Roasted Beets with Their Leaves and Stems

4 from 6 votes

Sometimes I serve this at the restaurant with fresh dill, a dollop of sour cream, toasted pistachios, walnut oil, tarragon, yogurt or curry, there's lots of possibilities.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Beet leaves, Beet stems, Beets

Servings: People

Calories: 198kcal

Author: Alan Bergo

Equipment

Aluminum foil
Cast iron skillet or roasting pan

Ingredients

2 large beets with stems and leaves attached
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Dash of red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
a few sprigs of fresh thyme

Instructions

Remove the stems and leaves from the beets, wash, dry, and reserve both separately.
Wash and scrub the beet roots.
Wrap each beet in foil with the thyme leaves, then put in a dish and bake at 325 until just tender when pierced, about 1 hour depending on your oven and the size of the beets. Cool the beets in an ice bath to make peeling easy (or just cool in your fridge), then cut each beet in half and cut into wedges.
Cut the stems on the diagonal into ½ inch pieces. Cut or tear the leaves into roughly 2inch pieces.
Bring a quart of salted water to a boil, add the beet stems and cook until just tender, then remove and cool.
Heat the butter in a wide saute pan like a 10 inch, then add the beets and warm through on medium low heat, add the stems and leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then cover the pan to wilt the greens with the steam quickly for a few minutes, until the leaves are tender and taste good to you.
Remove the lid, toss or stir the beats, stems and leaves, and finish the dish with a shot of good quality red wine vinegar.
Taste the mixture for seasoning and adjust as needed, then serve immediately.

Notes

Sometimes I serve this at the restaurant with fresh dill, a dollop of sour cream, toasted pistachios, walnut oil, tarragon, yogurt or curry, there's lots of possibilities.

Nutrition