Here’s another flavorful and healthy recipe using the young beet leaves from my garden. If the leaves are still young, they’re edible! I’ve cooked with beet greens in the past but I find that the best way to consume them all is to use them in sauces. To that end, I made beet green pesto mixing macadamia nuts, Romano cheese and of course, the beet greens.
What goes better with pesto than gnocchi? It’s definitely one of my favorite combinations and I was eager to see how the beet green flavor matches with the gnocchi. After sautéing the gnocchi in a bit of olive oil, I added a touch of ricotta cheese and completed the sauce with the beet green pesto and a bit of the beet liquid.
I’ve finally used all the beet greens for this week. Mission accomplished!
1. Info for Beet Green Pesto Gnocchi Recipe
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Servings: 8
- Calories: 534
2. Ingredients for Beet Green Pesto Gnocchi Recipe
- 1 pound gnocchi
- 8 ounces golden beets, roasted and diced
- 4 cups beet greens
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
- 1 red onion, cut into small wedges
- 1½ tablespoons salt
- 4 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3. Directions:
3.1 For the beet greens
Wash the beet leaves thoroughly in several baths. Remove and discard the older, more fibrous part of the stems. Bring salted water to a boil. Add the beet leaves. Cook for about 4-6 minutes. Turn off the heat. Cover and let the greens sit for about 5 minutes. Drain the liquid, reserving 1 cup and transfer the greens to a cold water bath. Coarsely chop.
3.2 For the beet green pesto
In a mini-food prep (or food processor), combine the beet greens, 1 clove garlic, macadamia nuts, Romano cheese and ¼ cup olive oil. Pulse until smooth. Add up to ½ cup beet green liquid for a smoother flow.
3.3 Cooking the gnocchi
Add a large amount of salted water to a pot and bring to a boil (you always need a large amount of water when boiling pasta, even for gnocchi!). Add the gnocchi, bring back to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to a gentle boil. Cook the pasta for about 3-4 minutes total until the gnocchi float to the surface.
Meanwhile, in a large non-stick pan, heat the rest of the olive oil. Add the remaining garlic and cook until slightly golden. Add half the onion and cook until softened. Using a slotted spoon, as soon as the gnocchi float to the surface of the other pot, drain and transfer them to the pan. Toss the gnocchi by moving the pan in a circular motion (the pan should be lifted at a low angle to facilitate the movement). Season with salt and pepper. If the pasta starts sticking to the bottom, add a little pasta water. Transfer to a large serving platter. Set aside.
3.4 Assembly time
In the same pan, combine the beet green pesto and ricotta cheese. Add ½ cup of the reserved beet green liquid to thin the sauce. Return the gnocchi to the pan. Toss well for about 1 minute. Add the remaining red onions and golden beets. Cover and turn the heat down to a gentle simmer for about 3 minutes, so the sauce is warm.
Adjust seasoning. Add more salt if necessary.
Garnish with parsley.
Serve immediately.
Bon appétit!
4. Tips and advices:
- For a vegan version, simply substitute more nuts for the cheese and omit the ricotta cheese in the sauce.
