citrusy beet salad

Beet salads are my go-to “fancy” salad. The salad itself isn’t fancy, but it just goes so well with hearty meals. Think: steak, baked potato, and beet salad. The sweet earthiness of beets pairs well with the sharpness of arugula, and the creaminess of the goat cheese rounds everything out. Apples add crunch, and citrus brings a hit of brightness.

ingredients

• A simple vinaigrette made of lemon juice, salt and pepper, and olive oil, keeps this salad easy to make and simply delicious.
• Beets add earthy sweetness and bold color to the plate.
• Sumo citrus wedges add bright, citrusy flavor to the salad. If it’s not Sumo citrus season when you go to make this, use an orange instead.
• Apple slices add crunch and sweetness, lending balance to the salad.
• Thinly sliced onion adds a little umami bite without overpowering the salad. Red onion works perfectly, but yellow onion is fine as well. Soak the onion in ice water after you slice it to take away some of the sharp taste.
• Goat cheese is perfectly creamy and rounds this salad out so nicely.
• Crushed pistachios add small bites of crunch and a little something extra. Pumpkin seeds would work well, too!

how to make citrusy beet salad

step one

First, coat the beets with oil, wrap in foil and roast them in an oven set to 350 F for 40 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of your beets. You want them to be fork tender.

step two

While the beets are roasting, you’ll make the dressing by whisking lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil together until it emulsifies. Set the dressing aside until the beets are done and you’re ready for salad assembly.

step three

Once the beets are done, remove them from the oven and unwrap the foil, letting them sit until they’re cool enough to handle. Using a spoon or the dull side of a paring knife, scrape the skins off over the foil. They should come off easily. If you’d prefer, you can do this in the sink under running water to help avoid staining anything. Once the beets have been peeled, cut them into 1″ chunks and set aside.

step four

Finally, you’ll put the salad together. Place arugula in the serving dish you’ll be using, add the dressing, and toss to coat the arugula in the dressing. You’ll then add slivers of onions, citrus, and apple on top. Finally, you’ll arrange the beets on top. Be careful, they will stain anything they touch! I try to avoid placing them on top of apple slices. Lastly, scatter the goat cheese crumbles and pistachio bits on top. Enjoy!

tasting notes

1. If your bunch of beets comes with the tops attached, use the greens in a different recipe! My favorite way to use them is to turn them into pesto, but here are some other ways to use them. Whatever you do, don’t let them go to waste!
2. This salad is best eaten shortly after you assemble it. The arugula will get soggy if it sits too long in the dressing. If you plan on having leftovers, assemble each serving individually and store the salad components separately in the fridge. They will keep for at least 3 days!

citrusy beet salad

This beet salad with citrus, apple, arugula, and goat cheese will quickly become your go-to! It's easy enough for a weeknight and delicious enough for a special occasion.

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Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Salad

Servings 4 people as a side

Ingredients

  

For the dressing

• Juice of 1 lemon should be about 1/4 cup of juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil

For the salad

• 1 bunch of beets about 5 small beets
• 1 5- ounce package of arugula
• 1 Sumo citrus peeled and separated into wedges
• 1 apple sliced thinly
• 1 small onion sliced thinly
• 1 log goat cheese 4 ounces
• 1 tablespoon crushed pistachios

Instructions

 

• Roast the beets. Preheat the oven to 350. Place each beet on a piece of foil. Add a drizzle of oil and rub to coat the beet in it. Repeat for all beets. Roast for 40 minutes to an hour, until the beets are fork-tender. The timing will depend on your oven and how thick the beets are.
• While the beets are roasting, make the dressing. Add the lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking vigorously to ensure the dressing emulsifies.
• Once the beets are done, remove them from the oven and unwrap the foil. Let them cool for 10-15 minutes, then peel them. Using a spoon or the dull side of a paring knife, scrape the peels off. They should come off easily. You can do this in the sink under running water to avoid staining anything. Cut the beets into 1” chunks.
• Assemble the salad. Place arugula in the serving dish you’ll be using, then add the dressing and toss. Next, scatter the onions, citrus and apple slices on top. Then, arrange the beets on top. Heads up — the beets will color anything they touch! This won’t affect the taste, but the apples will pick up color from the beets. Next, scatter the goat cheese crumbles over the salad, then the pistachios. Enjoy!

Notes

1. If your bunch of beets comes with the tops attached, use the greens in a different recipe! My favorite way to use them is to turn them into pesto, but here are some other ways to use them. Whatever you do, don’t let them go to waste!
2. This salad is best eaten shortly after you assemble it. The arugula will get soggy if it sits too long in the dressing. If you plan on having leftovers, assemble each serving individually and store the salad components separately in the fridge. They will keep for at least 3 days!
3. You can roast the beets and make the dressing up to a few days ahead of time! Just keep them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them.