Crispy Roasted Beet and Cucumber Salad with Lemon Ginger Dressing
Crispy roasted beets bring unique flavor and texture to the typical beet salad: the beets are crisp and savory on the outside, soft, sweet, and chewy in the middle. Combined with fresh cucumbers, crunchy pistachios, peppery arugula, and a perfectly balanced lemon ginger dressing, this vegan Roasted Beet and Cucumber Salad is a definite crowd-pleaser.
Equipment
- cutting board
- silicon liner or parchment paper
- sharp knife
- cookie sheet
- jar with lid or bowl and whisk
- salad bowl or platter
Ingredients
For Crispy Roasted Beets
- 3 cups cut beets, approximately 3 large beets, 4 medium beets, or 5-6 small beets; use one variety or mix see instructions below for cutting tips
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1-2 dashes cayenne pepper optional
For Salad
- 4 cups arugula (about 5-6 ounces) or greens of choice
- 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled about 1/3 dry quinoa
- 2 cups cucumbers, cut into bite-sized pieces cubed or sliced
- 1/3 cup roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped or preferred nut of choice
- 1/3 cup fresh herbs like mint, dill, chives, or a combination
- 1/3 cup vegan feta, crumbled optional
For Lemon Ginger Dressing
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or agave or sweetener of choice
- 1 teaspoon dijon or spicy brown mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
Prepare Roasted Beets & Quinoa
- Preheat oven to 400° for beets.
- Cook quinoa according to packaging instructions. Once cooked, allow to cool completely before adding to salad.
- While quinoa is cooking, prepare beets for roasting. First, clean beets. Cut off stems and skinny part of root. No need to peel, the skin will aid in crispy texture!If using more than one variety of beets, consider prepping each color separately to avoid staining lighter colors. Especially if using red beets, consider using silicon sheet or plastic cutting board to avoid staining wooden cutting board.
- Cut beets into 1/2 inch thick slices, ideally with 2 flat surfaces. This will make flipping the beets easier in the oven. See photos above recipe card.
- Toss beets, oil, salt, and cayenne (optional) together into mixing bowl and stir.
- Transfer beets to cookie sheet or baking pan. Avoid overlapping pieces.Especially if using red beets, use silicon baking sheet or parchment paper for easier clean up.
- Roast beets at 400 degrees for about 35-45 minutes, turning once at the 16-17 minute mark. Cook times will vary depending on oven and size of beet slices.
- Check beets towards end of cook time around 30-33 minutes to avoid burning. Ideal texture is soft on the inside and slightly crisp on outside, especially the skin parts.
- Once cooked, allow beets to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving on salad.
Make Dressing
- Add all dressing ingredients to a jar with lid and shake to combine. Or else, add all ingredients except oil to a bowl. And then slowly add oil while whisking dressing together.
- Allow dressing to sit for at least 15 minutes for flavors to combine (in refrigerator or on counter). Dressing can be made one day in advance.
Prepare Salad
- Clean and prep all salad ingredients. For fresh herbs, pull leaves off of stem and tear apart into desired size for salad. This allows for larger bites and a prettier presentation than cutting the herbs.
- Toss arugula with half of the dressing.
- Layer salad as follows from bottom, spreading out the layers across the salad evenly:- dressed arugula- quinoa- cucumbers- roasted beets- pistachios- fresh herbs- vegan feta (optional)- fresh ground black pepper (optional)
- Drizzle remaining dressing over salad/toppings. Serve.
Notes
Leftovers: Dressed salad will keep in refrigerator for 2 days. Do not freeze salad. Undressed beets can be frozen in air tight container for up to 4 months.
Nutritional Facts below are estimates and do not include optional vegan feta cheese.