Did you know that you can eat beet greens and stems? Yup those leafy green bits on top of beetroot are totally edible! They are a great substitute for spinach actually. That is where my beet green and artichoke dip comes in.
How to cook beet greens?
This all came about because I have recently been receiving a weekly grocery subscription box that sends me seasonal local fresh produce. One of the items I received was this big bunch of beets. While I had some ideas for what to do with the beets (this beet hummus, or my fave beet raita), I was at a loss as to what to do with the beet greens.
Beet greens can be used in place of spinach in most recipes. But I found that the flavour was pretty bland on its own. It does have that fun pink colour that the leaves release when chopped, much like the beets themselves. So I wanted to do something to use up the beet greens and that would help showcase the gorgeous pink tint.
Creamy Beet Green Dip Great for Meal Prep or Parties
I think we can all agree that adding cheese to anything will make it instantly more appetizing. So this cheesy dip seems like the best use of my beet greens. And it was! This dip is perfect for meal prepping and munching on throughout the week. Or just make it for your next (bubble) party. This would be a great one to serve for a super bowl party, or a movie night with the family.
I enjoyed munching on this at lunch time because there is literally no cooking needed once the dip is ready in the fridge. The pink colour releases the more and more dip into this or if you re-heat it. So the dip actually changes colour as you eat it!
And if you don’t have beet greens, you can always just use frozen spinach. Which is the original way to make this recipe. But I do think the ribbons of pink colour throughout the dip add to half the fun of this beet and artichoke dip!
I served this with some gluten free crackers. It was addictively good! But also great with tortilla chips or slathered on a slice of toast.
Would you eat your beet greens this way?
Beet Green & Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature (about 3/4 of a brick)
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp)
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and diced
- 6 oz. beet greens, chopped – about 1 cup, packed (or substitute for frozen spinach, thawed and drained)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (176C).
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the artichoke hearts and beet greens.
- Add the chopped artichoke hearts and beet greens and mix to combine.
- Pour the mixture into a small oven proof dish and bake for 20 minutes.
- It should start to turn golden on top. If not, broil for 1-2 minutes to get the top golden and melty.
- Serve warm with tortilla chips or sliced baguette.
