Beetroot and Spinach Salad with Caramelized Nuts and Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing

When you take a first glance on the ingredients list, you can be pushed away and your desire to cook may disappear. But don’t worry, the preparation of most of them will take ...

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Beetroot | Citrus | Dinner | For a Crowd (or large group) | Healthy | Oven Baked / Oven Roasted | Sour sweet | Spinach | Vegetables

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When you take a first glance on the ingredients list, you can be pushed away and your desire to cook may disappear. But don’t worry, the preparation of most of them will take a minute, but instead, you’ll have a large portion that is good for 5 people as an addition to the main course.

It has a very contrast sweet and sour taste: sweet beetroot – bitter-sour grapefruit, sweet caramelized nuts – sour pomegranate grains, blue cheese, and cayenne pepper that adds a bit of hotness and dressing …

The dressing is a topic of another conversation. It fulfills its role for 100%: combines all the ingredients but does not mute the main ingredients but rather enhances them. You’ll get some beetroot-citrus bouquet, very tasty and also healthy.

I’m not very fond of beetroot, but when it’s baked and mixed with other salad ingredients it turns out into something awesome.

What You Need to Cook Beetroot and Spinach Salad with Caramelized Nuts and Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing

INGREDIENTS:

For salad:

  • 4 small beetroots
  • 75 g (2,6 oz) of walnuts
  • 2 tbsp of honey
  • a pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 150 g (5,3 oz) spinach leaves
  • ½ pomegranate
  • 1 grapefruit
  • 75 g (2,6 oz) of blue cheese (gorgonzola, Dor Blue)
  • Olive oil, salt, pepper

For dressing:

  • 2 tbsp of olive oil
  • 60 ml (4 tbsp.) of freshly squeezed orange juice
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp of honey
  • Salt, pepper

How to Make Beetroot and Spinach Salad with Caramelized Nuts and Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing: Step-by-Step Instructions🔪

STEP 1. PREPARE THE BEETROOT

Firstly, you need to heat up the oven to 200 degrees.

Peel 4 small beetroots and cut in the quarter and then every piece in half again.

Peel 4 small beetroots and cut it for beetroot and spinach salad with caramelized nuts and citrus vinaigrette dressing


Cover the small baking sheet with parchment and put there beetroot. Add a few tbsp of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix.

Cover the small baking sheet with parchment and put there beetroot for beetroot and spinach salad with caramelized nuts and citrus vinaigrette dressing


When the oven is done, put there baking sheet for 30 minutes.

When the oven is done, put there baking sheet for 30 minutes for beetroot and spinach salad with caramelized nuts and citrus vinaigrette dressing

STEP 2. MAKE CARAMELIZED NUTS

Mix 75 g (2,6 oz) of walnuts and 2 tbsp of honey. If your honey is already sugared a bit like mine, microwave it for a couple of minutes to melt.

Mix 75 g of walnuts and 2 tbsp of honey for beetroot and spinach salad with caramelized nuts and citrus vinaigrette dressing


After it melted add cayenne pepper on the tip of the knife.

Mix all together.

Add cayenne pepper on the tip of the knife for beetroot and spinach salad with caramelized nuts and citrus vinaigrette dressing


Take another small baking sheet (I used a regular small cast-iron pan), cover with parchment, and put nuts with honey. Place them to the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Put nuts with honey on baking sheet for beetroot and spinach salad with caramelized nuts and citrus vinaigrette dressing

STEP 3. MAKE A DRESSING AND PEEL A GRAPEFRUIT

Take a jar with a twist cap. Mix there 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp of honey, squeeze 60 ml (4 tbsp.) of orange juice, add zest from 1 orange.

Close a jar and shake for 0,5-1 minutes to mix ingredients. Then open and taste, add salt and pepper to taste.

Clear 1 grapefruit from peel and inner parts.

Clear the grapefruit from peel for beetroot and spinach salad with caramelized nuts and citrus vinaigrette dressing

At this point, the nuts are probably ready, take them from the oven and let to cool down.

