Roasted Beet and Citrus Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing

Roasted beet and citrus salad with cilantro-lime vinaigrette is a healthy and delicious winter side dish. Serve it with roast fish or meat for an easy yet satisfying meal.

One of the best parts of the blogging community is that I have friends all over the place. Which means restaurant recommendations all over the place (let’s get real: travel is always about the food for me). Last year, Brandy got me hooked on a whole in the wall taco place and I haven’t stopped obsessing over the catfish taco ever since. It came in a blue corn tortilla and it was everything.

A  few weeks ago we spent a day in New York City and decided to drive home that way so we could stop for dinner. Nothing was coming between me and that taco, but a seriously tempting roasted beet and citrus salad also caught my eye.

I love beets, but that was the first time I saw a beet salad that was influenced by Mexican flavors. It didn’t take long before I was inspired to make my own at home. (It was delicious served with roast salmon.)

Roasting and peeling the beets takes time, but aside from that this salad is really simple. To make it, top a bed of arugula topped with roast beets, oranges, and a delicious cilantro-lime dressing. It’s spicy, earthy, tangy, and sweet – basically everything you could ask for! I didn’t include cheese on mine, since I wanted to keep it Whole 30 compliant, but a little crumbled feta or cotija wouldn’t be out of place on top.

Roasted Beet and Citrus Salad

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 pound beets
• 6 cups arugula
• 2 oranges, segmented
• 1/4 small red onion, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• sea salt and cracked black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 450ºF.
2. Line a baking dish with foil. Add the beets (trim off any leafy greens), then cover tightly with more foil. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the beets can be easily pierced with a fork.
3. Let the beets cool to the touch, then peel and cut into a large dice. Refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Arrange the arugula over a large serving platter. Top with the beets and oranges.
5. In a measuring cup, combine the onion, oil, vinegar, lime juice, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Roast your beets ahead of time (Store them un a container of water in the refrigerator so they don't dry out) or buy pre-cooked beets for a salad that easy to throw together on the spot! If you'd like, you can also add a heaping 1/4 cup of salty cheese – like feta or cotija – or chopped cashews to this salad.

Nutrition Information

Amount Per ServingCalories 67 Carbohydrates 17g Protein 2g