucumbers

sour cream

dill,

chives,

radishes, quartered then thinly sliced

soft-boiled eggs,

Flaky sea salt

NYT Cooking

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David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

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Roast the beets: Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Thoroughly wash the beets and greens under cold running water. Separate the greens from the beets and trim the top and bottom tips of the beets. If any beets are particularly large, halve them. Tightly wrap the beets individually in aluminum foil and place them onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the beets are fork-tender, about 40 minutes. (If they’re still too firm after 40 minutes, bake further, checking every 5 to 10 minutes.)

While the beets roast, cook the potatoes: Bring a medium saucepan of well salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool. Once cooled, halve the potatoes or quarter them, if particularly large.

Meanwhile, add the cucumbers to a colander, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Let sit in the sink for at least 15 minutes, allowing excess liquid to drain.

Roughly chop the beet greens into ½-inch pieces, then add to a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Add sugar and a big pinch of salt, then bring to a boil over high. Once the liquid comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain, then set beet greens aside to cool. 

Unwrap the cooked beets from the foil and set aside to cool. Once cool, remove the outer skin by peeling it with your hands. It should come away easily. (Consider using kitchen gloves for this task, to avoid staining hands.) Chop into small, 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.

Add the kefir and sour cream to a large bowl and whisk together until combined. Add the cooked beets and beet greens, dill, chives, half the cucumbers and half the radishes. Mix together gently until combined and the soup takes on a lovely pink hue. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. 

Chłodnik can be served right away, but it’s typically chilled in the refrigerator for at least an hour (and up to 2 days), as its color intensifies with time. To serve, spoon a serving of the potatoes into the bottom of each bowl, then ladle the soup on top. Garnish with the remaining cucumbers and radishes, a halved soft-boiled egg, some dill, some chives and some flaky sea salt, if you like.

Double the buttermilk/kefir. It was very stew like. I agree that the contrast of hot new potatoes with the cold soup works best.

I love this soup with a decent glug (1/4 to 1/2c) of pickle juice stirred in before the kefir, and finely diced instead of cucumber. I still use cucumber, but added when I serve it, so the clean cucumber flavour bursts in contrast with the beetiness of the soup.

Use the Instant Pot for cooking beets! Fast, easy and it doesn’t heat up the house.

When I had this soup for the first time in Lithuania the cold soup was served with fluffy hot potatoes on the side. You would take a bite of the steaming hot potato and follow it with a spoonful of the soup. The hot/ cold sensation together in your mouth was essential to its charm! I myself make it with julienned  pickled beets. I also add some of the pickled beet juice to the kefir. I love this soup so much! I like the addition of the eggs.

Thrilled to see my favorite summer soup featured here. Many have their own variations. I don’t use potatoes.  Usually I roast the beets, let them cool and grate at night, and finish it the next day with cucumber and Kefir (which over time I’ve preferred to buttermilk.) I keep hard boiled eggs handy to eat with it. Summer perfection.

I made this soup last night following the recipe. It worked out very very well.

Very good during intermittent recent scorchers in NYC. Roasting beets makes no sense at such times. Made this with the following substitutions: jarred pickled beets as someone suggested, chopped chard to replace the missing beet greens (it has a beety taste IMO), buttermilk and whole milk Greek yogurt instead of kefir and sour cream, English cuke as Persians are not available around here. You don't get the deep red that you would with fresh roasted beets, but worth not running the oven at 400!

What can I say, Lithuania and Poland are not France or Belgium.   I thought the recipe was just OK.  I would even say it grew on me after the first couple of bites. I probably would not make it again as there are better ways to make beets, even a warm borscht.

It is really good! I used pickled beets for an extra twang. The raw cucumbers and radishes give it a nice crunch. It is not spicy like I usually cook, but very tasty!

I used roasted beets found packaged from Costco.  I normally use these roasted beets for salads.  You can also find these near the chilled salad dressing section in the regular market. I also substituted Swiss chard for the beet greens.  Soup was delicious!  Will make again.

I used a grater for the beets, cucumber and radish - made the prep work super quick and easy!

OMG this was delish and SO unique! My family was intrigued with the color and taste. My only issue was that if you don't eat it immediately, the "broth" will get absorbed. I just added more  buttermilk to thin it out, the next day...but it's a new summer fave and full of bright flavor.

The grocery store was out of cucumbers (??¿).  I substituted pickles (Grillo’s dill spears) and it turned out great.

