Beet and Fennel Salad with Citrus Dressing

beet and fennel salad on an oval tray with a gold and silver serving spoon

Savor the delicious flavors of roasted beets and fennel in this vegan salad. It's tossed with fresh herbs, pistachios, and a simple dressing made with lemon and orange juices.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 207kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

Ingredients

For the salad

5 small beets or 3 large
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil divided
1 bulb fennel stalks and fronds removed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup shelled pistachios dry roasted and salted

For the dressing

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons orange juice preferably freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Trim and scrub the beets. Rub each one with a tiny bit of olive oil all over the skin, then wrap each one in aluminum foil. Place the foil packets on the center rack of the oven. Roast for 45 to 60 minutes until tender. Small beets take less time than large beets to roast. When the beets are finished roasting, remove them from the foil packet and rub your hands over each one to remove the skin (it should glide off without too much effort). If they are too hot to touch, run them under cold water while you take off the skin.
Prepare the fennel for roasting. Cut the bulb into lengthwise quarters and then slices. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until coated. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes (at the same temperature as the beets) until tender and slightly charred.
Slice the roasted beets into thin discs or another shape of your choice. Combine the beet slices and roasted fennel slices in a mixing bowl. Add the chopped herbs and pistachios.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange and lemon juices, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and mix well. If you have some fennel fronds from the bulb you used, add them as garnish. Enjoy warm or cold!
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Notes

To save time, use pre-roasted beets like Love Beets. You can also find other brands of pre-roasted beets at many grocery stores, including Trader Joe's. Finally, you can roast the beets yourself up to 5 days in advance and store them in the fridge.
Feel free to mix up the herbs, use a different nut or seed, and/or add feta or goat cheese.
You can make this salad and toss it with the dressing up to a few hours in advance. Keep it in the fridge until you're ready to serve it.

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