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Red beets are a delicious spring root vegetable full of nutrients and fiber. When roasted these veggies get deliciously sweet and go perfect with the creamy ricotta and tangy balsamic dressing.
This recipe works best with a fresh bunch of beets from the store, but if you are looking to whip up this salad quickly, precooked beets will work as well. Save the greens from the top of your red beet bunch and chop them up to saute later or to add to soups! They are full of antioxidants, calcium and vitamin K!
Benefits of Beets
Beets are anti-inflammatory thanks to all the betalains that give them their red color. Inflammation is a contributing factor to many chronic diseases, so decreasing it is key to staying healthy.
The betalains in beets can also help gently detox your body by supporting your liver’s phase two detoxification process. When your liver is better able to detox, it can result in more balanced hormone levels, better energy, and improved ability to process cholesterol which helps avoid fatty liver disease.
They are full of essential vitamins and minerals including folate, manganese, potassium, vitamin C, iron, copper and vitamin B6. One serving of beets contains 20 percent of your daily value of folate which is important for growth and heart health. Copper is also vital to energy production and sometimes a missing link in cases of anemia as its essential in the utilization of iron.
Red beets are also a good source of fiber which is great for feeding healthy microbes in the gut and having a healthy microbiome. The fiber can also help with digestive issues such as constipation. Fiber in beets makes them a complex carb, meaning the sugars will be released a bit more slowly which helps have balanced blood sugar for stable energy levels.
To Roast the Beets
Trim the tops off of both sides of the beet, you’ll want to remove the stems and the small root part at the bottom. No need to remove the skins though! Wash the trimmed beet thoroughly in cold water and place them in a baking dish. If your beets are huge, you could cut in half but otherwise place the beets whole in the dish.
Drizzle with olive oil and salt and cover the top with a glass lid or foil. A casserole dish with a lid works well for this.
Roast the beets in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour, or until a sharp knife can cut through the middle easily. This will vary largely based on your beets. The idea is to get them nice and sweet by roasting them.
Enjoy seasonal veggies!
This roasted beet salad showcases delicious healthy spring veggies in a way that will delight your taste buds and impress your guests!
If you like getting in a small serving of beets each day for detoxing or just to have a healthy complex carb to add to lunches, you can make a batch of these beets and just leave out the arugula so it doesn’t get soggy.
You can also definitely roast the beets a day ahead of time or just do it as part of your weekly meal prep!
Feel free to get yellow and red beets to mix together in the salad to add even more beautiful color!
Beet Ricotta Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing
Ingredients
Salad
- 1-2 bunches fresh beets
- ½ – 1 cup ricotta
- ¼ cup chopped hazelnuts
- 3 cups arugula
Dressing
- 2 Tb balsamic vinegar
- 3 Tb olive oil
- 1 -2 Tb honey depending on desired sweetness
- 1 tsp djon mustard
- ¼ tsp thyme or 1tb. chopped fresh thyme leaves
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
To Roast the Beets:
- Chop off the stems and the bottom tip of each beet. No need to peel, just wash with cold water. If any of your beets are especially large you can cut in half so that all the beets are relatively the same size.
- Place washed beets in a baking dish and either cover with foil or a glass lid. A small casserole dish can work well for this.
- Roast in a 425 degree oven for 45 min to 1 hour, or until you can easily poke a sharp knife through the middle. The timing of this will vary greatly on the size of your beets.
- Once the beets are done, allow them to cool. If you did this step in advance, just add the beets to a glass dish with a lid and store in the fridge.
To Prepare the Salad
- Mix together all the dressing ingredients with a whisk so they all combine smoothly. Taste and add more acid, sweetness or salt depending on preference.
- Spread a few handfuls of arugula across a serving dish or in a salad serving bowl. Drizzle a little of the dressing over the greens and toss to coat.
- Next, slice the beets or wedge them (depending on preference). Arrange the slices in small groups across the greens. Drop spoonfulls of ricotta across the beets. Sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts on top. You can add some fresh thyme leaves to garnish if desired.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve!