Wellesley Beet Salad Recipe

Prepare and bag beets

Trim beet greens close to the crown and scrub beets thoroughly to remove dirt. Pat dry. Lightly coat each beet with about 1/4 teaspoon olive oil to prevent sticking in the bag. Place beets in a single layer in a vacuum-seal bag or heavy-duty sous vide bag; seal according to your equipment (vacuum-seal or water-displacement method).

Cook sous vide

Preheat sous vide immersion circulator to 185°F (85°C). Submerge the sealed bag and cook for 45 to 60 minutes for medium beets (45 min for smaller beets, up to 60 min for larger). Beets should be tender when pierced with a paring knife.

Shock and peel

When cooked, transfer the bag to an ice bath for 5 minutes to cool slightly (this firms texture and makes peeling easier). Remove beets from the bag, rub skins off with paper towels (skins should slip off easily). Slice beets into 1/4-inch rounds or wedges, whichever you prefer. Season lightly with the reserved 1 tsp kosher salt while warm and set aside to cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl or jar combine 1.5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, and the minced shallot. Whisk or shake to combine.

Slowly drizzle in 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil while whisking (or add oil to jar and shake vigorously) until the dressing emulsifies. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust: add a little more honey for sweetness, vinegar for acidity, or salt to taste. Set aside.

If walnuts are not toasted, warm a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons walnuts and toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned (2–3 minutes). Remove from heat and cool slightly, then coarsely chop.

Place 4 cups arugula in a large bowl. Add sliced sous vide beets (arrange about 1 beet worth of slices per two servings for visual appeal) and thinly sliced red onion (use as much as desired; about 1/4 of the small onion per serving).

Crumble 4 ounces goat cheese into small pieces and scatter over the salad. Add the toasted chopped walnuts.

Drizzle the honey Dijon vinaigrette over the salad — start with about half the dressing (approximately 2 tablespoons) and gently toss to coat. Add more dressing if desired, tossing lightly to avoid bruising the arugula.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with thinly sliced chives if using. Serve immediately.