Sauteed Beet Greens

Sauteed beet greens is a quick recipe that uses simple ingredients. Add a few pieces of bacon, a little butter, vinegar, and seasonings to the leaves for a delicious side dish.

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Garden Fresh Beets

When I was growing up, we had three gardens and my mom had all of us kids helping plant, weed, and water them every day. In the Fall, we enjoyed every part of the beet a few times a week. When you have a vegetable as beautiful as a beet, keeping recipes simple seems to bring out the best.

Beet greens are in the same family as Swiss chard. They are both packed with rich nutrients. You can use them interchangeably too. Beet leaves are a bit milder and more tender while being less bitter than kale and collards.

Handle Beetroot with Care

The red coloring from the beetroot can stain skin and porous materials. Therefore, it is a good idea to wear an apron and gloves when handling. Us a cutting board or a plate to protect your counter tops.

Removing Beetroot Stains

I have successfully used a solution of 50/50 bleach and water to clean cutting boards and countertops. Softscrub with bleach also works if you prefer not to mix your own solution. Further, if you have stained your hands, try a solution of walt and lemon juice, then wash with soap and water. This method does a fairly good job of removing most of the red from your hands.

Freezing Beetroot

Once the beetroot is boiled, fried, or baked allow the pieces to cool. Place in an airtight container, making sure to label with content and date. This will freeze well for 3-6 months. By freezing after the beetroot has been cooked, thaw and reheat your favorite way.

Beet Greens in Salads

Throughout the growing season, we would pick some of the smaller younger greens. They are delicious eaten raw in a salad. The leaves are a great substitute for spinach.

Preparing the Beets and Beet Greens

Here is how we ate all the parts of the beet.

Pick enough to fit into a large kettle. About 1 ½ pounds; about 8 beetroots with their greens.

Cut the stem off the beet leaving approximately 1-2 inches of the stem attached. This will keep the red from the beet from bleeding.

Gently wash the stems and set aside.

Wash the beets. Use a soft brush to gently scrub the beat to remove any dirt pieces.

When steaming or cooking beets, keep skins intact to retain the beet’s vibrant color

Boiling the Beets with the Beet Greens

Add the beets to the kettle first fill with water to cover the beets. Then add the leaves (we did not cut the greens into bite-sized pieces as they were easy to remove with a tongs if left whole). Cover and bring to a boil.

After approximately 5 minutes of boiling/steaming, the beet greens will be done. Remove them and continue cooking the beet roots.

Simple and Delicious Beet Greens

Sometimes those simple recipes are the best ones for bringing out the best flavor from our garden produce. This is one of them.

Remove them with a tongs and place in a serving bowl.

Add 2-3 tablespoons of butter, salt, and pepper to taste, and 1-2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Toss to coat and enjoy.

Great options to the vinegar

• lemon juice
• white wine vinegar
• red wine vinegar
• apple cider
• sherry vinegar
• rice vinegar

Serve warm.

Cooked beet greens will keep in the refrigerator approximately 3 days.

Cooking and Serving Beetroot

Learn simple and delicious ways of cooking and serving beetroot. Beetroot is excellent on its own and a great side dish with any meat.

Continue boiling the beets for 45 minutes, until a fork easily slides in when poked.

Place kettle under running cold water and rinse until the beets can be handled.

The skins can now be easily peeled off the beets.

These are great on their own with butter, salt, and pepper.

Pan Frying Beetroot

Once boiled, another option is to slice, salt and pepper and Sautee in butter or olive oil to caramelize a bit for an even sweeter, deeper taste. Approximately 5-10 minutes.

If you prefer to skip the boiling ahead of time, just fry the beetroot longer, until fork tender. Approximately 45-60 minutes. Stirring frequently.

Oven Roasting Beetroot

Once boiled, if you prefer to roast in the oven, drizzle with olive oil, add salt, and pepper. Mix to coat and bake on a sheet pan for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you prefer to skip the boiling ahead of time, just bake the beetroot longer, until fork tender. Approximately 45-60 minutes.

Here is a delicious salad if you roast the beets. Pair the beetroot with fresh ingredients. Scrumptious. Roasted Beet Salad with Beet Greens and Feta

Sauteed Beet Greens

As you can see from all the ideas, beetroot and beet greens and be quick and easy to make. Enjoy them plain, in a salad, as the focal point of a salad, sautee just the beet greens, or roast the beetroot to bring out even more of the sweetness. Try a few of these methods and find your new favorite.

If you love beets and want to eat them throughout the year…try this delicious preserving method. The best pickled beets recipe, in my opinion, this is it. This recipe was finally given to me from a neighbor. What a joy it is to have something that tastes so good the whole family clamors for.

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I hope that you liked this recipe. If you are looking for more ideas on what to make, here are a few other recipes that you may enjoy.

• Savory Green Bean Casserole
• Restaurant Style Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
• Broccoli Cheddar Pasta Salad
• Baked Potatoes in the Oven
• Spice Mixes