Beets have a distinct boldness. The flavor is sweet and earthy, the texture is dense and velvety. The racy color is extra!
While red beets with their heart shape are ready made for Valentine’s Day, I first made this salad for Halloween. It was about 15 years ago, when my kids were young and we hosted an annual Spooky Dinner. I found a recipe for “Dracula’s Beet and Orange Salad” by Sara Moulton. I wasn’t sure my family even liked beets but decided their blood-red quality was just right for our gory menu.
Well, the beet orange salad was perfect for spooky dinner and so good I’ve been making my own version of it ever since. The sweet earthy flavor of beets makes them a great partner for citrus, and the sweet-tart dressing complements the pairing. Fresh mint is my favorite herb for this salad, though I’ve also used parsley or oregano.
While beets are well suited for Valentine’s Day or Halloween, this salad makes a festive side for any holiday. It also makes a nice main course salad in which case I like to add some crumbled feta and maybe some pine nuts for texture.
Beet Orange Salad
Ingredients
- 3 medium beets trimmed (tops removed), unpeeled
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 navel oranges
- ¼ cup red onion sliced or diced
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves additional for garnish as desired
Dressing
- 2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the beets. Start by washing the beets well, then toss with teaspoon of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. To steam-roast, put beets in small to medium sized baking dish. Pour in water to about ½ inch. Cover dish tightly with foil. Cook in the oven at 425° F until beets are very tender, about one hour. (Cooking time for individual beets is affected by their size and can vary quite a bit, with larger beets taking longer and smaller beets cooking faster. )
- Check beets for doneness. Be careful to avoid released steam when peeling foil away from baking dish. The beets are done when a thin bladed knife inserted in the center meets very little resistance. Alternatively test beets by piercing beets through the foil with paring knife. Smaller beets may cook faster than larger ones, remove as needed.
- When beets are done, allow them to cool. Then remove skin using a paring knife, it will slip off easily. Cut beets into wedges (or preferred shape).
- Prepare the oranges. Start by cutting a thin slice off the top and bottom. Use a sharp paring knife to remove the rind and pith. Then slice into wedges by cutting each orange segment lengthwise. (You could get fancy and supreme the oranges, but I prefer my faux supreme method, for ease and a bit more fiber.)
- Thinly slice or dice the red onion.
- Chop the fresh mint.
- Make the dressing. Combine the balsamic vinegar, mustard, sugar, olive oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a small mason jar. Shake well. (Alternatively, whisk thoroughly in small bowl.) Taste and add more salt and pepper as desired.
- Assemble the salad. Combine beets, oranges, onions, and mint in medium bowl. Pour in the dressing. Stir gently until well mixed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for several hours to allow flavors to come together. If desired, garnish with additional fresh mint leaves for serving.
Notes
- The wedges make for a nice presentation, but you can dice the beets and oranges into smaller bite sized pieces if you prefer.
- I love adding some crumbled feta to this salad to make it more of a meal with a sweet and salty vibe.
- I scaled this recipe for one bunch of beets, as they are often sold in grocery stores or farmers markets. In my experience, a bunch typically includes 3 medium sized beets. Look for a bunch with beets of similar size. If buying trimmed bulk beets, select 3 medium sized beets.
- If you’ve cooked with beets before, you know about their tendency to stain. But if you’re new to this particular root vegetable, please know that the red color of beets stains everything — countertops, cutting boards, hands, and more!
- There are various ways to cook beets.
