Beetroot and Spinach Salad with Caramelized Nuts and Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing

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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.

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.

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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.

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

Mix all together.

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.

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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.

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

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

In 30 minutes take the beetroot off the oven.

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.

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.