I already had a recipe for a beet salad with caramelized nuts and vinaigrette dressing, but if in that case the beets were baked, here they will be used boiled. And that’s a big game changer. Today you can buy boiled beets in the store, which means that the salad will take at most 10 minutes to assemble. The longest process will be roasting the pumpkin seeds in a pan.
Beets are sweet, and I always want to dilute their sweet flavor with something sour. To achieve the most balanced taste in terms of acidity-sweetness, I used both balsamic vinegar and lime juice (it combines very interestingly with beets, by the way). The feta gives quite a salty flavor, so we won’t salt the salad. Spinach acts as a link between the ingredients, but can be replaced with other salad leaves at your discretion.
The main flavor surprise here is the finely chopped fresh garlic. Not only has the combination of garlic and beets always been a win-win, but with the bright sour citrus notes and crunchy pumpkin seeds, it’s incredible. Be sure to give it a try.
Ingredients
- 300 grams (10,6 oz) of cooked beets
- bunch of spinach
- 30 g (1,1 oz) pumpkin seeds (1 large heap)
- 100 g (3,5 oz) feta cheese
- 1/2 lime
- 2 garlic cloves
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil (1 Tbsp)
- 5-10 ml (1-2 tsp) balsamic vinegar
Step by step Directions
If you use raw beets, boil them until soft.
We’ll assemble the salad right away in a plate to serve and not get any extra dishes dirty.
Arrange the spinach leaves on a plate.
Peel and slice the beets. If the beets are small, like mine, you can cut them into quarters. Don’t chop them too fine, but don’t chop them too coarsely either.
Grate the zest of half a lime directly into the salad and squeeze half the juice of half a lime into it. Set the lime aside; taste it later and add more juice if necessary.
Slice the garlic as thinly as possible. Add to the salad, spreading evenly over the area.
Toast the pumpkin seeds for about 2-3 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. They should brown, but not burn.
Pour half of the balsamic vinegar over the salad. As well as the lime – set aside and add as needed later, after tasting. Pour 1 tbsp of olive oil over the salad. And crumble 100 g (3,5 oz) of feta on top. The feta does not need to be cut, just break it up with your hands.
Sprinkle the salad with toasted pumpkin seeds and serve.
If necessary, add more balsamic vinegar and lime juice, to taste.
Beets Salad with Feta Cheese and Spinach
Ingredients
- 300 g beets (boiled or raw, boil)
- 1 bundle spinach
- 30 g pumpkin seeds (1 крупная жменя)
- 100 g feta cheese
- 1/2 lime
- 2 cloves garlic
- 15 ml olive oil (extra-virgin)
- 5-10 ml balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Arrange the spinach leaves on a plate to serve.
- Peel and slice the beets. Add to the spinach
- Натрите цедру лайма прямо в салат и выжмите сок четверти лайма. Оставшийся лайм отложите.
- Finely chop the garlic, add to the salad.
- Toast the pumpkin seeds over medium heat until golden. 2 to 3 minutes.
- Drizzle the salad with half the balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Sprinkle the feta on top.
- Sprinkle the salad with toasted pumpkin seeds and serve. Taste and add the remaining balsamic vinegar and lime juice if you don't feel enough acidity.
