This salad is light and refreshing and makes a wonderful side dish or small meal. It's a great dish to try if you're new to eating beets.
Recipe modified from Waves in the Kitchen
Ingredients
5 medium red beets
5 medium golden beets
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling
salt and freshly cracked pepper
4 or 5 sprigs fresh thyme
4 oranges
1 small shallot finely chopped
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup non-dairy yogurt
2 teaspoons of cumin
1 teaspoon of maple syrup
4 or 5 sprigs fresh tarragon
salt
pepper
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220 ̊C).
2. Drizzle red and golden beets with olive oil, salt and pepper and tightly wrap, a few together at a time, but dividing by color, in foil with a few thyme sprigs. Place foil packets on a baking sheet and roast until the beets are tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of your beets. Unwrap the beets and let them cool slightly. When beets are cool enough to handle, peel by gently rubbing skin under cold running water or gently peel off with your fingers.
3. Using a sharp knife, remove the pith and peel from the oranges, and slice them crosswise in ¼-inch-thick rounds.
4. Squeeze the juice from the end orange pieces into a bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon of orange juice in a separate bowl. Add yogurt to the bowl with the most juice and whisk together with maple syrup, cumin, and salt.
5. In the bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon of orange juice, whisk together shallot, vinegar, orange and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Cut the beets into wedges and toss them with some of the dressing, making sure to keep the golden and red beets in separate bowls.
7. Right before serving, slather the yogurt on a serving bowl or tray. Arrange the beets and orange slices over the yogurt, spooning some of the dressing over the top. Sprinkle with a healthy dose of tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
When possible, use organic beets and citrus.
Roast red and yellow beets separately so their color don't bleed into one another.
Cooking times for beets will vary depending on their exact size. I had to cook the smaller beets an hour, and the larger beets an hour and 15 minutes. When a fork can easily pierce through them, they’re done!
Beets can be roasted up to 3 days in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to use.
Any variety, size and color of beet can work.
The original recipe called for blood oranges but if they are not in season or if you can’t find blood oranges, sub in any other citrus.
Quantity can be easily halved or doubled. I halved the recipe and it made about 2 servings.
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