Buying beets with the greens attached—as required for this recipe—is a sure way to know they’re fresh. Beets are often cooked before they’re peeled or cut to keep nutrients intact. Here, the prep work is done first without sacrifice: The juices that result make up the nutritious broth and give the soup its deep flavor and color.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　5 or 6 medium red beets with greens (about 2 1/2 pounds with greens), stems and greens cut off and reserved

　　2 teaspoons canola oil

　　1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and cut into thin half-moons

　　1 tablespoon minced garlic

　　1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

　　1 teaspoon ground coriander

　　Pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste

　　1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

　　3 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 1/4 cups)

　　3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

　　1 3/4 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

　　1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt

　　

Step 1

Cut the beet greens into thin strips and the stems into 1/4-inch pieces; set both aside. Peel the beets with a vegetable peeler; cut into 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks. Set aside.

　　

Step 2

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cumin, coriander, cayenne, and pepper; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

　　

Step 3

Add the tomatoes and salt; cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the juices are released, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and 4 1/2 cups water (for a thinner consistency, add up to 5 cups water); bring to a boil. Add the beets and stems. Reduce heat; simmer until the beets are tender, about 35 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Add the greens; cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Divide the soup among 6 bowls; divide the yogurt among the servings.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.