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Katie's Cucina » Recipes » Side Dish

Sautéed Beet Greens

Published: Feb 3, 2023 by Katie · This post may contain affiliate links

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Chopped greens divided by text for Pinterest and sauted greens on the bottom.
Skillet with sauteed greens with pink garlic and text on image for pinterest.
Sauteed greens in brown skillet with text on image for Pinterest.
Sauteed greens in brown skillet with logo on right corner.
Chopped greens in a saute pan on stove dividedby recipe text for Pinterest with sauted greens on the bottom in a pan.
Sauteed greens with garlic with recipe title text on image for Pinterest with logo on right corner.
Sauteed greens with garlic with recipe title text on image for Pinterest with logo on right corner.

Next time you roast beets don’t throw the greens away. Instead make my Sautéed Beet Greens recipe that makes for an iron rich side dish in under a half hour.

Sauteed greens with chopped garlic in a brown saute pan.

Years ago I planted almost a whole raised garden bed full of beets and swiss chard. Then it came time for harvesting and I had an abundance. After a little research I realized I could eat the greens from the beets. So that’s where this recipe for Sautéed Beet Greens.

My days of gardening vegetables are gone, but whenever I buy beets to cook I always save the greens to saute. They take longer then traditional spinach since you have to really wash them well –let them soak for some time to get all the grit out of them. But the little bit of extra work is well worth the reward.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Directions
  • FAQs
  • Growing Beets
  • Recipe Tips & Tricks
  • Beet Recipes
  • Sautéed Beet Greens

Ingredients

Fresh bundle of beets, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper on a marble countertop.
  • Beets – Any color beets work for this recipe. The leaves are all the same.
  • Oil – I like to use olive oil for this recipe.
  • Garlic – A few cloves of garlic will elevate the leaves as they cook.
  • Seasonings – I like the simplicity of salt and pepper.

Directions

Green cutting board with chopped greens and a knife.
Chopped greens on a bright green cutting board with a knife.

First, remove the stems from the greens. Then roughly chop the greens.

Glass bowl with greens soaking in water on a marble countertop.

Place the greens in a large bowl with water. Let them sit for 5 minutes. All the sand/dirt will fall to the bottom. Remove the greens, dump the water, and repeat until your greens have been washed thoroughly and no longer have dirt/sand on them. This will take 3-4 times of this process until all the grit is removed.

Brown frying pan with chopped garlic and oil in pan.

In a large sautéed pan (fitted with a lid) place the olive oil in the pan and cook for 1 minute on medium heat. Then add in the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.

Chopped greens in a brown skillet on a black stove.

Reduce the heat to medium and begin to add the greens. Place all the greens in the pan, put the lid on the pan and cook for 10 minutes. Greens should begin to wilt. Carefully stir, the greens (moving the top greens to the bottom and the bottom greens to the top). Cook an additional 5 minutes longer then serve.

Brown frying pan filled with chopped greens and garlic on a black stove top.

This is what your beat greens will look like after they have wilted down. Beet greens wilt down just like spinach! You think you have a lot until they cook.

FAQs

Can you eat the stems of beet greens?

Yes, you can eat the stems of beet greens. I prefer not too, but if you don’t want to waste them (since this plant is entirely edible) I suggest sauteeing the beet stems first and once they are starting to become soft, then add in the greens.

What do sauteed beet greens taste like?

Sauteed beet greens taste similar to spinach or even sauteed swiss chard. They are mild in flavor and whatever you season them with they will take on the flavor. Beet greens taste nothing like beets.

What is the best way to eat beet greens?

You can eat cooked beet greens as a side dish. Or you can add them to the following dishes.
– Add sauteed beet greens to your favorite pasta dish in place of spinach.
– Add the beet greens to soup where you would normally add a leafy green.
– Place a small amount of cooked greens into an egg omelette.

Who should not eat beet greens?

