Wondering what to do with beet greens? This guide covers how to pick them, cook them, store them, and swap them, plus 11 recipes to put them to work.

What are beet greens?

Beet greens are the leafy tops attached to a bunch of beets, and they are easily the most thrown-away half of the vegetable. The leaves are dark green with red or pink veins, and the whole thing tastes like a milder, sweeter relative of chard.

That family resemblance is no accident. Beets and Swiss chard are the same species, so the greens cook and taste almost identically. If you have ever bought a beet with the tops still on, you have already paid for a second vegetable hiding in the bag.

Treat them the way you would chard or spinach and they earn their keep, whether sauteed in a few minutes or braised down soft.

How to Cook Beet Greens

Separate the leaves from the stems before you start, because the stems take longer. Slice the stems into short pieces and give them a head start in the pan, then add the chopped leaves once the stems have softened.

A quick saute is the everyday move. Warm olive oil with sliced garlic, add the stems for a couple of minutes, and follow with the leaves until they wilt and turn glossy.

Sauteed Beet Greens with Toasted Almonds and Sauteed Beet Greens & Herbed Goat Cheese Crostini both build on this base.

Braising suits the tougher late-season bunches. A splash of stock or water with a lid lets them go silky over ten minutes or so, the approach behind Braised Beet Greens with Vinegar & Sesame Seeds.

They also fold into bigger dishes: a Beet Green Souffle, a Cheesy Beet Green Gratin, or tossed through Pasta with Beet Greens & Raisins.

The leaves shrink dramatically. A whole bunch cooks down to a small mound, so use more than looks reasonable.

Pairing and Common Mistakes

Beet greens have a mild earthiness that takes well to bold partners. Garlic, lemon, a hit of vinegar, toasted nuts, sesame, raisins, and salty cheeses like feta or goat cheese all play nicely, and warm spices work too, as in Beet Greens with Indian Spices.

A finishing acid is the move that makes them sing. A squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar at the end cuts the slight mineral edge and wakes everything up.

The biggest mistake is tossing the stems or overcooking the leaves. The stems are crunchy and pleasant when cooked properly, and the leaves go from tender to slimy if you walk away. Pull them off the heat the moment they wilt.

The other mistake is skipping the wash. Beet greens trap grit in their crinkled leaves and stem bases, so dunk them in a bowl of cold water and lift them out before cooking.

Substitutes

Swiss chard is the closest stand-in by a wide margin, since it is botanically the same plant; use it leaf for leaf with no adjustment. Rainbow chard even mimics the colorful stems.

Spinach works when you want something milder and faster, though it cooks down even further and loses the sturdy stem. Mature spinach holds up better than baby spinach here.

For a sturdier, more assertive swap, kale or collard greens stand in well, especially in braises. They are tougher and a bit bitter, so give them a few extra minutes and a little more liquid to soften.

Buying and Storing

Look for beet greens that are perky and deeply colored, with crisp stems and no yellowing or slime. The freshest tops come attached to firm beets with the leaves still standing up rather than flopping over.

Here is the key storage step. Separate the greens from the roots as soon as you get home, because the leaves pull moisture from the beets, so left attached the roots go soft and the greens wilt faster.

Twist or cut the tops off, leaving an inch of stem on the beet. Store the unwashed greens loosely wrapped in a damp paper towel inside a bag in the crisper drawer.

They keep about three to four days, less than the roots, so cook them first. Wash only right before cooking, since wet leaves rot quickly in the fridge.

If they start to wilt before you get to them, a ten-minute soak in cold water often revives them enough to cook.

Quick facts

In Chinese

甜菜

British (UK) term

Beet greens

en français

feuilles de betteraves

en español

hojas de remolacha

Recipes using beet greens

There are 11 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 11 recipes