I grew beets for the first time this winter. They were pretty easy, and much better tasting than popular culture led me to believe. I love vegetables where every part is edible, and beets definitely fall into that category. I’m making this Vegetarian Times recipe featuring beet greens tonight, for a vegetarian main course at our family’s Passover seder. I’m tweaking the recipe a bit to comply with Passover dietary rules, but I’ve left the recipe in its original form below.
Photo by Sean Dreilinger
Edible beet tops are the free prize that comes with the colorful root vegetable. This entrée calls for about the amount of greens you’d get from a one-pound bunch of beets, but it can also be made with spinach, Swiss chard, or other leafy greens.
Ingredient List
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
- 4 cups beet greens, stems trimmed and coarsely chopped
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Stir in garlic, and cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add beet greens and 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until beet greens are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Cool 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9- x 9-inch baking pan or 8-inch glass pie dish with cooking spray. Whisk eggs in large bowl 1 minute, or until frothy. Whisk in flour and baking powder until no lumps remain. Whisk in milk, and season with salt and pepper. Stir Parmesan cheese and beet green mixture into egg mixture. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until browned and puffy on top.
Nutritional Information
Per Serving: Calories: 152, Protein: 8g, Total fat: 6.5g, Saturated fat: 2g, Carbs: 15g, Cholesterol: 112mg, Sodium: 448mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 5g
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
You should try pickling them. Dee-Lish! ;~)
Sounds yummy Fern – will have to try it. We have beets in hanging pots here! They look really pretty in all their different colours. Did you make borscht with the rest? Totally divine once you get the recipe right, and beetroot risotto where you grate it through is really subtle but yummy.
I think Ryan would really like this. (Cue the real men eat quiche joke.)
TC — I already ate them all!
Prue — I’m a bit scared of borscht. Its the sort of thing that gave beets a bad name, so I’ve been wimping out on trying it…
invisiblebees — Well, you could call it a fritatta…do men eat fritattas?
Can’t seem to find how many servings this makes. Anyone know how big a serving is so I have the right nutrition info? Thanks.
Sunnidaes–According to the recipe, it serves 6. This is the nutritional info provided by Vegetarian Times – Calories: 152, Protein: 8g, Total fat: 6.5g, Saturated fat: 2g, Carbs: 15g, Cholesterol: 112mg, Sodium: 448mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 5g
Thanks so much Fern! I’m planning to make it tomorrow for supper.
I’ve already cooked up the greens and stems so it should go together quickly. That’s what I like on Sundays. 
Blessings!