“There is so much to say about this salad! I am a big fan of arugula and I grow both the spicy, wild arugula in my garden and the more mild, larger leaf ‘Astro’ variety in my garden. For my salads, I like to have a combination of both. Finding golden beets may take a bit of effort, as not all grocery stores carry them, but they are worth the effort to go out of your way to find them. They have the most amazing sweetness and flavor! At the height of citrus season, you can have fun getting a variety of hues ranging from bright red blood oranges, to pink Cara Cara’s to the standard orange navel. And while I’m not usually a big grapefruit fan, it really helps add dimension to this salad, so don’t skip it. Normally, if I need to substitute something for pine nuts, it is a let down, but don’t worry if you need to use walnuts, they go great in this salad. Last, but not least, while this salad is great on it’s own, you could top this with some grilled chicken, roasted tri tip, marinated skirt steak or grilled salmon and take this to a whole other level!” – April Ferre
Citrus, Beet & Arugula Salad
Ingredients
For the Roasted Beets:
- 1 Red Beet Trimmed & Scrubbed
- 1 Golden Beet Trimmed & Scrubbed
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Other Salad Components:
- 5 to 7 Ounces Arugula Combination of Large Leaf & Baby or Wild Arugula if Available
- 12 Ounces Assorted Citrus Such as Navel, Cara Cara, or Blood Oranges & Grapefruit
- 4 Ounces Feta Crumbled
- 1/3 Cup Toasted Pine Nuts or Substitute Walnuts or Pecans
- 1/2 Cup Pomegranate Seeds Optional
Optional Protein:
- Such as Grilled Chicken, Roasted Tri Tip, Marinated Skirt Steak or Grilled Salmon
For the Salad Dressing:
- 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice About 1 Lime
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Orange & Grapefruit Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
Roast the Beets:
- Note: This can be done the day before.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place each beet on a separate sheet of foil. Rub each with a 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Fold the foil around each beet and crimp tightly.
- Place in an oven-safe dish and roast until beets are tender, but not mushy, approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Note: Try to get beets of equal size so that they cook for the same amount of time.
- When done, remove from the oven and let cool in the foil for approximately 30 minutes. Peel beets and slice into wedges. Set aside.
Prepare the Other Salad Ingredients:
- Separate leaves and trim stems from arugula.
- Peel and dice citrus and place in a medium bowl to catch the juices. Reserve the juice for the salad dressing.
- Toast the nuts.
Prepare the Salad Dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until well combined.
Finish the Salad:
- Toss together all salad ingredients with dressing and serve immediately.
- Optional: Make this a whole meal by topping the salad with your favorite grilled chicken, steak, or fish.
2024 Adapted Recipe – April Ferre – Adapted from Food & Wine Test Kitchen