Inspired on a traditional beetroot salad I was served on the Greek Island of Tinos, this easy beet salad is served with a garlicky labneh oregano tzatziki and a generous helping of steamed beet greens.
This pretty purple, green and white salad is easy to make in advance. Just prepare it ahead of time and throw it together when you are ready to eat. Ideal for picnics, BBQ, grilling and potlucks. Naturally gluten free. Recipe includes hints and tips to make preparation even easier. Naturally vegetarian, gluten free and keto friendly.
A Taste of Tinos
A Taste of TinosAs I say so many times, that to know another person and their culture, you must dine at their table. I love to travel, eat as widely and as variedly as I can. It gives me the chance to bring ideas and ingredients home to cook, and adapt in my own kitchen.
I ate this simple easy beet salad served with a bed of greens and garlic labneh oregano tzatziki on the Cycladian Island of Tinos, which is undergoing a serious foodie renaissance thanks to the islanders working to together to create Tinos Food Paths the annual spring celebration of the island’s culinary heritage.
Learn more about the amazing food of Tinos.
This easy beet salad with beet greens and yogurt – Patzarosalata me Yiaourti – was served for a buffet lunch in a dovecote in a newly restored vineyard. (Local wine making is having a revival with new winemakers bringing their knowledge to the island.) The original dish was a simple platter of cooked beetroot leaves, topped with thick garlicky Greek yogurt and surrounded with slices of cooked beetroot. So simple, but very delicious.
Back in London I could not find beetroot with sufficiently fresh leaves, or a Greek yogurt that was thick and creamy enough. I’ve swapped chard for the beet leaves, and strained the yogurt to make a labneh.
How to Make a Greek Beet Salad with Labneh & Greens (Patzarosalata me Yiaourti)
Step 1 – Gather your ingredients – beetroot (ideally with leaves), chard, oregano and labneh. If you cannot find raw beetroot with leaves, my favourite cheat ingredient is the cooked beetroot you can buy in sealed long-life packets. You do not want pickled beets!
Step 2 – Lightly steam the beet greens or chard until wilted, I usually cook leafy vegetables in a microwave steamer. Once cooked squeeze well to remove all the water. Then arrange on a plate surrounded by the sliced cooked beetroot.
Step 3 – When ready to serve, stir the grated cucumber, chopped oregano and garlic through the labneh and set it on top. Then drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of black pepper and fresh oregano.
And voila! The finished dish!
Of course, this is never going to be truly authentic. I’ve used chard in place of the beetroot greens and regular Greek olive oil. The oregano for sale in a British supermarket is also a far cry from the intense fragrant herb which grows on Tinos.
I think that the thick and creamy homemade labneh is a good substitute for the local Greek yogurt, so give it a try. This is certainly a dish to repeat over the summer months.
The original dish served in a dove cote.
Adaptations to Easy Beet Salad with Labneh and Greens
- Make it vegan, by using a strained dairy free yogurt.
- Make this as a roasted beet salad.
- Use different greens such as cavolo nero and serve warm.
For more Greek inspiration, my Greek salad pasta is ready in 15 minutes and is perfect for a quick and easy mid week dinner.
Beet Salad with Labneh & Greens (Patzarosalata me Yiaourti)
This pretty purple, green and white salad is easy to make in advance and prepare when you are ready to eat. Ideal for picnics, BBQ, grilling and potlucks. Naturally gluten free. Recipe includes hints and tips to make preparation even easier. Naturally Vegetarian, Gluten Free and Keto Friendly.
Ingredients
- 300 g beetroot (Ideally uncooked, with leaves)
- 1 handful chard
- 300 g labneh
- 1 tbsp oregano (fresh)
- 1 clove garlic
- cucumber (grated)
- 2 tbsp Greek extra virgin olive oil
- pepper
Instructions
- Cut the leaves off the beetroot, then peel and steam the beetroot until soft and cooked. This will take about 30 minutes. If possible, do this ahead of time and allow to cool. Keep the leaves and add them to the chard.
- Slice, and steam the chard and beet greens until wilted. This will only take a couple of minutes, and can be done in a microwave. Once cooked, squeeze out all the water.
- Slice the beetroot and arrange in a circle on a plate. Add the chard and beetroot leaves to the centre of the circle.
- Stir oregano, garlic and cucumber through the labneh. Top the greens with the labneh mixture, and drizzle over olive oil. Season with freshly ground pepper
Notes
- If raw beetroot isn't available, you can substitute precooked (but not pickled) beetroot.
- If you're using precooked beetroot, use more chard to substitute for the beet leaves.
- To make it Whole 30 and Paleo omit the cheese
- This recipe is 5 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion
Corina Blum
Such a delicious recipe! I love anything the reminds me of my holidays.
Helen
I’m very passionate about food and travel.
Pam
Wow! What great travels you have. I am just beginning to love beets and I am saving this recipe to try. Beautiful photography too!
Helen
Beets are such a good food.
Fee
That looks amazing Helen, you’ve made me quite hungry all of a sudden! So simple, but so good.
Helen
Sometimes the simples foods are just as tasty.
Lottie
Taking inspiration from food eaten on travels is something I like to do too. You’ve created a delicious looking plate of food. Ideal for summer meals.
Helen
Really good for any summer meal.
Penny
I really love beetroot, and add it to my salads on a daily basis if I can get away with it. So tasty. This is a really yummy looking salad. The labneh sounds really nice.
Helen
The labneh is really good with the salad.
Trevor Ball
I’m afraid to admit that I am not great with trying new dishes while on holiday. I tend to stick to simple things. On the other hand, this does look and sound very tasty.
Helen
Quite a simple dish Trevor, and kind to the taste buds.
ashley mole
I’m really enjoying salads at the moment, and it is doing wonders for my health. I just don’t want to spend ages cooking in this heat. I’d love to try this. Could even take it to work with me.
Helen
Cooking in this temperature would just be awful at the moment.
Alyssa
Isn’t Greek food just the most delicious, fresh food ever? I loved my trip to Greece and really miss the food. This looks divine and really touches on the Greek flavors.
Helen
Such lovely fresh food, and yet so simple. Really delicious.
Danielle
I just love the simplicity of this. To the point, flavorful, and super healthy. Lovely.
Helen
I really enjoy simple tasty dishes.
Amy | The Cook Report
I still haven’t tried labneh but this looks like the perfect recipe to try it!
Helen
A good way to try it, simple ingredients together for a perfect plate.
Indie Punton
Having read your “how to make labneh”, I found this delightful salad. Just the kind of thing I love at this time of year, refreshing and tasty without any faffing.
Helen
A really good summer meal.
Bryan B
A great summer dish, and very tasty looking.
Helen
Really tasty foods together.
Sharon Allen
I use a lot of beetroot, as a family we all really love it. This would go down so well in our house and perfect as part of a meal any day of the week.
Helen
Sounds like a great dish for your family.
Paula
I’m finding at the moment that my appetite is a bit rubbish and am blaming the heat. This kind of salad is ideal though, and not too heavy. Looks really tasty.
Helen
I think the heat really does effect your appetite, so something light like this is perfect.
Mandy
My kids have a thing for beetroot, and find it amusing that their lips go purple when they eat it. They’d love this I’m sure. A nice mixture of flavours and easy to make,
Helen
Great that your children enjoy beetroot, such a good vegetable.