Roasted-Beet Salad With Horseradish Crème Fraîche and Pistachios Recipe

Why It Works

Roasting beets in foil concentrates their flavor, while keeping them juicy and tender.
Hot horseradish is a classic pairing with sweet, earthy beets. Pistachios add texture and a toasty, nutty flavor.

Beets are typically thought of as a late-fall or winter vegetable, since they store very well after their growing season. But early to midsummer is the best time to enjoy the sweetest, smallest beets of the year. Beets and horseradish are a classic Slavic/Jewish combination, and I think they work particularly well when those beets are roasted to enhance their sweetness and the horseradish comes in the form of a creamy sauce.

2:23

How to Roast Beets

Sweet With Heat: Simple Spring Beet and Horseradish Salad

Active: 20 mins

Total: 2 hrs 30 mins

Serves: 4 servings

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For the Beets:

2 pounds (about 1kg) beets, unpeeled, greens removed, scrubbed clean
1 tablespoon (15ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Horseradish Crème Fraîche:

4 ounces (100ml) crème fraîche
2 tablespoons (30ml) prepared horseradish, store-bought or homemade

For the Dressing and to Serve:

1 tablespoon (15ml) fresh juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon (about 5g) minced fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon (about 5g) minced fresh chives
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons; 15g)
1 teaspoon (5ml) honey
3 tablespoons (45ml) extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pistachios (115g), toasted and roughly chopped

For the Beets: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Fold a 12- by 24-inch sheet of aluminum foil in half to form a square. Crimp together foil on 2 sides of square to form a pouch with an opening on one side. In a medium bowl, toss together beets, 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste until beets are coated. Add to pouch and crimp remaining side to seal. (If using beets of multiple colors, roast in separate pouches.) Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Roast until beets are completely tender and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into a beet through foil meets little to no resistance, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and allow to cool. When beets are cool enough to handle, peel by gently rubbing skin under cold running water. Cut beets into 1 1/2–inch chunks. Beets can be cooked and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
For the Horseradish Crème Fraîche: In a small bowl, stir together crème fraîche and horseradish. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Dressing: In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, tarragon, chives, shallot, and honey. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while stirring vigorously with a fork. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
To Serve: In a large bowl, toss beets with dressing. Spoon half of crème fraîche mixture on the bottom of a serving plate. Place beets on top and drizzle with remaining crème fraîche mixture. Sprinkle with pistachios and serve.

Special equipment

Rimmed baking sheet

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
496	Calories
38g	Fat
35g	Carbs
11g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	496
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 38g	49%
Saturated Fat 10g	51%
Cholesterol 31mg	10%
Sodium 684mg	30%
Total Carbohydrate 35g	13%
Dietary Fiber 8g	29%
Total Sugars 23g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 16mg	78%
Calcium 95mg	7%
Iron 3mg	19%
Potassium 1049mg	22%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Ingredients

Special equipment

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