TL/DR – Citrus Basil Beet Salad. Beets are great to roast on a weekend and use in salads! This citrus basil vinaigrette is easy and compliments the beets wonderfully.
Beets are really not a bother. In the time it takes to roast beets, so many other tasks can be done. I’ve added roasting beets to my weekend meal preps, which makes a simple side like this Citrus Basil Beet Salad something that comes together in 10 minutes or less.
To roast beets, wrap them in foil and set them on a baking sheet. Roast them at 400 degrees F for about an hour. Check your beet size; 40 minutes might be enough for a small beet and 70 minutes might be necessary for one that is abnormally large. Allow them to cool and pop them in the refrigerator or peel and cut them up immediately.
For this recipe, peel the roasted beets and then cut them into 1/2 inch cubes. The dressing is a super simple combination of lemon juice, orange juice, olive oil, white balsamic, fresh basil and salt and pepper. If you hesitate to squeeze only half of a lemon and half of an orange, then consider making an Orange Spice Fizz or a Raspberry Orange Fizz to enjoy. Also, try adding goat cheese as a topping to this salad if you dig that sort of thing.
Citrus Basil Beet Salad goes great with Goat Cheese Chive Quiche Cups or Blue Cheese Burger Lettuce Wraps.
Citrus Basil Beet Salad
Ingredients
- 2 medium beets, roasted, peeled and cut into half inch cubes
- 2 T fresh orange juice, about half an orange
- 1 T fresh lemon juice, about half a lemon
- 2 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1 T white balsamic vinegar
- 2 T fresh basil, minced finely
- 1/4 t kosher salt
- 1/8 t ground black pepper
Directions
- Step 1 Roast the beets wrapped in foil on a baking sheet at 400 degrees F for about an hour and allow to cool, then peel and cut into half inch cubes. Beets can be roasted and kept whole in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in advance.
- Step 2 To make the dressing, combine the remaining ingredients into a small bowl and whisk well. Alternately, place all ingredients in a small food processor and process until smooth.
- Step 3 Arrange the beet cubes in a pretty way and spoon the dressing over the top. Optional: add crumbled goat cheese.
