Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
This citrusy roasted beet salad is a delicious tangle of crunch, vibrant color and flavor. I love that it's virtually overflowing with fresh fruits and vegetables. Roasted beets are a natural match with tangy goat cheese and a honey-kissed vinaigrette dressing.
Ingredients
Honey-Citrus Dressing:
- ½ cup (45 ml) fresh orange juice or a half-and half mixture of lime juice and orange juice
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon (22.5 ml) white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon (5 ml) crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Salad:
- 3 golden or red beets tops and tails trimmed
- 2 large carrots sliced into thin coins
- 1 tablespoon (22.5 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- Flaky sea salt
- 3 oranges or tangerines — try mixed varieties like blood orange, Cara Cara and mandarins divided into segments
- ½ cup shredded red cabbage or radicchio
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 3 green onions white and green parts thinly sliced
- ½ cup (82 g) canned chickpeas
- 3 cups bibb lettuce, arugula, spinach or a mixture
- 4 ounces (125 g) soft goat cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup (25 g) chopped pistachios
- Small handful of fresh cilantro, dill or parsley sprigs
Instructions
Make the dressing
- Whisk the juice, honey, vinegar, cumin, chili and salt in a bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking until emulsified. For a creamier dressing, blend everything in a high-powered blender or mini food processor. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt, honey and/or acid to suit your taste. Set aside. Dressing will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Make the salad
- Heat oven to 425 (220 C) degrees.
- Put 2 beets in a small oven proof skillet and add about 1/4-inch water. Cover the pan tightly with foil and roast until tender, 30-40 minutes. Cool, slip off the peel and slice into wedges.
- Peel and slice the remaining beet into thin circles on a mandolin or with a sharp knife. Add to a mixing bowl.
- Put the carrots in the bowl with the beet rounds. Add the olive oil and a pinch of salt and toss to coat. Transfer the mixture to a large rimmed baking sheet and spread out in an even layer. Roast until golden brown, 12 minutes or so, stirring around halfway through.
- Combine the roasted beet wedges, beet-carrot mixture, cabbage, red onion, scallion and chickpeas in a large bowl. Add ¼ cup of the dressing and toss to coat.
- To serve, arrange the lettuce on a serving platter or a bowl and top with the dressed vegetables. Sprinkle the cheese, pistachios and herbs over the salad and gently toss. Drizzle the salad with little more dressing and serve.
Notes
- Keep extra dressing in the fridge for up to a week. It may separate - just whisk before using.
- Depending on how juicy your fruit is, count on 1 or 2 limes plus 1 orange to make the dressing.
Nutrition
Calories: 318kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 8gFat: 22gSodium: 325mgFiber: 5gSugar: 16g