I followed this soup recipe exactly and it is absolutely delicious.  I will make it again and I won’t  change a thing. Everyone at my summer dinner loved it.

Commenting as a Lithuanian for whom this is a staple traditional dish: we would serve it over/with *hot* potatoes and eggs, no need to wait for either to cool down. The contrast in temperatures is anticipated. Especially great if you fry the potatoes a bit to make them crunchy, adding a contrast of textures as well.
Also, most of us do not bother with the whole process of preparing beets - it is quite tedious - and use steamed or marinated beets. And skip the sour cream, good kefir is enough!

Absolutely, but in my grandmother's house, we skipped the kefir and double up on sour cream, lolol.

Definitely Lithuanian, in Vilnius (capital of Lithuania) there' even a special festival to celebarate it, happening in June. Glad you've liked it! Traditionally, potatoes are served on the side.

Lithuanian soup which this year was called best cold soup in the world. 
in lithuania it's called šaltibarščiai (cold borsch). I'm polish by the way

My father and head chef used this soup as a litmus test for each new boyfriend that my 5 sisters and I brought home for dinner.  Those who liked it or were smart enough to pretend to got invited back.  Those that pushed their bowl away were never seen again.  I'm tickled to learn that it really is Lithuanian in origin.  I had assumed we called it "Lithuanian Borscht" in honor of the Lithuanian couple who introduced it to my parents while in grad school in the late 1950s.

This is a Lithuanian soup!
Can also be made quite fast and simply with grated, marinated/regular canned beets and any cucumbers. Experiment a bit with vinegar if using only regular beets. Instead of sour cream and sugar, can simply use kefir and cream.
We serve the potatoes on the side and slice the egg into the soup.

The pink soup has surely spilled over the border to Latvia as well, we make it with marinated beets (the marinade adds a zing which is absolutely required for the authentic, refreshing taste), kefirs and hard-boiled egg, fresh cucumbers and lots of chopped dill and chives. Major difference to the neighbouring Lithuanian version: NEVER any potatoes :) Love this soup, and not only because of the lovely pink color - it’s arrival on the restaurant menus each year signals the beginning of summer!

This is definitely a Lithuanian soup. Also, we usually don’t bother roasting the beats, we peel then and then boil, once boiled they can be grated or cubes and added back into the water.  And yes to hot boiled potatoes on the side with dill or dunked into the cold soup.

Just returned from family visit to Vilnius. Every restaurant serves this soup with potatoes, each with their own potato prep. When I make, I use a jar or two of pickled, whole beets and grate them, buttermilk and sour cream, sometimes a bit of water. Other ingredients the same. Let refrigerate overnight and serve cold.

I use kefir but never sour cream. Wonderful with some pickle juice and a few small cockles chopped in as well. Gives a more complex flavor.  Sweet and spicy pickles work nicely.

Šaltibarščiai (pronounced shal-tee-bar-shchay) is indeed considered a national dish of Lithuania. It's a cold beet soup that's usually made with buttermilk or kefir, along with beets, cucumbers, dill, and sometimes hard-boiled eggs. It's a refreshing and hearty dish, especially popular during the summer months.

Not traditional but I served this with salt & vinegar potatoes, parboiled then roasted. Really tied everything together, will be making this again.

As a first-generation Lithuanian American Ive never been served this with potatoes. Also, we use sliced/crumbled hard boiled eggs. Always buttermilk as the base, never kefir.

I made this exactly as written. It was good but bland. I would use marinated beets to add a zing, and kefir instead of buttermilk (my store didn't have plain kefir). I also like the suggestion of hot potatoes, or no potatoes at all. Will keep experimenting!

In the Polish version, no potatoes. I prepare it according to Nela Rubinstein, wife of the famous pianist. Beet tops are chopped and cooked in beef broth. Chopped dill pickles are added along with cucumbers into the mix. Pycha!

Top 6 beet greens recipes from across the web

The most viewed beet greens recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

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Stir-Fried Beet Greens, Tofu and Be...

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Top 6 beet greens recipes from across the web

The most viewed beet greens recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Stir-Fried Beet Greens, Tofu and Be...

Sautéed Beet Greens

Ninja Foodi Fresh Beet Greens

Beet Green Kimchi

Roasted Beets and Sauteed Beet Gree...

Chłodnik Litewski (Chilled Beet Sou...

The most viewed beet greens recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine