This Red, White & Blue Beet Slaw is a festive and colorful dish that’s perfect for a 4th of July cookout or summer party. Made with shredded beets, fresh blueberries, and unsweetened coconut, it’s a nutritious vegetarian and gluten free side.
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My celebrations for the 4th of July have changed over the years. When I was younger, my family would gather with my aunt, uncle, and cousins and have a BBQ outside, complete with fresh watermelon, corn on the cob, and my aunt’s chocolate coconut cake. Afterwards, we would go to the fireworks in the small town of Narberth, PA.
Eventually we all grew up and moved away, so our 4th of July traditions changed. This year and in recent years, I am spending the holiday in beautiful Crystal Lake, IL with my husband’s family.
This town does 4th of July like no other place! After I log off today, we plan to take a boat ride and have a BBQ for dinner. We’ll head to the town’s Lakeside Fest later in the week, and finish it all off with fireworks on the lake on Saturday.
Looking back, I’m so grateful that I have always spent this holiday with family. And even though the people who I celebrate with change, there is one thing that remains constant. It’s the FOOD!
I’ll always associate summer BBQ foods and red, white and blue dishes with the celebration of our great country. So, today’s dish, Red, White & Blue Beet Slaw, is an ode to the fun food tradition that the 4th of July has become in my life!
Like I said, my aunt used to make an amazing chocolate coconut cake for the holiday. Today, my mother-in-law is making a homemade strawberry and blueberry pie.
So, let’s think of this Red, White & Blue Beet Slaw as having a little bit of something from all of my 4th of July celebrations…
Blueberries in honor of homemade berry pie, coconut in honor of my aunt’s amazing cake…and beets, well, because…you all know beets are my favorite! And their color?! It’s perfect!
How to Make Red, White & Blue Beet Slaw
The most difficult part about preparing this dish is roasting the beets, and that’s really not hard at all. To save yourself some time, I recommend purchasing pre-roasted beets, like Love Beets or a similar brand, from the store.
If you want to roast the beets yourself, trim off the tops and bottoms, scrub them clean, rub a little olive oil over them with your fingers, and then wrap each beet in aluminum foil. Put them directly on the oven rack, and bake at 400 degrees F for 45-60 minutes or until you can easily slice through them.
Let them cool for a little before handling (they will be hot!), and then use a hand grater to shred them. Add the grated beets to a bowl with blueberries and shredded coconut.
Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, and dried mustard. Pour this over the slaw and mix until well-coated. Squeeze a lemon over the slaw, and stir again. Cover and put it in the fridge for a bit, then serve cold!
So without further adieu, let’s get to the Red, White & Blue (Beet Slaw)!
For more 4th of July dishes, check out:
- Red, White, and Blue Cheese Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Blueberry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Tahini
- Healthy BBQ Green Beans
- Healthy Scallion Dill Potato Salad
- Easy Italian Zucchini Kabobs
- Healthy Greek Yogurt Broccoli Salad
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how you like it! Please rate and review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments section. For weekly post updates, sign up for the newsletter.
📖 Recipe
Red, White & Blue Beet Slaw
Ingredients
- 2 beets - roasted then grated, about 3 cups worth
- 1 pint blueberries - rinsed
- 1 cup shredded coconut - unsweetened
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard
- 1 lemon - juiced
- Salt - to taste
Instructions
- If you are not using pre-roasted beets, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Scrub and trim each beet then rub a bit of olive oil over them. Wrap each beet in foil and place directly on oven rack. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until they are tender. Open up the foil, slice the beets in half, and let cool. You can put them in the fridge or freezer to accelerate cooling.
- Once the beets have cooled, use a hand grater to shred them into a large bowl. Add the blueberries and shredded coconut. Your hands will get messy!
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing except the lemon. Drizzle the dressing over the slaw and mix until well coated. Add the juice of 1 lemon, mix again, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cool.
- When you are ready to serve the slaw, remove from fridge and add a bit more coconut to the top.
Notes
- To cut back on the time for this recipe, consider purchasing pre-cooked beets such as Love Beets or another brand.
- This slaw tastes best when you make it a few hours in advance. Store in the fridge in an airtight container, and stir well before serving.
- Leftovers can last in the fridge for a few days, but the berries and coconut can get a little soggy over time.
Nutrition
Have a wonderful 4th of July!! – Lizzie
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