A refreshing easy beetroot salad using fresh beetroots tossed through toasted walnuts, fresh herbs and a balsamic dressing.
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Fresh beetroot is absolutely divine. It tastes one thousand times better and is different to the canned variety. It’s lighter in taste and isn’t as soft/mushy.
This beetroot salad uses little ingredients which are familiar to most people and comes together quite easily once the beets are boiled.
Due to its bold colours, it might become a favourite at any table.
😋Why you’ll love this recipe
- This beetroot salad will complement most lunch or dinner tables
- Minimal ingredients needed
- Refreshing flavours
- Suits a variety of diets - vegan and gluten-free.
✔️What You’ll Need
🥘Ingredient Notes
Beetroot - the hero of this salad. This salad is best made with fresh beetroot, which has been boiled. See below for how to boil beetroot.
Scallions - known as spring onions in Australia.
Balsamic vinegar - complements beetroot so well. It intensifies the flavouring.
Parsley - flat-leaf or curly varieties can be used within this beetroot salad.
Walnuts - once dry toasted these will give a wonderful toasted flavouring, walnuts are the supporting hero within this salad.
🔪Step-By-Step Guide
Step 1 - Bring water to a boil and add beetroot. Cook until a knife is able to prick into each beetroot. See FAQ for the duration. Once cooked, place cooked beetroot into a bowl of cold water and rub off the skin (see notes), chop skinless beetroot into bite sized chunks.
Step 2 - Whilst beets are cooking, heat up a non-stick pan and toast walnuts until golden. Set aside.
Step 3 - Whisk balsamic, olive oil, salt and pepper, and garlic together to make the dressing.
Step 4 - In a salad bowl, combine all ingredients until well coated in dressing. Serve cold.
The above photo depicts where to cut off the bulb from the leaves. Do not cut the actual bulb itself.
Have you got a surplus of fresh beetroot? Try making my healthy beetroot chips - perfect for a night in on the couch watching a movie and wanting to be healthy but still eat something good.
✔️Variations
Beetroot - if you can’t get your hands on the fresh variety, use an organic canned variety. You may need to rinse them.
Beetroot preparation - whilst this beetroot salad originally is made using boiled beetroot, you can also roast fresh beetroots if you prefer. N.B., roasting beetroot takes longer to prepare.
Balsamic vinegar - use an organic brand*. Otherwise, this can be swapped with pomegranate molasses, which is sweet and sour in flavour.
Make it substantial - you can toss through some chickpea (garbanzo beans) pasta* through this salad to make it a main meal. I say chickpea (garbanzo beans) pasta because it is high in protein.
Ingredients - all amounts can be adapted to suit your taste. E.g., if you’d like more garlic, go for it.
Dressing - as mentioned in the prior point, the amounts can be adapted to suit your taste, however, a little of these go a long way within this salad.
Walnuts - if needed, these can be swapped out for your favourite nut, try toasting almond, pecan, pine nuts or macadamia.
Add more greens - the peppery flavouring of roquette (arugula) will work fabulously.
💭Pro Tips
Beetroots should be cooled before tossing through all other ingredients. They can be boiled in advance allowing them to cool down to room temperature.
Trimming beetroot - fresh beetroot normally will have the leaves attached, these should be trimmed off, without cutting into the beetroot bulb. Do not trim root off.
Beetroot leaves - these are edible and can be used in soups, sautéed or made into beetroot leaf chips.
Gloves - beetroot will stain hands and fingernails. Use a pair of clean gloves when handling, otherwise, the stains normally subside within 24hrs.
Storage - this beetroot salad is best eaten straight away as the greens and walnuts will absorb the colouring of the beets and may not be aesthetically pleasing, however it can be stored overnight in the refrigerator if there are left-overs.
❓FAQ
How long to boil beetroot?
The time it takes to boil beetroot will depend on the size per beetroot. Small beets can take around approximately 20 minutes whilst large beetroots can take 40 minutes. Beetroots are cooked when a knife can easily pierce through.
🥘Related recipes
Did you enjoy this easy beetroot salad? I would love to hear from you, leave me a comment below and give me a rating. This will help me sustain Plant Based Folk.
Whilst your browsing for salads, I recommend you check out my glass noodle salad, it's fresh, light and healthy.
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Janelle x
📖 Recipe
Beetroot Salad
Ingredients
- 3 large Beetroots leaves trimmed off, washed and scrubbed
- 2 sprigs Scallion (spring onions in Australia) finely sliced
- ½ cup Walnuts roughly chopped and dry pan toasted
- 1 handful Parsley fine chopped
- 1 clove Garlic crushed
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar substitute with pomegranate molasses
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil extra virgin
- ½ teaspoon Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper to taste
- 6 cups Water enough to boil beets in
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil and add beetroot. Cook until a knife is able to prick into each beetroot. See FAQ for duration. Once cooked, place cooked beetroot into a bowl of cold water and rub off skin (see notes), chop skinless beetroot into bit sized chunks. Allow to cool down to room temp.
- Whilst beets are cooking, heat up a non-stick pan and toast walnuts until golden. Set aside.
- Whisk balsamic, olive oil, salt and pepper, and garlic together to make the dressing.
- In a salad bowl, combine all ingredients until well coated in dressing. Serve cold.
Joy Reeves
I was pining for something good and different to eat. Now I know what that will be. Yummy
Thankyou
Janelle
It's a wonderful simple beetroot salad. Any time Joy 🙂
Jan
I love the toasted walnuts. The flavor of them against the walnuts is amazing. I also love the little amount of dressing needed.
Kathleen
Very yummy, I added one tsp of sugar.
Janelle
That would be really nice Kathleen, so glad you found it yum
J 🙂