Beet Salad Recipe

Roast the beets

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim beet greens leaving about 1/2 inch of stem, scrub beets well. Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil with a drizzle (about 1 tsp total) of olive oil and a pinch of coarse salt. Place on a baking sheet and roast until tender when pierced with a knife, about 45–60 minutes depending on size. Remove from oven, unwrap, and let cool until you can handle them (20–30 minutes).

Peel and slice beets

Once cool, rub the skins off with a paper towel or slip off the skins with a paring knife. Cut beets into 1/4-inch slices or wedges. Place in a bowl and season lightly with 1/2 tsp coarse salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper; toss gently with 1 tablespoon olive oil to coat.

Shave the carrots

Peel the carrots and use a vegetable peeler to shave them into long thin ribbons. If carrots are thick, cut in half lengthwise first. Place carrot ribbons in the bowl with the sliced beets and toss gently to combine.

Prepare Pecorino and basil

Using a microplane or fine grater, grate 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano. Reserve a few whole basil leaves for garnish and chiffonade the remainder (stack, roll, and thinly slice) to scatter through the salad.

Arrange the salad on serving plates or a shallow bowl: a base of beet slices mixed with carrot ribbons. Sprinkle the grated Pecorino and chiffonaded basil over the top. Tear the reserved basil leaves and scatter them for visual contrast.

Make the tonnato

In a food processor or blender combine drained tuna, mayonnaise, rinsed capers, anchovy fillets, and lemon juice. Pulse until mostly smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. With the motor running, drizzle in up to 1 tablespoon olive oil to loosen and emulsify the mixture. Taste and season with 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper (no additional salt initially; the anchovies, capers, and Pecorino are salty). If the sauce is too thick, add a teaspoon of water or more lemon juice to reach a spoonable consistency.

Transfer tonnato sauce to a bowl or squeeze bottle for easy plating. The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator; bring to near room temperature before serving so it spreads easily.

Spoon or dot 1 to 2 tablespoons of tonnato sauce over each portion of the beet-carrot salad. Alternatively, spread a thin smear of sauce on the plate before arranging the salad for a plated look. Drizzle an optional extra 1/2 teaspoon olive oil over each portion and finish with a final grind of black pepper.

Serve immediately at room temperature. Leftover tonnato can be stored refrigerated up to 2 days; keep beets separate to preserve texture.