Beet Salad

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This simple beet salad recipe uses just a handful of ingredients to create a delightful side dish. Roasted beets add a sweet, earthy and aromatic flavor that shines in this side salad.

Active Time:
15 mins
Additional Time:
1 hrs 30 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs 45 mins
Servings:
8
Yield:
8 servings, 1/2 cup each

How to Prepare Beets for Roasting

When shopping for beets, look for beets that are firm to the touch, without cuts or dents in the skin. If the beet greens are still attached, look for leaves that are bright in color and crisp. Cut off beet greens to prepare the beets for roasting, leaving at least 1 inch of stem attached. Gently scrub them with a vegetable brush under cold water to remove dirt and debris. Dry the beets with a towel to remove excess moisture. Trim off the taproot, the long, thin root hanging from the bottom of the beet.

How to Remove Beet Stains

Beets are sources of natural dyes and will stain anything they touch, including your cutting boards, kitchen linens and hands. Handle them appropriately. After the beets are roasted, you can wear gloves to protect your skin from staining when cutting them on a cutting board. If you experience beet stains, they won't be permanent as long as you work quickly. To remove beet stains from your cutting board, sprinkle coarse salt over the board and use a halved lemon to scrub the board. Allow the cutting board to sit for a few minutes before rinsing off and running it through the dishwasher.

What to Serve with Beet Salad

This simple salad can be prepared for a weeknight dinner and pairs well with many main dishes, including Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breasts, Pork Chops with Balsamic Sweet Onions, Skillet Lemon-Pepper Salmon and Montreal-Style Hanger Steak & Sweet Potato Frites.

Serve beet salad alongside vegetarian main dishes like Cheesy Polenta with Roasted Eggplant & Red Pepper Sauce, Sheet-Pan Spiced Chickpeas & Sweet Potatoes with Herby Yogurt, Farro Risotto with Mushrooms & Greens and Caprese Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms.

Additional reporting by Jan Valdez

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds beets, (5-6 medium)

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, or white-wine vinegar

  • ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • ½ teaspoon honey

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste

  • 1 large shallot, finely chopped

  • 1 stalk celery, finely chopped

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Divide beets between 2 pieces of foil; bring edges together and crimp to make packets. Roast until the beets are just tender when pierced with the point of a knife, about 1 1/4 hours. Unwrap the beets and let cool.

  2. Meanwhile, whisk oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl to make dressing.

  3. When the beets are cool enough to handle, slip off the skins. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Add celery, shallot and the dressing; toss to coat well. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

    Beet Salad
    Photographer / Victor Protasio, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke

To make ahead

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

120 Calories
7g Fat
13g Carbs
2g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 120
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 2g 4%
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Vitamin A 139IU 3%
Vitamin C 6mg 7%
Folate 128mcg 32%
Sodium 243mg 11%
Calcium 23mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%
Magnesium 28mg 7%
Potassium 404mg 9%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

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