Roasted Beet and Radicchio Salad
My family spends the summer teetering on the fence between dietary endeavors and comforting summertime favorites. One night it’s smoky baby backs slathered in coffee-infused bbq sauce and mixed berry crostatas…or strawberry shortcakes. The next night we offset the previous day’s calorie-fest with a healthy farm-stand salad and grilled fish or chicken. It’s a tricky balance between what we want to eat, and what we should eat. There are plenty of times, however, that what we want to eat IS what we should eat! Those occasions consist of dishes boasting bold colors, audacious flavors, ample texture, and lots of contrast!
Here is a salad that packs a powerful punch! It truly covers all the bases as far as your taste buds are concerned. Bitterness from the crunchy radicchio, spicy radish and red onion slices, sweet tender beets, cool crisp mint leaves, a little acidity from the vinaigrette, and a salty bite of queso fresco. What’s not to love? Plus it’s visually bright and beautiful.
Radicchio has a dynamic effect on most people. It seems to be one of those veggies you either passionately LOVE, or avoid at all costs. One way to reduce the bitterness a smidge is to soak the radicchio in ice-cold water before serving. If you still can’t appreciate its bity crunch, red cabbage would be a good substitution.
This salad would make a superb addition to your 4th of July picnic! The texture of the radicchio allows it to sit for hours without wilting. Not to mention, the vibrant colors can hold their own against any fireworks display!
Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bed memory. ~Albert Schweitzer
To prepare:
Preheat the oven to 400* F. Trim the beets and place them in a baking dish. Drizzle the beets with 1 tablespoon of oil. Cover and roast for 30-35 minutes—until fork tender.
Cut the head of radicchio into quarters. Remove the core and slice into thin strips. Place the radicchio in a bowl of ice water for 20-30 minutes to reduce the bitterness.
Slice the onion and radishes very thin. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 Tb. of oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, salt and pepper.
When the beets have cooled a bit, peel off the skin and slice them into thin wedges.
Toss the radicchio, beets, onions, radishes, and mint with the vinaigrette. Top with crumbled queso fresco and serve.
Yield: 4 servings
Roasted Beet and Radicchio Salad
Ingredients:
4 large beets
4 Tb. olive oil, divided
1 small head of radicchio
1 small red onion
1 bunch radishes, 6-8
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
¾ cup crumbled queso fresco (or cotija)
3 Tb. red wine vinegar
1 Tb. honey
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400* F. Trim the beets and place them in a baking dish. Drizzle the beets with 1 tablespoon of oil. Cover and roast for 30-35 minutes—until fork tender.
Cut the head of radicchio into quarters. Remove the core and slice into thin strips. Place the radicchio in a bowl of ice water for 20-30 minutes to reduce the bitterness.
Slice the onion and radishes very thin. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 Tb. of oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, salt and pepper.
When the beets have cooled a bit, peel off the skin and slice them into thin wedges.
Toss the radicchio, beets, onions, radishes, and mint with the vinaigrette. Top with crumbled queso fresco and serve.
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I love the radicchio but the beets, I don't know. I really would like to enjoy them but somehow we don't go very well together. It is sad.
Your salad looks wonderfully refreshing for the upcoming summer dinners.
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It's so colorful and lovely!
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I love the skinned beets – gorgeous!
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Beautiful and healthy recipe, must try the beetroot with my salads.
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I love nothing more than roasted beets. Simple and tasty, they are packed full of vitamins! Love them.
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Now I know what to do with the beets that came with my CSA. Thanks for the recipe. Healthy and colorful. Right up my alley!
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Hey Sommer, this is beautiful! You know, salads like this are my favorite kind of food. I really should post more of this type of thing, b/c I make them all of the time.
Oh, and your photo of the peeled beets is so cute!
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Love all these veggies Sommer, I think they are wonderful together in a salad!
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Beautiful salad. Love roasted beets. The combination with the radicchio sounds wonderful.
Be well
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I've just discovered the greatness of roasted beets this summer – I had never had them fresh before finding them at our local farmer's market and now I am hooked – what a difference fresh makes. This salad sounds fabulous and I will try it very soon! (:
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What a gorgeous dish. I love this kind of colorful salad. I like everything you've put in this and I'll wager it is delicious. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings…Mary
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Those beets look like ornaments!
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What a lovely and healthy looking salad! Those beets look great!
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At least you're able to balance it
The color in this is so bright and vibrant…it definitely looks summer-y!
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Beautiful salad!! Looks awesome!
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Now I've got a hankering for beets in my salad….I have the lettuce but no beets. Guess that means a trip to the grocery store!
Beautiful photos, Sommer!
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Oh My Sommer! What a veritable root veggie feast.
Those pics of the roasted beets has me drooling and who would have thought to mix radicchio with beets and with queso no less! Yes and let's not forget those thinly sliced radishes & mint.
Gorgeous salad and I hope you are enjoying the weekend!
Ciao, Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
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this really looks wonderful!
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Your summer diet sounds like mine. It's a fine line between healthy supper salads and homemade ice cream!! I love roasted beets. This sounds like an excellent salad and it's so pretty!
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This looks great!
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The salad looks lovely. I don't mind eating radicchio and I love roasted beets.
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Ohh this sure looks deliciously healthy!
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hi Sommer
we just don't see enough done with beets! Roasted beets are just incredible…I love the different colored beets! what a perfect combination with the arugula!
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Loving this hearty summer salad – love roasting vegetables when it's cool enough.It's so nice to see a summer salad that could be a meal.
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Great looking salad. Yummy beets are in sight!
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Wow Sommer!!!! Your photos are just POPPING!! They certainly look festive. The salad is gorgeous and really appealing though I'm undecided as yet about radicchio. I do love everything else that you've put in though
Btw – Happy Fourth July!
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Sumptuous id most definitely accurate…Wow, so lovely!
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What an unusual and pretty salad. Now I'm going to check out that baby back recipe!
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Nice and healthy treat, lovely clicks.
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This is a perfect Summer salad with many of my favorite ingredients! i will have to check out your ribs recipe. That sounds incredible!
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yep, tricky balance – I'm gonna have to do something about that eating what we should … this is a nice salad, love the ingredients
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What a wonderful salad with bright, vivid and pretty colors!
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wonderful salad, I love when plates are colorful, makes you feel extra special while eating..lovely pics
sweetlife
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What a stunning & tasteful summer's salad!! I so love radicchio & beets & feta on top of that,…yummmmmmmmmm!!!
Stunning & vibrant pictures too!
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