Roasted Beet Salad
with shaved fennel and spicy arugula
April 27th, 2018 / By KellyLiken
We love beets this time of year. They are a perfect bridge into early summer, and are super easy to grow in our springtime garden. This roasted beet salad with shaved fennel and arugula is a great lunch on the go or even better as a compliment to an evening’s dinner on the grill.
Beets can be a little time consuming to prepare, but most of that time is really passive when you can be doing other things. I always roast beets, whether it’s for a salad, side dish or pasta main I think roasting them brings out a sweet richness that other cooking methods can’t accomplish.
A couple of key techniques for perfectly roasted beets…
- Get rid of the greens (Don’t throw them away! They’re amazing sauteed with some garlic for a super easy side dish)
- Leave the skin on (this helps with that sweet richness I mentioned earlier)
- Just a little olive oil and some salt and pepper should do the trick
- Cover them tightly!
After those simple steps its just a matter of leaving them in the oven for close to an hour. Now, You’re probably wondering what we’re going to do with the skin right? Don’t worry, it’s much easier to get rid of it when those roasted beets are nice and tender. When they come out of the oven and are are cool enough to handle, grab two paper towels and rub the beets between them. The skin will rub right off and you’ll be left with super sweet and earthy, salad ready veggies.
Beets are some of the first crops that will be popping up this time of the year because it’s still cool at night. We always try to grow a spring crop and a fall crop. If you aren’t able to get them in the ground early enough, (or just aren’t into that kind of thing) take a look around your farmers market this time of the year. You should be able to start seeing many different varieties of beets showing up.
They are definitely one of nature’s most vibrant foods. Their pigment makes them perfect for stunning plates of fresh vegetables. I love the candy stripe or chiogga variety. If you haven’t tried them, do so soon! They are almost white inside and have beautiful pink rings (looks just like candy cane stripes, thus the name:).
If you like this recipe, try some of my other seasonal salad recipes, like my Citrus Avocado Salad or Spring Potato and Asparagus Salad.
Roasted Beet Salad with Shaved Fennel and Arugula
This roasted beet salad is the perfect way to use some of the first early summer crops in your garden. Start looking for beets and greens early at your local farmers market or better yet, throw some seeds in the ground. They are super easy to grow and very forgiving!
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 bunches baby beets
- 1 bulb fennel
- 2 C baby arugula
- 2 T tarragon chopped
- 2 T Olive Oil
- salt and freshly gound black pepper to taste
For the Dressing
- 2 tangerines juiced
- 1 T cider vinegar
- 1 T shallot minced
- 1 t dijon mustard
- 1 t honey
- 1/2 C Olive Oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 400º. Trim the greens and stems from the beets and wash them thoroughly under cold running water.
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Place the beets in a baking dish (do not peel them), toss them in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover the dish tightly with foil and roast in the oven until tender, about 45-60 min.
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Meanwhile, very thinnly slice the fennel bulb using a mandoline or carefully with a sharp knife. Store it in the refrigerator submerged in cold water to keep it nice and white and crisp. Chop the tarragon and wash and dry the arugula and set aside in the refrigerator.
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Make the salad dressing by dissolving the honey into the tangerine juice and vinegar in the bottom of a glass jar. Add the shallot and olive oil, screw the lid on tight and shake it up! Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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When the beets are tender and cool enough to handle, peel them gently. I do this by rubbing the skin away with a paper towel. Slice each beet in half or quarters and get them chilling in the refrigerator.
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To assemble the salad, Toss all of the ingredients together with 1/2 of the dressing, season with salt and pepper and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
If you want to keep this roasted beet salad looking extra beautiful, dress the beets separately from the fennel and arugula. This way the beets won't turn everything purple. Just divide the tarragon between the two bowls. Place the beets on the plate first and then top them with the arugula and fennel.
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