Roasted Beet Salad with Sauteed Beet Greens

Chef Bree Smith, MEd, owner and educator of The Afro Indigenous Vegan, Providence

Health is wealth! This dish combines flavors to please your palate with ingredients to boost your health. This dish will appeal to even the staunchest of anti-beet people.

March 08, 2021

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 4 to 6 Serving(s)
  • 2 bunches beets with greens (about 6 whole beets, ideally a mix of golden and red)
  • Cooking oil (your preferred)
  • 1 small to medium red onion, thinly sliced in half moons
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup thinly sliced mixed bell peppers (red, orange, etc.)
  • ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ¾ teaspoon dried)
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Sea salt
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons pomegranate vinegar (or your favorite flavored vinegar)
  • ¼–½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°F. Trim the beet greens from the roots; wash, dry and chop the greens into bite-sized pieces, removing the woody stems. Set aside. Wash beet roots thoroughly and place on a double sheet of foil, large enough to fold completely over the beets. Cover beets with 2 tablespoons oil and crimp foil to form a tight pouch. Place the pouch in an oven-safe dish and roast for 20 to 35 minutes, or until beets are semi-soft when poked with a knife or fork. Note: Use caution when checking the beets as pouch will emit a cloud of steam.

When beets are done, remove from the oven and let cool. Once beets are cooled, peel and dice the beets and set aside. (Red beets will stain the golden beets so set aside in separate bowls to preserve color, if desired.)

Reserve half the sliced raw onion for the salad. In a medium or large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add remaining sliced onion, minced garlic, bell peppers and thyme. Sauté until veggies are soft and onions begin to turn translucent, then add the beet greens. Add tumeric, cumin, pepper and salt to taste, sprinkling evenly over the beet greens as they sauté. Stir to combine, cover, turn the heat to medium-low and let cook for about 1 to 2 minutes until greens are gently wilted but still bright with color. Remove from heat and, with your face turned away from the pan, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons vinegar. Taste for seasoning and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup vinegar, cayenne and garlic powder. In the bowl(s) with the chopped beets, add the sliced onion and vinegar mixture. Toss to completely coat the beet salad.

About this recipe

To serve, spread the sautéed greens over the bottom of a large serving dish. Spoon the beet salad over the greens, making sure to spoon the vinegar from the salad over the greens. Enjoy!

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 4 to 6 Serving(s)
  • 2 bunches beets with greens (about 6 whole beets, ideally a mix of golden and red)
  • Cooking oil (your preferred)
  • 1 small to medium red onion, thinly sliced in half moons
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup thinly sliced mixed bell peppers (red, orange, etc.)
  • ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ¾ teaspoon dried)
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Sea salt
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons pomegranate vinegar (or your favorite flavored vinegar)
  • ¼–½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
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