~ Red Beets, Pistachios, Feta, Mint, Arugula ~
You would never know that I was once a beet-hater. Now, it seems that I can’t eat enough of them. While I still prefer the milder yellow beets, I am happy to declare that I enjoy the earthy red ones as well. I like to serve red beets dressed in vinaigrettes, with citrus and other bold ingredients to temper their earthiness. In this salad, feta, mint and pistachios are formidable accompaniments to the beets, lending salt, fragrance and nuttiness, perfectly complementing my new beet friends. It’s a beautiful dish to look at, easy to prepare and an elegant first course or simple meal. The beets may be roasted and dressed up to one day in advance and left to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Roasted Beets with Feta, Mint and Pistachios
Serves 4-6
1 1/2 pounds beets
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
4 cups arugula, washed and dried
1/2 cup crumbled feta (or goat cheese)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, cut in chiffonade
1/4 cup raw pistachios
Preheat oven to 400 F. (200 C.) Wrap beets in foil and roast in oven until tender, about 1 hour. Remove and cool.
While the beets are roasting, whisk oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Add shallots and stir to combine; set aside.
When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skin. Cut the beets in 1 inch chunks and place in a large bowl. Add all of the shallots (use a fork to fish them out) and half of the dressing to the beets. Gently toss to combine. (Beets may be prepared in advance to this point. Refrigerate up to one day. Reserve remaining vinaigrette). Before serving, toss the arugula with some of the remaining vinaigrette to taste. Arrange on individual serving plates or platter. Spoon beets in the center of the arugula. Scatter feta, mint and pistachios over the salad.
No wonder we get along! It took me until about 10 years ago to even try a beet again – I thought they tasted like “dirt”. Terrific recipe. Hope you will post it on food52.
Unfortunately not completely raw for this week’s contest!
I can’t claim to have ever hated beets – I liked them even as a kid (weird, I know). But this recipe looks wonderful and one I will definitely try. Bookmarking this now.
I am so impressed that you liked beets when you were younger. I am trying to catch up.
Beautiful dish, maybe it’ll bring my wife around on beets. Your photos are amazing.
Thanks, Greg 🙂
All my favourite ingredients are in this salad! This looks just terrific!
Great photos! The taste sounds intriguing!
This looks like such a great combination. Lovely photos too.
Lynda,
I adore beets, but never do anything with them – always eating them steamed. I love this idea and can’t wait to try it!
As always, your pictures are magnificent!
Love beets! your salad looks beautiful…
-Shilpa
Looks so so good–I love the focus in the first image as well as the combo of beets & feta!
This is my dream salad! I’m making this tonight! 🙂
I’ve been eating beets my whole life. I love them! I mix them with everything, but have never tried them with pistachios. Brilliant!
I am still in the beet-hating camp. Hrmpf. Tastes like dirt! But…my mother just harvested a load of them and delivered some to me. And I have every other ingredient in this salad…so maybe it’s time to give them one more try? Thanks for the inspiration. I’ll report back and maybe I’ll be a changed woman!
I used to be a beet-hater as well! My taste buds have definitely matured though. 🙂 Sounds like a delicious and fresh salad–and anything with feta cheese is a winner in my book.
What a gorgeous salad and pictures. I was a beet-hater too. What were we thinking?
Beautiful blog! Roasted beets are my favorite. They turned me from a so-so beet liker into a beet lover. I just featured a roasted garlic scape and beet recipe on my blog. Love the idea of the pistachios!
Whether we’re talking flavor, texture, or color, this is as close to a perfect dish as I can imagine. Lovely! – S