Beetroot Salad with Walnuts and Feta in a Mustard Dressing

When I began cooking for our small household I quickly realized that salads are versatile and fun. From adding oomph to a meal to being the main event, they could do it all. Over time I’ve made different kinds – with sausages and spring vegetables, noodles and chicken to using couscous and quinoa and moong sprouts. And now this Beetroot Salad with a tangy, sweet and mildly pungent dijon mustard and honey vinaigrette. This recipe is inspired by a similar salad we’d been served by my husband’s maternal aunt some years ago. The combination of sweet, freshly steamed beets and a strong mustard dressing stayed with me and I’ve been wanting to recreate it ever since. I’ve adapted the vinaigrette to my taste and used feta and toasted walnuts for some added texture and flavor.

Total time: 40 minutes.

Ingredients for Beetroot Salad with Barley, Walnuts and Feta

• Beetroots 2-3 steamed, peeled and sliced (or roasted, peeled and sliced)
• Pearled Barley – 1/2 cup (or Quinoa or another millet)
• Walnuts – 1/2 cup, toasted
• Arugula – 2 cups
• Onion – quarter or half an onion, sliced
• Feta 1/4 cup, crumbled (skip this for a vegan version or use a vegan cheeseP

For the dijon mustard & honey vinaigrette inspired by NYT Cooking’s Mustard Vinaigrette

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1/2 cup
• Dijon Mustard – 1 tbsp
• Honey – 1 tbsp or more (or jaggery or raw sugar)
• Salt & Pepper
• Garlic clove 1 smashed with skin on
• Chilli flakes/chilli powder to taste ~ 1/2 tsp
• Lime/lemon juice 1 tbsp
• Red wine vinegar/sherry vinegar/apple cider vinegar 1 1/2 tbsp

Let’s make this earthy, fall/winter salad!

Put a pot with 1.5 to 2 cups of water on the stove to boil. Add 1/2 cup pearled barley to this pot. Salt it lightly. Cook on high until it comes to a boil, then lower the heat and cover the pot. Let it simmer for 20-25 minutes or until barley is fluffy and soft. When done, remove from heat and drizzle olive oil on top. Gently fluff and mix the grains using a fork. Keep aside for final salad assembly.

If you do not have barley then use another millet of choice or quinoa or even wild rice. The idea is to add a grain to this salad. It will be just as delicious without one though!

Next, or as the barley cooks, wash and clean the beets, remove stems and cut off the roots. Then steam the beetroots. I used my pressure cooker for this. It is just as easily done in an instant pot or even a large stock pot on the stove.

Steam the beets, do not boil – this is important!

Steaming is the way to go for par-cooked and crunchy vegetables that offer a little bite and firmness in any salad, especially here where limp and mushy beets would be very disappointing.

• To steam in a pressure cooker: place the beets on a steaming rack at the bottom of the cooker. Pour about 1 cup of water. Enough to create steam but below the beets. Close the lid and cook on high heat until the first whistle. Then reduce heat to medium high and cook until a second whistle sounds. Turn off the heat and let the steam escape naturally.
• If using a stock pot or deep pan or dutch oven, blanch the beets in boiling water. Beets are dense roots which means they will need a few minutes in boiling water to be par-cooked and tender. You can follow tips from Our Everyday Life.
• Instant pots have a steam setting. Do the same as the pressure cooker, i.e. place beets on the steam insert, add water keeping it below the beets and then steam based on this nifty time chart developed by Natasha at Natasha’s Kitchen. Roughly between 10 to 20 minutes based on the size of the beets your are using.

Use all the stove top space simultaneously – that’s the time keeping trick of home and professional cooks.

While the beets are steaming, toast walnuts in a cast iron or any heavy bottomed pan on medium high heat. Continue roasting while stirring until you see some browning on walnut pieces. Remove from heat and keep ready in a bowl/plate until needed. Rinse arugula and dry it with either a kitchen towel or a salad spinner. Slice onion and separate sections into single, thin strands/pieces. Measure feta and crumble it into small bits. If using chunky feta finely slice and dice it. For a vegan salad skip feta or replace with a vegan cheese of your choice.

When the beets have steamed and the pressure cooker is safe to open, give them a quick rinse under cold water or plunge in a bowl of ice water. Then proceed to peel off the skin and slice into discs.

Make the Dijon-Honey vinaigrette for Beetroot Salad

Smash a garlic clove. Do not peel it. I used a bottle to mix and shake the vinaigrette. You could do that or whisk it in a bowl. Add garlic to the bottle, pour in olive oil, mustard, honey, vinegar and lime juice. Season with salt, pepper and chilli. Close the bottle and shake well until combined. Let the vinaigrette sit for a few minutes or longer before using.

As I mentioned earlier, this salad is inspired by a similar beetroot salad served by my husband’s aunt. She in turn had adapted it from a meal she’d enjoyed somewhere. She enjoys mustard’s tang and pungency, so naturally made a strong vinaigrette suited to her taste. It paired beautifully with steamed beets. I’ve mellowed it a little by adapting a recipe by Martha Rose Shulman. The fun part of salads and salad dressings is the scope for personalizing them. If you like a sweeter dressing add more honey or jaggery, same for making it tart – use more lime juice or vinegar; for a warming, wintry note throw in some grated ginger. There are a lot of creative possibilities. Start with this basic recipe and keep going!

Time to assemble an earthy beetroot salad perfect for sharing & entertaining!

Now for the final assembly. I love this part because every successive ingredient adds a new new color and texture. Start with making a bed of arugula and onion. Add cooked barley. Then, place a layer of beet slices. Go in concentric circles until you’ve almost entirely covered all the arugula and onion. Next, add crumbled feta. Then walnuts and finally, pour the vinaigrette over it all. Use about half the vinaigrette. Keep the rest for anyone who’d like to add more to their helping of salad. Store any leftover dressing in the fridge.

This salad is a compete meal in itself. I’ve enjoyed it several times for lunch in Spring and Fall when juicy, sweet beets are easy to find. It would pair well with a variety of meals, from Salmon Pasta or Burgers to Roast Chicken, Pasta in Pesto to Pizza. Try it with/for your next meal!

Keeping it Up-Beet!

I plan on celebrating beets more often when they are in-season during Spring and Fall in the US. It is easy to forget about all the great produce available to us when everyone’s energies are focussed on pumpkins in Fall and berries, cherries and citrus in the Spring. This salad might even become a part of our Friendsgiving tradition! If you try this recipe please share your feedback in the comments. Another beetroot recipe that’s a new addition to my repertoire is the Nutty Beetroot and Carrot Cake. Check it out too!

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