Take the nuts from the oven for beetroot and spinach salad with caramelized nuts and citrus vinaigrette dressing

STEP 4. WAIT UNTIL THE BEETROOT IS READY AND MAKE A SALAD

In 30 minutes take the beetroot off the oven.

Take the beetroot off the oven for beetroot and spinach salad with caramelized nuts and citrus vinaigrette dressing

Let it cool down before adding to the salad, otherwise, spinach leaves will fade.

When the beetroot is cooled to the temperature when you can easily touch it with hand, mix it in a bowl with 150 g (5,3 oz) of spinach leaves and grapefruit.

Add caramelized nuts and a half of pomegranate grains on top.

Add caramelized nuts and a half of pomegranate grains on top for beetroot and spinach salad with caramelized nuts and citrus vinaigrette dressing


Then tear with a hand 75 g (2,6 oz) of blue cheese and add on top.

Right before serving add dressing, that you’ve made in step 3 and mix.

Add dressing for beetroot and spinach salad with caramelized nuts and citrus vinaigrette dressing

Beetroot and Spinach Salad with Caramelized Nuts and Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing

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It has a very contrast taste: sweet beetroot – bitter-sour grapefruit, sweet caramelized nuts – sour pomegranate grains, blue cheese, and cayenne pepper that adds a bit of hotness and dressing … The dressing is a topic of another conversation. It fulfills its role for 100%: combines all the ingredients but does not mute the main ingredients but rather enhances them.
CourseSalad
CuisineSpanish
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Servings5
Calories299kcal

Equipment

  • nothing, that yo couldn't have

Ingredients 

For salad:

  • 4 beetroots
  • 75 g walnuts
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • 150 g spinach leaves
  • ½ pomegranate
  • 1 grapefruit
  • 75 g blue cheese (gorgonzola, Dor Blue)
  • Olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper

For dressing:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 60 ml orange juice freshly squeezed
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • salt
  • pepper

Instructions

  • Firstly, you need to heat up the oven to 200 degrees.
  • Peel 4 small beetroots and cut in the quarter and then every piece in half again. Cover the small baking sheet with parchment and put there beetroot. Add a few tbsp of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix. When the oven is done, put there baking sheet for 30 minutes.
  • Mix 75 g of walnuts and 2 tbsp of honey. Add cayenne pepper on the tip of the knife. Mix all together. Take another small baking sheet, cover with parchment, and put nuts with honey. Place them to the oven for 15-20 minutes.
  • Take a jar with a twist cap. Mix there 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp of honey, squeeze 60 ml of orange juice, add zest from 1 orange. Close a jar and shake for 0,5-1 minutes to mix ingredients. Then open and taste, add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Clear 1 grapefruit from peel and inner parts.
  • At this point, the nuts are probably ready, take them from the oven and let to cool down.
  • In 30 minutes take the beetroot off the oven and let it cool down. When the beetroot is cooled to the temperature when you can easily touch it with hand, mix it in a bowl with 150 g of spinach leaves and grapefruit.
  • Add caramelized nuts and a half of pomegranate grains on top.
  • Then tear with a hand 75 g of blue cheese and add on top.
  • Right before serving add dressing.

Nutrition

Calories: 299 kcal | Carbohydrates: 25 g | Protein: 8 g | Fat: 20 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Cholesterol: 11 mg | Sodium: 286 mg | Potassium: 645 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 17 g | Vitamin A: 3562 IU | Vitamin C: 37 mg | Calcium: 148 mg | Iron: 2 mg
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About me:

Hi, I'm Alex. I love to cook and bake, and I'm always looking for new recipes to try. I started this blog — to collect and share most delicious and easy recipes in one place. I remember, how many questions recipes raised to me, when I started cooking. To make sure that doesn't happen to you, I take step-by-step photos of the cooking process for every recipe so you can see how all the steps are supposed to go together, even if you're not following my recipes exactly.

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