Description
Beet and arugula harmony salad brings Mediterranean freshness to your plate with zesty goat cheese and crunchy walnuts. Elegant flavors dance together, creating a perfect balance of earthy sweetness and peppery greens that invite you to savor each colorful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 pounds (907 grams) medium beets, tops and roots trimmed (about 6 beets)
- 5 ounces (142 grams) arugula
- 1 small apple, diced (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith recommended)
Cheese and Nuts:
- ½ cup (60 grams) roasted, salted shelled pistachios, divided
- ⅓ cup (50 grams) dried cranberries, divided
- 4 ounces (113 grams) crumbled goat cheese, feta, or gorgonzola, divided
Dressing Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to a robust 400°F, creating an ideal roasting environment for the earthy beets.
- Place whole beets in a spacious 9×13-inch baking dish, ensuring a delicate water base covers the bottom of the pan, then seal completely with aluminum foil to trap moisture.
- Roast the beets until they reach a tender, easily pierced consistency, typically requiring 50-70 minutes of patient cooking.
- While beets are transforming in the oven, craft a vibrant dressing by vigorously whisking balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium mixing bowl until emulsified.
- After removing beets from the oven, allow them to cool enough to handle comfortably, then gently eliminate the papery skin using your fingers or a soft cloth.
- Dice the roasted beets into uniform, bite-sized cubes and immediately dress with half the prepared vinaigrette, allowing the warm vegetables to absorb the tangy flavors.
- Arrange a bed of peppery arugula as the salad foundation, then artfully scatter the dressed beets across the greens.
- Embellish the salad with crisp apple slices, crunchy pistachios, tart dried cranberries, and creamy crumbled goat cheese.
- Drizzle additional dressing as desired, then gently toss to ensure each ingredient is harmoniously coated and distributed.
Notes
- Roasting beets intensifies their natural sweetness and creates a tender, caramelized texture that transforms this simple vegetable into a gourmet ingredient.
- Chilling the beets after roasting helps them cool quickly and makes removing the skin easier, preventing burnt fingers and messy peeling.
- Tossing warm beets with dressing allows them to absorb flavors deeply, creating a more complex and rich taste profile throughout the salad.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 380 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg