Author Notes
A good lunchtime salad should satisfy you without leaving you hungry two hours later. Nuts, beans, vegetables, and cheese are a good combo to keep you happy.
*
This roasted beet and arugula salad is colorful, and full of different flavors and textures to keep things interesting. Tender beets. Creamy garbanzos. Super soft goat cheese against crunchy pistachios. And, of course, peppery arugula! Grainy mustard and balsamic vinegar brings everything together in a tangy dressing.
*Note: I like using a combination of purple-red and golden beets to add more color. —Ileana Morales Valentine
Ingredients
- For the salad:
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4
large beets, peeled and chopped
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1 tablespoon
olive oil
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salt
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pepper
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1
handful of arugula
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1/2 cup
garbanzos
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1/4 cup
pistachios, shelled
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goat cheese
- For the dressing:
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1 tablespoon
extra-virgin olive oil
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1 splash
balsamic vinegar, plus more if you want more tang
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pepper
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1
dollop coarse ground or Dijon mustard
Directions
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
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Use a vegetable peeler to peel the beets. Chop the beets to about the size of a quarter.
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Toss chopped beets in a mixing bowl with a tablespoon or so of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place the beets on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. At this point the beets should be firm but you should be able to cut into them with the side of a fork. Let them cool. For a crispier beet, give them 5 to 10 more minutes in the oven. If you’re short on time, chop the beets into smaller pieces. (Four beets will leave you with enough for the salad and a cup or so of leftover roasted beets to save for salads throughout the week).
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Use the same mixing bowl to toss a handful of arugula with salad dressing. To make the dressing, mix a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, a splash of balsamic, a few grinds of pepper, and a small dollop of mustard. Feeling feisty? Add a squeeze of Sriracha. Mix in the garbanzos with the arugula. Set aside.
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Break the shells off of the pistachios, leaving you with no more than a 1/4 cup. Add pistachios and about a 1/2 cup of beets to the bowl with arugula. Toss the salad together.
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Move salad to a plate, and finish it by crumbling some small pieces of goat cheese on top of the salad.
Ileana shares recipes, stories + cookbook reviews on her blog, A Little Saffron, and as a correspondent for the Tampa Bay Times.
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