Roasted Beets Are The Best
Whether it’s for the big holiday meal, or any time of year, a roasted beet salad is a colorful way to eat your vegetables. Roasting beets turns them sweet and soft, and they play well with crisp greens and a tangy dressing. Your typical beet salad relies on chevre or bleu cheese for a counterpoint, but in this one, crunchy hazelnuts do the job.
Keep It Simple
I’ve made plenty of vinaigrettes, and it’s easy to get complicated. This one is just oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. There’s enough going on in the veggies on the plate, and you already spent some time peeling the beets. If you feel like gilding the lily, crushed garlic, a squirt of Dijon, or a pinch of sugar would be great, but you don’t need them.
Roasted Beets Are Timeless
There was a time when roasted beet salads seemed like a fad, but like any good fad, the food itself endures. They aren’t on every menu anymore, but you still see them. We’ve learned to love our roasted beets, just like tacos and sushi.
In fact, you can take them in a very Japanese-influenced direction with my Beet Sushi, or Beets with Miso Dressing, or make a One Pan Beet and Tofu Roast.
Roasted Beet and Hazelnut Salad
Ingredients
- 3 medium beets peeled
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups mixed greens
- 1/2 large English cucumber
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts toasted, peeled, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Peel the beets, then place in a loaf pan and drizzle with a couple of teaspoons of the oil. Cover with foil, then roast for 40-60 minutes, until tender when pierced with a knife. Let cool completely.
- In a cup, stir the remaining oil, balsamic, salt and pepper.
- Slice the cooled beets. Use a channel knife to cut grooves along the cucumber, if desired, then slice. Halve the tomatoes. Toast the hazelnuts for 10 minutes, rub off the skins with a towel, then chop coarsely.
- Spread the greens on a plarge platter, then arrange the beet slices on top. Arrange cucumbers on top, then place tomato halves around the plate. Drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with hazelnuts, then serve.
