The days are getting slightly longer and the weather is getting slightly better over here. What does that mean? I automatically start craving a bit fresher food and less warm, cozy ones. But, it is still only February… so I am presenting you with a root veggie salad today in the form of a Beetroot Salad with Pickled Onions and Feta Cheese.

Beetroot salad with pickled onions and feta cheese in a salad bowl with salad tongs stuck into it

This salad still ticks the boxes of nourishment and comfort whilst slowly creeping into the category of more spring-y food. The beets are incredibly rich, warming, and earthy. The pickled onions provide a bit of salt and sour tang. In addition, you have crunchy walnuts, salty feta cheese and parsley to round this salad out. It is super simple but ultra delicious!

Beetroot salad with pickled onions and feta cheese on dark plates; photographed from above

I am also so, so pleased with how the colors turned out in the pictures! I absolutely adore these pink hues and they came out well in the photos. You can see the slight shine from both the vinegar and the oil as it all comes perfectly together.

Why are this Beetroot Salad with Pickled Onions and Feta Cheese good for you?

Beetroot

I have not raved about beetroot in a while. Beetroot comes in many different colors – from white over yellow to pink and dark purple. Beets can be enjoyed raw, steamed, baked, or cooked. This makes them an incredibly versatile root vegetable. In addition, beets are incredibly nutritious. They are packed with manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C. Beetroot also has some other awesome plant compounds. Mainly betanin and inorganic nitrate, which is converted into nitric oxide inside our bodies.

Nitric oxide is actually a really cool molecule. It helps your blood vessels to dilate for better blood flow, and may also help with improved exercise function, lower blood pressure, and increased brain function. The effect of lowered blood pressure gets further supported through the potassium found in beetroots. Having enough potassium as part of your diet has been shown to reduce blood pressure levels, particularly in people with high blood pressure. Lowered blood pressure has also been associated with a decreased risk of both heart disease and stroke. Altogether, not too bad for the humble beetroot, what do you think?!

Beetroot salad with pickled onions and feta cheese on dark plate with a salad bowl and pepper mill standing in the background

How can I adjust this Beetroot Salad with Pickled Onions and Feta Cheese to my dietary requirements?

This recipe is vegetarian, and gluten-free. You can make it dairy-free and vegan by swapping the feta cheese for vegan feta or omitting the feta. You can make this recipe nut-free by swapping the walnuts for sunflower seeds. Finally, make this salad paleo by omitting the feta cheese.

Beetroot Salad with Pickled Onions and Feta Cheese

0 from 0 votes

Recipe by Ann Robejsek Course: Main, sideCuisine: EuropeanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Baking time

hour

This Beetroot Salad with Pickled Onions and Feta Cheese is tangy, sweet, earthy, and wholesome with a nice bit of crunch. Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the beetroot salad
1 KG 1 beetroot — see notes* for details
1 unit 1 homemade pickled onions
1 cup 1 (100 gr.) cumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup 1/2 (50 gr.) walnuts, chopped
A large handful of parsley, chopped
For the sauce
3 tbsp 3 water from the pickling juice
3 tbsp 3 olive oil
2 tbsp 2 white or apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

How to

For the beetroot salad
Prepare the beetroot by preheating the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 Fahrenheit). Wash the beetroot thoroughly, cut off the stems and cover in tin foil. Bake for 1 hour to 70 minutes until tender. For the last 10 minutes, add the walnuts to roast them golden and draw out some of the flavor. Let cool completely before commencing
Take the beets out of the tinfoil (it makes sense to use disposable gloves for this process). Peel the skin off (this should fall off easily when rubbing over), and cut into chunky pieces. Add to a bowl. Now add the homemade pickled onions, crumbled feta, chopped walnuts, and chopped parsley
For the sauce
Add the water from the pickling juice, vinegar, and olive oil, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, serve, and ENJOY!!