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–+ servings

Beetroot Salad

Lunch, Salad
Roasted beetroot, sliced thin and arranged on a plate, dressed with a sharp Dijon mustard and lemon vinaigrette, scattered with toasted pine nuts and a handful of microgreens. Earthy, sharp, and a little nutty. A proper French starter that takes almost no time to assemble once the beetroot is done.
Beetroot Salad recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients 

For the beetroot
  • 800 gr beetroot raw, about 4 medium, unpeeled
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and black pepper
For the Dijon vinaigrette
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp mustard Dijon
  • ½ tsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 shallot
  • salt and black pepper
To finish

Equipment

Instructions

  1. 1. Roast the beetroot
    Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan. Scrub the beetroot, leaving the skin on, it protects the flesh during roasting and comes off easily afterwards. Rub with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, wrap each one individually in foil, and place in a roasting tin. Roast for 55–60 minutes until completely tender when pierced with a knife. The time varies with size, a large beetroot may need 75 minutes.
    Remove from the oven, open the foil parcels, and leave to cool until comfortable to handle. Peel by rubbing the skin off with your hands, it slips off easily. The beetroot will stain everything it touches, including your hands, so either work quickly or use gloves.
  2. 2. Make the vinaigrette
    Put all the vinaigrette ingredients in a small jar, seal, and shake well. Taste and adjust, it should be sharp and punchy, with the mustard coming through clearly. Set aside.
  3. 3. Toast the pine nuts
    Put the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over a medium heat and toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring regularly, until golden. Watch them carefully, they go from golden to burnt in about 30 seconds. Tip onto a plate immediately and leave to cool.
  4. 4. Slice and assemble
    Slice the cooled beetroot. Fan the beetroot slices across each plate, overlapping slightly. Spoon the vinaigrette generously over the top. Scatter the toasted pine nuts, then add the microgreens and torn parsley. Finish with a lemon wedge on the side.
    Serve immediately, while the microgreens are still fresh and the vinaigrette hasn't had time to soften everything.

Notes

  • Roasting beetroot rather than boiling it makes a real difference, the flavour concentrates, the sweetness deepens, and you don't lose colour into the cooking water. It takes longer but the result is worth it.
  • The beetroot can be roasted up to 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge unpeeled, wrapped in foil. Slice and assemble just before serving.
  • Wholegrain mustard in the vinaigrette adds texture and a slightly less sharp flavour than Dijon alone. If you only have one, Dijon is the more important of the two.
  • Pea shoots work just as well as microgreens and are easier to find. A small handful of watercress is also excellent, the peppery bite works well against the sweet beetroot.
  • Pine nuts can be swapped for walnut halves. Lightly toast them in the same way.
  • If you want to make this more substantial as a light lunch, a few slices of chèvre or a handful of crumbled Roquefort on top turns it into a proper meal.