Roasted Beet Salad with Orange Tahini Dressing is a wonderful side that will go well with any type of meat or fish, or tossed over some arugula or baby spinach, it’s a satisfying meal in itself. It can be used with all red beets but I like to mix red and gold beets for a nice visual effect. The addition of chopped pistachios, feta cheese, mint and tahini-based dressing makes for a memorable salad that can be served warm or cold.
Whenever we have Holiday family get togethers, I look for interesting vegetable sides that can be made ahead of time. Growing up Polish, I love beets in any form: borsch (beet and vegetable soup), pickled beets, herring salad with beets, fermented beet juice (yes, it’s a thing!). Though I love beets in various Polish dishes, for this salad I went with more Middle Eastern flavors and I decided to pair beets with tahini, pistachios and mint. The effect is a truly spectacular salad that will look and taste amazing at your next dinner party or Holiday gathering.
ARE BEETS REALLY THAT HEALTHY?
Yes, they are! Beets are a true superfood and I try to incorporate them into my meal plan every week. They are a great source of fiber, folate, manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C. Beets and beet juice have been associated with numerous health benefits, including improved blood flow, lower blood pressure, and increased exercise performance.
ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH ORANGE TAHINI DRESSING INGREDIENTS
Beets: I cut the beets in half and then into wedges. Often beet salads call for baking the beets whole and cutting them after but I find that roasting them in smaller pieces gives them nice caramelization on the outside. I roast them until fork tender, about 45 minutes in 200 degrees but start checking after 30 minutes in the oven. Roasting time will depend on how thinly you cut the beets.
Pistachios: I recommend using pre-shelled roasted pistachios because they’re easy to use and taste great but if you prefer, you can obviously shell your own.
Feta: While beets pair wonderfully with goat cheese and I absolutely love that combination, especially for beet salads with fruit and balsamic vinegar, for this dish salty, briny feta cheese works better.
Dressing: A classic tahini dressing I like using in my salads and macro bowls combines olive oil, tahini, lemon and honey or maple syrup. Because beets are naturally quite sweet, I skipped the sweetener and swapped lemon juice with freshly squeezed orange juice because oranges and beets go hand in hand and it adds a very nice flavor to the salad.
Mint: If you don’t have fresh mint, you can omit this ingredient but I highly recommend using it to balance out the sweetness of the beets.
HOW TO SERVE THIS SALAD?
This salad can be served warm, at room temperature or cold. If you serve it warm, cool the beets for a couple minutes before drizzling with the dressing, then add the toppings and serve. If you make it a couple hours before the meal is served, I recommend assembling the salad, covering with plastic wrap and storing in the fridge until you are ready to serve it. If you want feta cheese to look extra white and fresh, you can assemble the salad without the cheese and sprinkle it on top right before serving. Beets tend to dye everything they come into contact with so after a couple hours in the fridge, feta cheese will take on some pink.
Roasted Beet Salad with Orange Tahini Dressing
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Description
Roasted Beet Salad with Orange Tahini Dressing is a wonderful side that will go well with any type of meat or fish, or tossed over some arugula or baby spinach, it’s a satisfying meal in itself.
Ingredients
4 large or 5 medium sized beets (red, golden or both)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
2 tbsp chopped shelled pistachios
A couple leaves of fresh mint, chopped
Dressing:
1 tbsp tahini
1 ½ tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Peel the beets and cut off ends. Cut beets in half and then into wedges. The wedges should be approximately the size of orange segments. If you are using red beets, you may want to use gloves to prevent your hands from staining.
- Place the beets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 40-45 minutes until the beets are fork tender. Remove from the oven and place on cooling rack.
- While the beets are cooling, make dressing. Whisk together tahini, olive oil, orange juice and salt. If the dressing seems too thick, add a splash of hot water to loosen it.
- Arrange roasted beets on a platter or shallow bowl. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with feta cheese, chopped pistachios and chopped mint.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: salads
Keywords: beets, beet salad
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