How to Cook Beet Greens and Stems

Beet leaves and stems are the parts of the beet that are usually discarded. Yet beet and Swiss chard are two cultivated forms of the same plant species: one is grown for its root, the other for its leaves. That is why beet greens can be used in all the same ways as Swiss chard: sautéed, cooked with eggs, or added to savory pastries and soup. They have an earthy, slightly sweet flavor and are more substantial than spinach. The only rule for cooking them is that the two parts of the leaf cook at different rates; the whole method is built around that difference.

Separate the stem and the thick central vein from the leaf. Run a knife along the two sides of the vein, or tear the leaf away from around it by hand. Finely chop the stems; stack the leaves, roll them up, and cut them into strips. Keep the two parts in separate containers because they will go into the pot at different times. Discard any leaves that are dried out, yellowed, or limp; the leaves you use should be firm and glossy. Like roots, leaves hold soil, so wash them in plenty of water.

Start cooking with the onion. Once it has softened in olive oil, add the chopped stems and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally. When the stems are fork-tender, add the leaves. They fill the pot at first, but quickly wilt in the heat and shrink in volume. Stir the leaves, and the dish is ready once their color darkens. If you get the order wrong, one of two things happens: stems added at the same time as the leaves stay raw, or the leaves waiting for the stems to cook turn to mush. Do not cover the pot, or the leaves will steam in their own liquid.

The red veins and stems of beet greens release their color into the liquid as they cook. The liquid in the pot turns pink, then dark red, and stains nearby ingredients: rice turns pink, and eggs and white cheese turn red. This is not a flaw, but it can be surprising if you do not expect it; pink rice or bulgur does not lose any flavor, only its appearance changes. If the color of the dish matters, cook the stems separately and discard their liquid. In an egg skillet, add the eggs at the very end so they can retain their color. Beets with yellow or green stems do not cause this staining and can be added freely to any dish.

Cooked leaves and stems can be used in several ways. Sauté them with onion and top them with yogurt; cook them with lentils or bulgur as a one-pot dish; cook them with eggs in a skillet; or drain and squeeze out their liquid before adding them to savory pastry filling. If you are using the leaves in pastry, squeeze them very well; otherwise, they will make the dough wet and the bottom layer will not cook through. Once separated from the root, the leaves wilt much faster than the root, so remove them as soon as the beets come home and cook them before the root.