Description
This Beet Cucumber Salad is a refreshing and healthy side dish combining roasted beets, crisp cucumber, and fresh herbs with a tangy, honey-mustard vinaigrette. It’s vibrant, nutritious, and perfect for warm-weather meals or as a colorful addition to any plate.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 medium beets, cooked and peeled
- 1 large cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
Herbs & Cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cooking the Beets: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Wash the beets, trim off the greens leaving about an inch of stem, wrap each beet individually in foil, and roast on a baking sheet for 45-60 minutes until fork tender. Allow to cool slightly.
- Peeling the Beets: Once cooled, peel the beets using a paring knife or your fingers (wear gloves to avoid staining).
- Slicing the Beets: Slice peeled beets into thin rounds or half-moons about 1/4 inch thick.
- Preparing the Cucumber: Peel and thinly slice the cucumber. Remove large seeds with a spoon if desired before slicing.
- Slicing the Red Onion: Thinly slice the red onion and soak it in ice water for 10-15 minutes. Drain well before use.
- Chopping the Herbs: Finely chop fresh dill and parsley, removing any tough stems.
- Making the Dressing: Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl.
- Seasoning the Dressing: Add salt and pepper to taste and whisk vigorously until well emulsified.
- Combining Ingredients: In a large bowl, toss the sliced beets, cucumber, red onion, dill, and parsley together.
- Adding the Dressing: Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat evenly.
- Adding Feta (Optional): Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese on top if using.
- Chilling: For best flavor, refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Roasting beets can be done in advance to save time.
- Using gloves when peeling beets helps avoid staining your hands.
- Soaking red onion in ice water mellows its sharpness and adds crunch.
- Feel free to omit feta to keep the salad vegan.
- Chilling the salad allows flavors to meld and enhances taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
