You know those beets you buy with the bushy green tops still attached? You usually chop those off and toss them, right? Stop it immediately. Beet greens are not just a garnish or compost material; they are a silky, earthy, slightly sweet green that tastes like a love child of Swiss chard and spinach. And in the Netherlands, you can head straight to a pluktuin (pick-your-own farm) and snip them yourself.

The Pick: A Hands-On, Dirty-Knees Affair

Forget the sterile supermarket. At a Dutch pick-your-own farm, you’ll be wading through rows of rainbow beets, their crimson, gold, and candy-striped shoulders poking out of the soil. The greens are the real bounty, and you can pick them from May to October, before the first frost. Grab a pair of scissors and a basket—don’t be precious, you’ll want a big one.

The trick is to select leaves that are vibrant, firm, and not too huge. Baby leaves are tender and sweet; the enormous, dinosaur-sized ones are better for cooking down (they get a bit chewy otherwise). Skip yellowed or wilted leaves and plants that are starting to flower, as those leaves turn bitter. Don’t yank the whole plant out unless you want the beet, too. Just snip the outer leaves a few centimetres above the base, leaving the inner rosette to keep growing. It’s a cut-and-come-again situation, so the same plants can be harvested two or three times in a season.

Pro tip: go in the morning, when the leaves are cool, crisp and full of water.

Once You’re Home: Not Just a Salad Leaf

Beet greens are incredibly versatile, but they wilt quickly. Wrap them unwashed in a damp paper towel, keep them in a perforated bag in the fridge, and eat them within 3 to 5 days. Just before use, wash them in cold water (they hide a lot of sand) and give them a hearty spin in the salad spinner. You can:

  • Sauté them with garlic, olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon (the classic).
  • Blanch them and use them as a bed for poached eggs or grilled fish.
  • Blend young leaves raw into a smoothie with pineapple and ginger.

Two Cooking Recipes (Vegetable Greens)

1. Creamy Beet Green Pasta (Dinner in 15 Minutes)

  • Ingredients: 300g pasta (orecchiette or penne), 1 bunch beet greens (chopped), 3 cloves garlic (sliced), 1 shallot (diced), 200ml cream or crème fraîche, 50g grated Parmesan, chili flakes, salt, pepper.
  • Method: Cook pasta al dente. Meanwhile, sauté garlic and shallot in butter for 2 minutes. Add the chopped beet greens (stems and leaves) and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in cream, Parmesan, and a pinch of chili. Toss with the drained pasta. Season. Done.

2. Beet Green and Goat Cheese Pockets (Filo or Puff Pastry)

  • Ingredients: 1 sheet puff pastry (or 4 sheets filo), 200g beet greens (blanched, squeezed dry, and chopped), 150g soft goat cheese, 1 egg (beaten), 2 tbsp pine nuts (toasted), salt, pepper.
  • Method: Mix the greens with goat cheese and pine nuts. Unfold puff pastry, cut into 4 squares. Spoon filling onto each square, fold diagonally, and press edges with a fork. Brush with egg wash. Bake at 200°C for 15 minutes until golden. These are perfect for a Dutch “borrel” or a packed lunch.