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Roasted beets are tender and sweet with a slight earthy flavor. My Roasted Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette has creamy goat cheese, dried cranberries, pepitos and navel oranges all nestled in a bed of baby kale tossed with a sweet citrus dressing. This salad is perfect for an entree salad or side dish.
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I love roasted beets because it brings out their natural sweetness. You can easily pop beets in the oven and let them roast while doing other kitchen tasks. After beets are roasted they can be stored for up to a week in the fridge so its a great way to plan ahead for meal prep during the week.
Usually beets are a treat for when I go out to eat because this is not a vegetable choice of my husband. However, I decided to invite my mom over for a girls lunch and created this roasted beet salad. Luckily, my mom and I have similar tastes and I knew we would both enjoy this lite lunch. Plus she never minds being my taste tester for new recipes!
What is the best way to cook beets?
The best way to retain the beets flavor and bring out it's natural sweetness is by roasting in the oven. By wrapping the beets in foil it creates steam that helps them from drying out during the roasting process. How long to roast beets will depend on the size of your beet. The beets I used were about the size of my fist and took about 1 ½ hours to cook.
Don’t be tempted to try a quicker boiling method because this will completely water log them creating flavorless soggy beets.
How to roast beets?
The idea of cooking my own beets seemed a little intimating. I'm not sure why. Maybe because it was one of those vegetables that my family never cooked at home. I decided it couldn't be more difficult than any of my other favorite veggies, so I had to give it a try.
To my surprise a roasted beet salad recipe was remarkably easy! The key was just patients while the beets roasted.
First preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the leafy ends off of the beets. Then, clean them thoroughly under running water before placing them on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with a little olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and wrap the beets to keep in moisture. Place the foil wrapped beets on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Remember that cooked beets tend to be a little messy. They can definitely ruin clothes and towels so be careful during preparation!
How to peel roasted beets?
This is quite the debate, to peel your beets before or after roasting? I was on the fence with this but after some suggestions from my mom, I decided to take the peels off after roasting. Once the vegetable softens it makes the process much easier. The peels will come off with just a gentle rub from your fingers. However, be prepared for stained hands! If you recently had a manicure you may want to wear gloves!
How to make roasted Beet Salad
While beets are cooling you can mix together citrus vinaigrette and prepare the salad.
Add all ingredients for citrus vinaigrette into a small mason jar or other bottle with secure lid and shake well. Set vinaigrette aside.
Wash and chop kale and divide it into individual bowls or a large serving dish. Add a few spoonfuls of vinaigrette to kale and toss to coat. Add the remaining ingredients to salad. I love the combination of roasted beet salad with goat cheese. Once the beets are cool arrange on top of salad.
This salad looks beautiful when it’s served. I just love the bright color of roasted beets! I think you will love this salad and how great you feel after eating this simple yet delicious healthy meal.
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Roasted Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Beet Salad
- 2-3 medium raw beets
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 16 ounces baby kale
- ⅓ cup crumbled goat cheese
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- 3 tablespoons pepitos
- 1 navel orange, segmented
Citrus Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Roasted Beets
- Start by preheating oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut of ends of beets, and discard leaves. Scrub beets thoroughly to remove any dirt.
- Place clean beets on aluminum foil drizzle with olive oil. Loosely wrap beets in foil and place on baking tray. Move tray to preheated oven.
- Cook beets for 60-90 minutes or until tender enough for knife to easily be inserted. Large beets may take a bit longer to cook.
- Allow beets to cool slightly before removing peel. This will be messy. Wear gloves if needed. Cut beets into slices. Set aside to cool.
Citrus Vinaigrette
- Add all ingredients for the citrus vinaigrette to a mason jar or other bottle that has a secure lid. Shake vigorously.
Salad
- While beets are cooling prepare the rest of the salad. Wash and dry kale, trim of stem ends and chop or tear into more bite sized pieces. Add kale to serving bowls and drizzle with a couple spoonfuls of citrus vinaigrette. Toss kale well.
- Add the rest of ingredients to salad, goat cheese, pepitos, orange segments and dried cranberries.
- Top salad with sliced beets and drizzle with another spoonful of vinaigrette. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Michelle Morgan
Great 👍