If we’re being honest, when it comes to beets, we know they aren’t everyone’s favorite summer veggie. Give us a chance to change your mind!
Beets are a complete summer treat from the garden. Their rich, sweet and earthy taste makes them a perfect addition to any savory salad, roasted veggie medley, or in this case, bruschetta (broo-schket-ta)!
As a root vegetable, beets have a relatively longer wait time until they grow to full maturity. They’re worth the wait, and are a multi-purpose and flavorful crop to include in your garden. The greatest gift of beets, aside from their sweet taste, is the ability to eat every part of the plant in numerous ways! That’s right, even beet greens can serve as a delicious substitute or addition to your regular mixed green salad. Beets of every variety can be eaten raw, cooked or pickled. They are truly a zero waste plant that we love to show off in our garden.
This roasted beet bruschetta is an incredibly easy and delicious dish that should absolutely be added to all of your end of summer picnics. Especially in the late summer season, it’s important to use up all those greens and veggies you’ve got left hanging on the vine. Lucky for you, almost every ingredient can come straight from your garden! Sweet beets combined with tomatoes, kale, arugula and basil from the garden create a fresh and flavorful bruschetta.
For the Bruschetta:
- 3 small beets – roasted and chopped small
- ¼ cup fresh tomatoes – I used a mix of a San Marzano tomato and Sungold cherry tomatoes – chopped small
- ½ cup of chopped kale and arugula
- ¼ cup/small handful of basil, chopped
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 slices of sourdough bread (or any bread of your choosing) – toasted to perfection!
To roast the beets, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Season beets with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Wrap each beet individually in tin foil, and bake until fork tender. Leave skin on! This could take anywhere from 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Once complete, hold beets in a paper towel (they stain!) and peel off skin. The skin of the beet is much easier to peel off after they have been roasted.
Traditionally, all ingredients that are included in a bruschetta are diced or chopped very small, as done in this recipe. However, you can choose to cut your ingredients to whatever size you prefer.
Combine all ingredients together and mix to evenly coat with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add a drizzle of olive oil to your toasted bread, scoop bruschetta on top, and enjoy!
**Important Note: This recipe made enough bruschetta for about 4-5 pieces of toast. You can adjust the recipe however is needed in order to make a larger serving size.
sustainableeducationalexperience.org 