Roasted Beet Salad, with Yogurt, Feta or Goat Cheese

 

Roasted Beet Salad, with Yogurt, Feta or Goat Cheese

 

 

Roasting beets whole concentrates their sugars, color, nutrition and delightful taste. Then turning those roasted beets into a salad with a little onion, parsley, sugar and vinegar produces a beautiful as well as delightful dish that is part of many traditions. Such a salad adds a “wow” to the dinner. 

Roasted beet salad is particularly associated with Greek and Turkish cooking, where it is often topped with yogurt or feta cheese -- or goat cheese in the US. But the salad can also be made without dairy. Toasted walnuts are optional, but they enhance the contrasts as well as the protein value.

 

Beet salad can also be made with boiled or microwaved beets, or even canned beets. But it lacks intensity, and can be insipid, in my view. Roasting the beets takes some time, but it’s time in the oven while the cook can be working on other things.

 

Here’s a delightful roasted beet salad in the vegetarian tradition, including dairy. The recipe serves six or more, but extra salad is great as a leftover.

 

1 pound fresh whole red beets, preferably all about the same size

A little vegetable or olive oil to moisten the surfaces

1 tablespoon very thinly sliced onion (lengthwise, “julienne” style)

2 sprigs fresh parsley, preferably flat “Italian” type, leaves coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons cider or wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

4 tablespoons whole milk yogurt, crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional)

3 tablespoons toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

 

Rub the whole beets with a little oil or spray with baker’s spray. Place on a baking sheet and roast at 375 degrees until tender when pierced with a toothpick. That will take 40-60 minutes, depending on size of the beets. Let cool.

 

With sharp knife, peel and scrape off skin from the beets (a little messy, an apron is suggested). Slice beets 1/8-inch thick. Stack slices a few at a time and cut into 1/2-inch strips. Place in mixing bowl.

 

Add onion, parsley, vinegar, sugar and salt and mix well. Let rest ten minutes, then mix well again. Taste a piece of beet and a little of the accumulated juice. If preferred, add a little more vinegar and/or sugar and/or salt, to taste.

 

This can be served now, after a final mixing, or chilled and served later. If using yogurt or cheese, after plattering, sprinkle the salad with it. If desired, top with coarsely chopped toasted walnuts.