Roasted Beetroot and Citrus Salad With Pepitas

By: Kara Parnell

I am a fan of beetroot. I haven’t made a lot of friends by starting out a conversation this way...in fact, I might have lost a couple, but I don’t care! I am unashamedly in love with all things beetroot! This fascination with beetroot may stem from my Swedish ancestry. Swedes are notorious for their love of this delicious, unbelievably healthy root veggie.  Maybe a love of beets is in my blood! No doubt my Swedish great, great, grandmother loved beets as much as I do. Or maybe, this love comes from the rows and rows of beetroot my dad planted in my childhood backyard garden. I remember big pots of fresh garden beets bubbling away on the stove until they were tender and perfect, and then eating them with butter and salt and pepper. 

My love of beetroot has led me, over the years, to find new and exciting ways to eat them. This recipe for Roasted Beetroot Salad ramps up the earthy, beet flavour by roasting rather than boiling the veggie. The orange juice and dill add brightness to the dish which compliments the earthy flavour perfectly. 

This recipe is simple, beautiful, full of flavour, and pretty easy to pull off. I think even my Swedish grandmother would add this recipe to her repertoire.

Photo Source: theforkedspoon.com

Servings: 4-6

Prep time: 00:15

Cook time: 01:00

Ingredients

• 5 large beetroots
• 4 T. olive oil
• 2 tsp. orange juice
• 3 tsp. fresh dill or 1 ½ tsp. dried dill
• 1 T. honey
• 60 g. organic feta cheese
• pepitas
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 230 degrees C.
2. Wash beets well. Leave small beetroots whole, cut larger ones in half.
3. Wrap beetroots individually in aluminium foil and place on a baking sheet.
4. Roast for 50-60 minutes until a knife cuts through beetroot easily.
5. Let beetroot cool slightly, then remove from foil, and place on a cutting board.
6. Remove peels, and discard. Chop the beetroots into 1 to 1 ½ inch pieces.
7. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, dill, honey,and salt and pepper.
8. Add roasted beetroots to bowl, and stir to coat in the oil and juice mixture.
9. Add feta cheese and pepitas, and serve warm, or cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, and serve cold.