If you are allergic to beets or celery you should not eat beet greens. This is because it contains a chemical similar to those allergic to beets and celery.

Growing Beets

Harvested Beets from KatiesCucina.com

If you plan to grow beets in the winter here are some gardening tips and tricks.

  • Do plant the seeds directly into the ground
  • Don’t just pour the packet of seeds into the ground. Be meticulous and spread out the seeds. I think my beets could have gotten much larger had they had more room to grow. I.e., I just poured the packet in the ground and hoped for the best!
  • Do harvest the beet greens before it gets hot out. Greens get bitter as the weather gets warmer.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Sauteed greens in a brown skillet.

Here are a few of my tips and tricks whenever I cook with beet greens.

  • Soak – Take the time to properly wash your greens to avoid a gritty side dish.
  • Zero Waste Vegetable – Roast your beets and save the greens for a vitamin packed side dish. Absolutely no waste when you get to use the beet greens, too. Save the stems to throw in smoothies for added vitamins.
  • Additional Greens – Since beet greens are similiar to spinach and swiss chard they shrivel up once they are cooked. Feel free to add in additional spinach or swiss chard to the saute pan to beef up your greens and give additional servings.

Beet Recipes

Love beets? Check out a few of my other delicious beet recipes.

  • Beet, Bacon, and Citrus Salad with Garlic-Citrus Vinaigrette
    Beet, Bacon, and Citrus Salad with Garlic-Citrus Vinaigrette
  • Three bright purple popsicles on white parchment paper with bananas and strawberries around it.
    Strawberry Beet and Banana Popsicles
  • Harvest Quinoa Salad with Pumpkin Yogurt Dressing
    Harvest Quinoa Salad with Pumpkin Yogurt Dressing
  • White bowl filled with cooked beets.
    Instant Pot Beets

Next time you buy beets from the store (or grow them in my case), do not discard the coveted beet green tops. Clean them well, chop them up, and sauté them to make my Sautéed Beet Greens.

If you make this Sautéed Beet Greens recipe, I would be honored and love for you to take the time to leave a ⭐ star rating and comment! I spend hours developing and testing these recipes, and always love to hear feedback and user experience!

Don’t forget to FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram, and subscribe to my email list!

Close up of beet greens in a frying pan on a white and blue striped cloth.

Sautéed Beet Greens

Next time you roast beets don't throw the greens away. Instead make my Sautéed Beet Greens recipe that makes for an iron rich side dish in under a half hour.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Save Saved! Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 151kcal
Author: Katie

Equipment

  • 1 Cutting Board
  • 1 Knife
  • 1 Bowl
  • 1 Silicone Spatula
  • Saute Pan
  • 1 Stove Top

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves sliced
  • 4 cups beet greens
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • ⅙ teaspoon Pepper

Instructions

  • Remove the stems from the greens, and roughly chop. Place them in a large bowl with water. Let them sit for 5 minutes. All the sand/dirt will fall to the bottom. Remove the greens, dump the water, and repeat until your greens have been washed thoroughly and no longer have dirt/sand on them.
  • In a large sautéed pan (fitted with a lid) place the olive oil in the pan and cook for 1 minute on medium heat. Then add in the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and begin to add the greens. Place all the greens in the pan, put the lid on the pan and cook for 10 minutes. Greens should begin to wilt. Carefully stir, the greens (moving the top greens to the bottom and the bottom greens to the top). Cook an additional 5 minutes longer then serve.

