Beets tend to be the type of vegetable you either love or…strongly dislike. There is no in between. Personally, I absolutely love them and could eat them daily! Full of Vitamin C, antioxidants and fiber, beets also have plenty of nutritional value. Thanks to the fun of picking them in the garden and other colorful benefits that one gets to experience after consumption, our girls love them, too :). I am always looking for new ways to prepare them and when I first made this creamy beet salad with orange and five spice, it was love at first bite. This side is a standout and perfect for those cooler days thanks to the comforting notes the orange zest, crushed caraway seeds and 5 spice are lending it.
You will see my notes below the recipe, but you can feel free to substitute chopped hazelnuts, pecans or walnuts for the caraway seeds if you don’t have any on hand or don’t love their crunchy texture.
Creamy Beet Salad with Orange and 5 Spice
This creamy beet salad is simple, but bursts with flavor! Orange zest and Chinese 5 Spice bring warmth and depth to this comforting dish.
4
servings20
minutes45
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
1 lb beets (golden, red, white, etc.)*
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup plain creamy coconut yogurt (I love Cocojune) or other Greek-style yogurt
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (divided)
1/2 tsp caraway seeds (lightly crushed with a mortar and pestle)*
1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice
1/2 tsp zest from an organic orange**
1/2 tsp raw honey
1/2 tsp fine sea salt (divided) and a few cracks of black pepper (more to taste)
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 375F and position a rack in the center of your oven.
- Peel and trim your beets and, depending on their size, halve or quarter them to ensure the pieces are all similar in size. Place in a bowl, drizzle with 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a ¼ tsp fine sea salt. Toss to coat. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast, stirring once or twice along the way, until tender and a knife inserted into a beet comes out easily - about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest until cool enough to handle, then cut into ¼-inch wedges.
- While the beets are roasting, heat the remaining Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a small sauce pan on medium-low heat. Add the sliced shallots and sauté, stirring occasionally to ensure they don’t burn, until they are very soft and tender - about 5 minutes. Add the caraway seeds** (if using) and Chinese 5 spice and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.
- Transfer the shallot mixture to a large bowl and stir in the yogurt, orange zest, honey, remaining 1/4 tsp fine sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Add the peeled and sliced beets and gently toss to coat. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and serve!***
Notes
- *If you do not have caraway seeds on hand or dislike their texture, feel free to substitute chopped hazelnuts, pecans or walnuts. They will not provide the same licorice flavor, but you will still have a wonderful dish!
- **Citrus fruit often receives a wax coating after harvest to extend its shelf life. Most organic oranges come unwaxed, but if you are unsure if your citrus was waxed, go ahead and rinse the fruit with some hot water and scrub it with a (dedicated) vegetable brush to remove the wax.
- ***I like to serve this salad at room temperature. If you prepare it ahead, be sure to pull the salad out of the fridge 20-30 minutes prior to serving or consider preparing all the elements ahead of time, but waiting to add the yogurt until the end to ensure it provides that fresh creaminess.
