Recipes

Refreshing Citrus and Beet Salad

This bright and tangy Citrus and Beet Salad makes a nice contrast to heavy, starchy dinner dishes. The shallot vinaigrette stands up well to bitter greens like radicchio, but is also delicious on mixed greens or shredded kale, while roasted beets add texture and earthiness. Use a mix of naval and blood oranges to take advantage of the beautiful color palette!

Photo and recipe by Maren Ellingboe

Ingredients

2 beets
⅓ c + 1 tsp Extra Virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp orange juice
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp your favorite mustard
2-3 oranges, preferably a mix of naval and blood oranges or tangerines
6 c mixed greens, such as arugula, radicchio, spinach, or baby kale
¼ c toasted pepitas
¼ c crumbled goat cheese (optional)

Instructions

To roast the beets, preheat oven to 400°. Cut the ends off of the beets, then place on a small square of heavy duty foil. Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover with another square of foil, and foil over edges to make a packet.
Place packet on a baking sheet and roast until beets are very tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool, then peel beets using your hands. Cut into ½-inch pieces.
Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Add shallot, orange juice, apple cider vinegar and mustard to a small bowl. Whisk together and season with salt and pepper. Pour remaining olive oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly until emulsified. Set aside.
To assemble the salad, cut the ends off of each orange. Using a serrated knife, cut off the peel and pith from sides, working your way around the orange until peel is gone. Cut each orange crosswise into 4 to 5 ½-inch slices. Remove seeds as needed.
Add greens, beets and half of orange slices to a large serving bowl. Season with salt. Add half of vinaigrette and toss until well-coated. Add more vinaigrette if desired. Garnish your citrus and beet salad with any remaining orange slices, pepitas, and goat cheese, if desired.

Recipe Notes

Feel free to get creative with garnishes! Swap the shallots for chopped red onion, or try toasted hazelnuts or pistachios instead of pepitas.
Mixing in a cup of thinly sliced fennel with the greens would add lightness and depth.
In the case you still have leftover citrus (and perhaps a sweet-tooth), try this recipe for Citrus Almond Upside-Down Cake.