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Don't toss out those beet greens! This simple side dish recipe only requires 4 ingredients and delivers lots of flavor.

There was a day when I used to ask the vendors at the local Farmers Market to trim the greens off of my beets for me before I took them home from the market. I figured I was saving a step by having them do it for me.

Prior to that, I would take my beets home and cut off the greens as soon as I brought them into my tiny kitchen. I’d toss the greens right into the garbage so as not to take up any precious real estate in my crisper drawer.

Then one day, I was making my favorite Slow Cooker “Roasted” Beets recipe and I thought I should try to figure out a way to use up the beet greens. I hated that I had been wasting them for so long, but I wasn’t sure how I should go about preparing them. So I decided I should treat them like any other dark leafy green, like kale or spinach, and just sauté them simply on the stovetop.

And like many of my best ideas, I assumed it would be wise to add oodles of garlic to this dish. More specifically garlic chips.

Garlic chips are super simple to make. Simply slice up a few cloves of garlic as thinly as you’re able and place them into a nonstick skillet that has a layer of olive oil in it. You want to make sure the heat isn’t already on when you start off - you’re going to be gently warming the garlic and oil and the same time. This lets the garlic flavor infuse into the oil gradually as the sliced garlic slowly crisps up.

And make sure you save that garlicky delicious oil in the pan - we’re going to be using it to sauté the beet greens, giving them a double hit of garlic flavor.

I like adding a healthy pinch of red pepper flakes in with the beet greens to give them a nice spicy kick as well. It pairs really well with the other flavors here, but I’m sure it would still be delicious without them if you aren’t in the mood for spicy food.

This dish goes well with so many different types of meals. I’ve served it alongside main courses like Grilled T-Bone Steaks with Dill-Horseradish Mayo, Foil Packet Soy-Lime Salmon with Green Beans, and even as a filler for our leftover nights.

So next time you get beets, make sure you save those greens!!

📖 Recipe

Spicy Sautéed Beet Greens with Garlic Chips

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Author: Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen - Ashley Covelli
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Category: Side Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

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Description

Don't toss out those beet greens! This simple side dish recipe only requires 4 ingredients and delivers lots of flavor.

Ingredients

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Olive oil, to coat the pan
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Greens from 2 bunches of beets, rinsed well and sliced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Generous pinch of red pepper flakes

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Instructions

Place a large, non-stick skillet on your stovetop but DO NOT turn the heat on yet. Drizzle enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the skillet and add the sliced garlic. Turn the heat on to medium low and let the garlic slowly brown, flipping the slices over, if needed, to ensure even browning. This will likely take around 15 minutes.
Once the garlic chips are golden brown, remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside for garnish, reserving the garlic-infused oil in the pan.
Add the beet greens to the skillet and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Use tongs to toss the greens in the oil and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are cooked through and the stalks are tender, about 5-10 minutes longer. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.
Remove the greens from the pan and serve, topped with the garlic chips sprinkled over top.