Dilled Roasted Beet Salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette & Goat Cheese
The perfect salad, light and bright, to usher in spring.
“As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful.”
-Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Continuing with my favorite spring recipes, today I'm sharing one of my all-time favorite salads. This beet salad is something I've been making and bringing to gatherings for years. I love the sweet, earthy flavor of the beets, brightened by the vinaigrette and dill. Dill is one of my favorite herbs, and you'll see it featured often in my recipes. I always grow an abundance of it in my garden, and it’s one of my favorite flavors of spring.
You can use any type of beet you like, but golden beets are my favorite. Another thing I make sure to grow plenty of every year.
The vinaigrette is made with white balsamic vinegar. The brand I use is thick, with sweet undertones, so there's no need to add honey. If your white balsamic isn't as sweet, I recommend adding a bit of honey to the dressing. The recipe for the dressing will make more than you’ll need for this salad, but it never goes to waste at my house! It’s delicious poured over steamed asparagus, any green salad, or even drizzled over a light white fish. While the goat cheese is optional, I love the creamy hint it adds to the beet salad.
This salad keeps well in the fridge and can be made a day in advance (just wait to add the goat cheese). It’s perfect for family gatherings, holidays, or as a side for your lunches throughout the week. It is always a hit!
RECIPE
This recipe makes enough for 6 people as a side
INGREDIENTS:
2 bunches red or gold beets (8 golf ball sized beets), scrubbed clean and greens cut off, leaving 1-2 inches of stem
3 Tbs goat cheese, crumbled
1-2 Tbs finely chopped fresh dill
White Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1/2 C unfiltered, organic olive oil
1/4-1/3 C white balsamic vinegar (depending on how strong you like your vinaigrette)
1 Tbs stoneground mustard
1/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste
optional: honey to taste
METHOD:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
Prepare your beets by wrapping them in foil, sealing them in a parchment baking pouch, or rubbing them with avocado oil and baking them open on lined baking sheet.
Roast for 45-50 minutes. The beets are done when a paring knife easily slides into them.
Remove from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes. When beets are still hot, but cool enough to handle, peel off the skins. They should easily slide off. Set the beets aside to cool to room temp.
While beets are cooling, prepare your vinaigrette.
Add all the ingredients for your vinaigrette into a mason jar, screw on the lid, and shake until well combined and emulsified.
Your beets should be cool at this point. Trim off the stems, tops, and the very bottoms of the beets. Chop the beets into bite-sized pieces, about 1 1/2-inch cubes, and add them to a medium-sized bowl.
Add your finely chopped dill.
Pour your desired amount of vinaigrette over the beets and dill. I like to use between 1/4-1/3 cup.
Toss until the vinaigrette and dill are evenly distributed and the beets are well coated.
Taste and add salt or pepper if desired.
Finally, crumble the goat cheese and sprinkle it over the top of the dressed beets.
Serve and enjoy!
I hope you are all enjoying spring, wherever it may find you! If you liked this post and my content in general, I would love it if you would hit that heart button! It helps with my engagement and lets other people find my work as well!
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With gratitude,
Idris Craft
