Beet Salad Recipe
beets, goat cheese, pistachio, & lemon basil dressing
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Roasted Beets
Lemon-Basil Dressing
Assembly & Garnish
Method
Roasted Beets
- 1
Preheat and prepare beets
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim beet greens close to the root (reserve greens for another use) and scrub beets well to remove dirt. Leave skins intact to retain color and nutrients.
- 2
Season and roast
Place beets on a large piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with 2 tbs olive oil, sprinkle 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper, and toss to coat. Wrap beets tightly in the foil packet and place on a baking sheet.
- 3
Roast until tender
Roast for 45–60 minutes depending on beet size, until a paring knife or skewer slides easily into the center. Check at 45 minutes. Larger beets may need up to 60 minutes.
- 4
Cool and peel
Remove beets from oven and let cool in the foil for 15 minutes. Unwrap, then rub skins off with paper towels or under running water (skins should slip off). Slice into 1/4-inch rounds or wedge into bite-sized pieces. Set aside to cool to near room temperature.
Lemon-Basil Dressing
- 5
Combine ingredients
In a blender or food processor, add 1 cup packed basil leaves, 3 tbs lemon juice, 4 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- 6
Blend to emulsify
Pulse and then blend on medium until smooth and bright green, about 20–30 seconds. If the dressing is too thick, add up to 2 tbs cold water, 1 tbs at a time, to reach a pourable consistency. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon as needed.
Assembly & Garnish
- 7
Dress the greens
In a large bowl, toss 4 cups mixed salad greens with about half of the lemon-basil dressing (start with 2–3 tbs) to lightly coat. Reserve remaining dressing for the beets and finishing.
- 8
Plate beets and greens
Arrange the dressed greens on a serving platter or divide among 4 plates. Neatly arrange sliced roasted beets over the greens.
- 9
Add cheese and pistachios
Crumble 4 oz goat cheese over the beets and greens in small dollops. Sprinkle 1/2 cup roughly chopped pistachios evenly across the salad.
- 10
Finish and serve
Drizzle remaining lemon-basil dressing over the beets (about 1–2 tbs) and finish with 1 tsp lemon zest and a pinch (about 1/4 tsp) flaky sea salt if desired. Serve immediately at room temperature.