Beetroot and Feta Salad (with Balsamic Dressing)
Roasted beetroot and feta salad with a creamy balsamic dressing and crunchy pine nuts on top. You can serve this delightful beet salad with crusty bread or as a side dish for other meals.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
- 1 lb beets (450 g, Note 1)
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
- 2.5 oz feta (Note 2)
- 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar (Note 3)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt (or Kosher salt, more to taste)
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper ( more to taste)
Instructions
- 1
Roast beets: Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C. Loosely wrap each beet in an individual piece of aluminum foil. Bake the beets until fork tender.
- 2
Roasting time: This can take anything between 1 and 2 hours, depending on the size of the beets and your oven. My small-to-medium beets (each weighing about 5.5 oz/ 150 g) needed 1 hour and 20 minutes. Start checking after about 1 hour by opening a parcel and sticking a fork into the beet (Notes 4 and 5).
- 3
Prepare beets: Let the beets cool. Then, peel them and slice them very thinly. You can use a large chef’s knife or a mandoline. You can also cut the beets into small cubes instead of slicing them.
- 4
Toast 1 tablespoon of pine nuts in a frying pan without adding fat. Shake the pan often to prevent the nuts from burning. Once golden and fragrant, transfer them to a plate and let them cool.
- 5
Mix white balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly add the olive oil and whisk until the dressing is slightly emulsified. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper (Note 6).2 Tbsp balsamic + 1 Tbsp honey + about ¼ tsp fine sea salt + 1/8 tsp black pepper + 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 6
Arrange the roasted beet slices on a serving plate. Evenly spoon ½ of the balsamic dressing on top. Crumble the feta cheese on the beets. Top with the toasted pine nuts and freshly chopped basil (or parsley) just before serving. 5.5 oz/ 75 g feta + 5-6 basil leaves (or chopped parsley)
- 7
Serve with the remaining dressing.