Notes

  • Soak – Take the time to properly wash your greens to avoid a gritty side dish.
  • Zero Waste Vegetable – Roast your beets and save the greens for a vitamin packed side dish. Absolutely no waste when you get to use the beet greens, too.
  • Additional Greens – Since beet greens are similiar to spinach and swiss chard they shrivel up once they are cooked. Feel free to add in additional spinach or swiss chard to the saute pan to beef up your greens and give additional servings.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 342mg | Potassium: 711mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 9097IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @KatieJasiewicz or tag #katiescucina!
« Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners
Instant Pot Beets »

About Katie

Katie is a busy mom of 2 children who loves to feed her family delicious meals that don't take hours to cook! She started her blog 15 years ago as a way to help others get cooking in the kitchen.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Madison Platow

    April 14, 2025 at 6:44 pm

    5 stars
    Tasted great

    Reply
  2. KathyT

    March 30, 2024 at 8:47 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe was so easy, tasted delicious. even my husband ate it. I did add a few dribbles of basalmico as a finish. Delicious. Thanks

    Reply
    • Katie

      April 01, 2024 at 12:38 pm

      Hi Kathy, thanks for taking the time to leave a 5 star comment. I love the addition of baslamic to the recipe.

  3. Sandy

    July 28, 2021 at 9:26 pm

    I thought Swiss chard stems were edible but I was told not to use the beet stems. Your recipe never mentions what to do with the stems. Another recipe said to saute the stems first to make tender before adding the leaves. I only saute the leaves tonight. Thank you for the recipe idea.

    Reply
    • Katie

      November 17, 2021 at 10:55 am

      Hi Sandy, I don’t use the beet stems because they take much longer to cook and break down. You could take the time to saute them until they are tender then add in the leaves.

    • Michael’s cookin’

      May 06, 2023 at 6:58 pm

      5 stars
      I was raised on beet greens and always eat the stems. My mom used to steam them, but we like them sautéed in butter and olive oil. Put a little lemon juice in because those puppies are bitter. If you don’t have lemon, use a splash of vinegar. Of course salt, pepper, and garlic. Num!

    • Katie

      May 12, 2023 at 9:17 am

      Hi Michael, thank you so much for all the info. I love it!

  4. Teysha

    October 04, 2013 at 9:56 pm

    Just made this for dinner and served it over rice with a sweet potato on the side. Delish!! Thanks for the super simple recipe,

    Reply
    • Katie

      October 07, 2013 at 2:11 pm

      Teysha–glad you enjoyed it! I love beet greens!!!

  5. Nutmeg Nanny

    June 12, 2013 at 11:34 am

    Oh, I’d love to have a garden that produces like this 🙂 looks wonderful!

    Reply
    • Katie

      June 14, 2013 at 4:33 pm

      Thanks Brandy. I’m still very new to gardening and I just plant seeds and pray they flourish! lol

  6. Jarome

    June 06, 2013 at 9:53 am

    I always dream of having a backyard garden since I was a kid and I envy for having one. 🙂

    Reply
    • Katie

      June 07, 2013 at 8:43 am

      Awe Jarome. If you have even a patio you can start a container garden! I always dreamed of having a garden too!

  7. Ashley Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine)

    June 05, 2013 at 2:00 pm

    I love beets too! I’m not big on the greens, but maybe because I haven’t found a good recipe yet. This seems like a good contender!

    Reply
    • Katie

      June 07, 2013 at 8:44 am

      Ashley you definitely have to enjoy greens to enjoy the beet greens — they are amazing!

  8. Karen (Back Road Journal)

    June 05, 2013 at 8:00 am

    I love beets and grow them in my garden as well. I enjoy sautéed beet greens and usually add the beets (cubed) cooked with olive oil and garlic. Delicious.

    Reply
    • Katie

      June 07, 2013 at 8:44 am

      Thanks Karen for visiting!

  9. Liz @ The Lemon Bowl

    June 05, 2013 at 7:46 am

    I am so envious of your backyard garden!! I love Swiss chard and beet greens!!

    Reply
    • Katie

      June 07, 2013 at 8:44 am

      Awe thanks Liz!

5 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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I'm Katie Jasiewicz: home cook, food blogger, and recipe developer. A busy mom of two children who loves to feed her family delicious meals that don’t take hours to cook! My mission is to create easy-to-make modern comfort food for the busy family. (more)

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