Name: Pkhali Assortment
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 300 g fresh spinach, washed; trim tough stems; 300 g small beetroot, washed; leave whole and unpeeled for roasting; 300 g green beans, washed; trim stem ends; 2 L water, for blanching the spinach and beans; discard after cooking; 250 g shelled walnuts, fresh and finely ground; 20 g garlic, about 5 cloves, peeled and grated or crushed; 20 g fresh coriander leaves, washed and roughly chopped; 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, washed and roughly chopped; 3 g ground blue fenugreek (utskho suneli); 4 g ground coriander seed; 2 g dried ground Tagetes petals (Imeretian saffron); 1 g ground black pepper; 0.5 g mild ground dried red chili; 8 g fine salt; 30 mL white wine vinegar; 90 mL cold water; 60 g fresh pomegranate seeds

Wide view of Pkhali Assortment on a rustic table, with the serving setting visible around it.

Yield6 servings

Serving basis3 bites per serving, one each of spinach, beetroot, and green-bean pkhali

DifficultyIntermediate

Dietary classificationVegan and vegetarian; contains walnuts (tree nuts)

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The dish

About Pkhali Assortment

Three Georgian-style pkhali varieties share one aromatic walnut paste: spinach, roasted beetroot, and green beans. This measured platter makes 18 small bites, with one of each vegetable for every serving.

Pkhali is a family of Georgian vegetable preparations rather than a single fixed formula. Chopped greens or other vegetables are seasoned and bound with walnut paste; a mixed platter can bring several colors and textures to the table. Spinach is a familiar version, while beetroot and green beans make useful contrasts. This assortment follows that pattern without claiming to represent every regional or household recipe.

Each vegetable needs a different treatment. Roast the beets whole until tender, blanch the beans until they hold their shape, and wilt the spinach briefly. Drain the greens well and squeeze the spinach very dry: water left in either vegetable can loosen the walnut mixture and make the bites slump.

The shared paste combines finely ground walnuts with garlic, coriander leaves, parsley, blue fenugreek, ground coriander, dried Tagetes petals, pepper, vinegar, and measured water. Divide it evenly so each vegetable keeps its own color. Chill the shaped bites before serving; their texture firms as they cool. Pomegranate seeds add a bright, measured garnish to the whole platter.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Pkhali Assortment: Georgian Spinach, Beet and Green Bean Walnut Bites

Vegetables

300 gfresh spinach, washed; trim tough stems
300 gsmall beetroot, washed; leave whole and unpeeled for roasting
300 ggreen beans, washed; trim stem ends
2 Lwater, for blanching the spinach and beans; discard after cooking

Shared walnut paste

250 gshelled walnuts, fresh and finely ground
20 ggarlic, about 5 cloves, peeled and grated or crushed
20 gfresh coriander leaves, washed and roughly chopped
15 gfresh flat-leaf parsley, washed and roughly chopped
3 gground blue fenugreek (utskho suneli)
4 gground coriander seed
2 gdried ground Tagetes petals (Imeretian saffron)
1 gground black pepper
0.5 gmild ground dried red chili
8 gfine salt
30 mLwhite wine vinegar
90 mLcold water

Garnish

60 gfresh pomegranate seeds

Method

Heat the oven and prepare the vegetables. Heat the oven to 200 °C. Rinse the spinach, beetroot, and beans under clean running water; do not use soap. Trim the spinach and beans as listed, leaving the beets whole and unpeeled. Set out the measured blanching water.
Roast the beetroot. Wrap the beets in foil or place them in a covered oven-safe dish. Roast for 50–60 minutes, turning once if they are unevenly sized. They are ready when a thin knife or skewer reaches the centre without meeting a hard core. Let them cool in a shallow tray for about 25 minutes, staying within the two-hour room-temperature limit.
Blanch the beans and spinach. While the beets roast, bring the 2 L water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the beans and cook for 4–5 minutes, until tender but still holding their shape. Lift them into a colander. Bring the same water back to a boil, add the spinach, and cook for 1–2 minutes, just until wilted; drain it well.
Drain, squeeze, and chop. Spread the cooked vegetables in shallow trays. Squeeze the spinach firmly over the sink until very little liquid comes out, then chop it finely. Peel and finely grate the cooled beetroot. Chop the beans finely. Keep the three vegetables separate, then refrigerate them in shallow containers for about 15 minutes so they are cool before mixing.
Make the walnut paste. Grind the walnuts to a fine meal, stopping before they turn oily. Add the garlic, coriander leaves, parsley, blue fenugreek, ground coriander, Tagetes, black pepper, red pepper, and salt. Add the vinegar and all 90 mL cold water; process or mix to a thick, cohesive paste.
Mix and shape the three varieties. Divide the paste into three equal portions. Mix one portion thoroughly into each vegetable. Shape six compact bites from each mixture, for 18 in total. If one mixture feels loose, squeeze or drain that vegetable again rather than adding unmeasured ingredients.
Chill and garnish. Arrange the bites in a covered shallow container and refrigerate at 4 °C or below for 20 minutes. Transfer to a clean platter and distribute all 60 g pomegranate seeds over the top. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking and keep chilled until serving.
Serve. Give each person one spinach, one beetroot, and one green-bean bite. Serve cool or chilled as a starter or alongside other dishes.

Serving, storage, and substitutions

Serve the three colors together so each of the six portions receives one bite of every variety. Pkhali works well as a shared starter; bread or other dishes may accompany it, but they are not included in this measured recipe or its nutrition estimate.

Keep the bites covered in a shallow container at 4 °C or below and use within 3–4 days. Do not leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Reheating is unnecessary and softens their shape. For make-ahead preparation, cook and cool the vegetables a day ahead, store them separately in the refrigerator, then mix and shape the pkhali on serving day. You can also shape the bites up to a day ahead and keep them covered and chilled.

Freezing is not recommended because the thawed vegetables can release water and loosen the walnut paste. Other vegetables, including beet greens, leeks, or carrots, appear in Georgian pkhali assortments, but using them changes this recipe and its nutrition. Walnuts are central to this measured version and are not interchangeable with a different nut paste.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 3 bites, one each of spinach, beetroot, and green-bean pkhali; one-sixth of the platter
Calories: 340 kcal
Carbohydrate: 19 g
Protein: 10 g
Fat: 28 g
Fibre: 8 g
Sodium: 610 mg

Allergens and food safety

This recipe contains walnuts, a tree nut. Keep the walnuts and finished bites away from food for anyone with a tree-nut allergy, and clean the grinder, work surfaces, and utensils before preparing allergy-safe food. Wash all fresh produce under running water; soap and detergent are not suitable for produce.

Spread cooked vegetables in shallow trays and refrigerate promptly after the brief steam release. Refrigerate the finished bites within 2 hours, hold them at 4 °C or below, and use within 3–4 days. Keep them chilled while serving; discard food left at room temperature longer than 2 hours.

Closing

The platter gives six people three chilled walnut-bound vegetable bites: one each of spinach, beetroot, and green beans.
Squeeze the spinach dry, drain the other vegetables well, and divide the walnut paste evenly to keep every bite firm and distinct.