Mediterranean beet salad made with roasted beetroots and their leaves is a wonderful summer salad. Beautifully roasted beet roots are complimented with braised beet leaves and seasoned with salt, virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and fresh thyme.
A beet salad is without doubt my favorite salad. I love it with either freshly roasted beets in the summer or pickled beets in the winter. Growing up and living in two Mediterranean countries, Croatia and Italy, beets were always a common ingredient. Not only because they were trendy foods but because they were inexpensive, always available, and good for you; nothing more, nothing less. Just enough to fall in love with this beautiful vegetable.
Benefits of a Mediterranean Beet Salad
Beets are super delicious and they are also good for you! They are low in calories and rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants, especially when both parts of this root vegetable are consumed: the root and leafy greens. The root has a small amount of vitamin C, and the leaves are rich in it. 3.5 oz (100g) of beet leaves contains 50% of recommended daily dose of vitamin C. The top green part is also rich in vitamin A while the root is a great source of B-complex vitamins. This is why I make sure to use the both parts in a salad.
Beet top greens don’t stay fresh for too long. It’s the best to use them the same day you purchase them.
To make a Mediterranean Beet Salad, you will need:
- Chef’s Knife
- Cutting Board
– I am hooked on this organic bamboo board
- Veggie Peeler
- Baking Sheet/ Pan – this is a great one for high-temp baking
- Large Sauce Pot
- Small Mason Jar
or a small bowl and whisk
- 2-3 small beetroots with greens*
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tsp fresh parsley (optional)
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash beets in cold water, cut off the leaves and trim the root ends. Set the leaves aside and peel the roots. Place beetroots on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the beets are soft and you can easily pierce them with a fork. Take out of the oven and let it cool then slice thinly.
- Bring a medium size pot of water to boil. Cut the stem of the leaves and discard. Place the beet leaves in the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender. Drain and place on a cutting board. Give them a rough chop. Leave the smaller leaves whole.
- In a small jar or bowl, mix together virgin olive oil, lemon juice, fresh thyme, garlic, and salt. Whisk vigorously.
- Combine sliced beet roots and cooked greens in a serving bowl, drizzle with vinaigrette and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
