Beetroot Salad with Fennel and Red Onion

This tangy beetroot salad is paired with fennel and red onion in a maple balsamic dressing. It’s light and refreshing with a touch of citrus flavor.

Today I’m bringing to you a light, refreshing, and super healthy vegan salad recipe made with beets, fennel, red onion, and a sweet and tangy dressing! It’s perfect to serve alongside a holiday meal, take with you to a picnic, or enjoy a light lunch!

It’s versatile, tasty, and pretty easy to pull together. Even if you haven’t worked with beets all that often, I’m here to give you all the tips and tricks to making beetroots one of your new favorite vegetables.

By the time I’m done sharing what I know about beets, you’ll be running to the grocery store to experiment with this often-overlooked root vegetable!

Beets really don’t get the appreciation they deserve. When I was growing up the only beets I ever saw came from a can.

They were less than appealing. We didn’t have them often, but every once in a while my mom broke them out to add to a Greek salad. That was the extent of my experience with beets.

Back then, I wasn’t much of a fan. But now that I’ve experimented with fresh beets, they are quickly becoming one of my favorites!

Jump to:

• What does beetroot taste like?
• How to choose the best raw beets in the grocery store?
• What can I make with beetroots?
• How do you prepare beets from raw?
• What is the best way to eat beetroot?
• What makes this beetroot salad healthy?
• Who should avoid beets?
• Why you’ll love this Beetroot Salad Recipe…
• Recipe Ingredients and Notes
• How to Make Beetroot Salad – Step by Step
• Expert Tips
• Recipe FAQS
• Variations and Substitutions
• How to Store and Keep
• How to Serve
• More healthy salad recipes!
• Recipe

What does beetroot taste like?

Beets have a an earthy and somewhat bitter flavor when raw. When boiling raw beetroot, make sure to add plenty of salt and even red wine vinegar to the water. This helps to neutralize the bitter flavor.

If you are roasting the beetroot, you can adjust the seasoning after they are cooked. Adding a dressing with citrus, vinegar, and salt will give the beets a nice flavor, and bring out their natural sweetness.

How to choose the best raw beets in the grocery store?

When choosing beets at the grocery store, pick them up and feel them in your hand. You want firm hard beets. If they are squishy or soft, they are no good.

You can buy beets with their stems attached, or you can purchase them in bulk. You can also buy them pre-cooked. Depending on your needs, you can roast your beets with the stems on and use those stems in other recipes, or chop them and enjoy as a side dish.

What can I make with beetroots?

There are numerous recipes you can make with beetroots. Usually, we think of a beet salad recipe, but you can make desserts with beets! Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing!

• Beetroot Hummus
• Chocolate Beet Cake
• Roasted Beetroot Side Dish
• Beetroot Smoothie
• Beetroot Burgers
• Roasted Beetroot Soup
• Beet Juice
• Beetroot Latte

How do you prepare beets from raw?

There are two methods to choose from when preparing raw beets; roasted and boiled.

How to Roast Beets

There is no need to peel the beets prior to roasting them. It’s much easier to remove the peel after they’ve been roasted, so save yourself some time! Roasting beets brings out their sweetness.

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 F. If the stems are still attached, cut them off close to the bulb. Clean the bulbs by scrubbing them in cool water.

Step 2: Wrap each large individual bulb in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped beets on a baking sheet. Roast for 50-60 minutes. Check the beets every 20 minutes. If they looked dry or burned, add a little water to the aluminum foil, and rewrap, placing them back in the oven.

Step 3: When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them by placing each one in a paper towel, and gently rub the peel off. It should easily come off. If not, they likely need to be cooked a bit longer.

How to Boil Beetroots

Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a tablespoon of salt.

Step 2: Trim the stems keeping about an inch of the stem attached to the bulb. This helps to keep them from bleeding too much in the water. Thoroughly scrub them clean.

Step 3: Add the beets to the boiling water. Boil for 20-40 minutes or until tender. Boiling time will depend on the size of your beets. They are done when they are tender and easily pierced with a fork or knife.

Boiling Time:

• 20 minutes for small
• 30 minutes for medium
• 40 minutes for large

What is the best way to eat beetroot?

You can eat beetroot both raw or cooked.

If enjoying raw beetroot, be sure to remove the peel using a vegetable peeler. Slice thinly and add to your salads or soups for color and garnish. It will have more earth and bitter flavor when enjoyed raw.

Most of the time beets are eaten cooked. As mentioned above you can prepare cooked beets by roasting or boiling them. There are numerous ways to prepare them including salads, side dishes, soups, drinks, and even desserts!

What makes this beetroot salad healthy?

Packed with Vitamins and Nutrients: Beets are loaded with essential vitamins and minerals in a low-calorie package. They are particularly high in folate, manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C. They also contain inorganic nitrates and pigments that benefit your health. Consider adding beetroot powder to your daily routine to get the benefits on a daily basis!

Improve Digestion: Beets are a good source of fiber. As a result, they help improve digestion. Fiber is also linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases including colon cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

Help to Control Blood Pressure: Beets contain nitrates that help to reduce high blood pressure. As a result, reducing high blood pressure results in a lower risk of heart attack, and stroke.

Who should avoid beets?

Although beets are generally very healthy for most people, they are not for everyone! If you have any of the following conditions, please consult your doctor before adding beets to your diet on a regular basis.

• Low blood pressure
• On blood pressure medication
• Experience IBS

Beets have high levels of oxalates which can cause kidney stones for people with these conditions.

Why you’ll love this Beetroot Salad Recipe…

• Healthy and vegan ingredients
• Oil-Free
• Low calorie and low in fat
• Full of bright beautiful colors
• Light, tangy, and refreshing
• Naturally gluten-free

Recipe Ingredients and Notes

Beets: Beets are root vegetables that are packed with vitamins and minerals. The part of the plant that you eat is the bulb. They come in a variety of colors including red, pink, and yellow. You can use a combination of colors or your favorite variation for this recipe. For this recipe, you can use fresh beetroots. If you do, you will need to roast them. You can also use pre-cooked beets.

Fennel: In this recipe, you’ll slice the fennel bulb. Fennel has a licorice flavor. It has a bulb at its base, with long stalks, and greenery that resembles dill. It is a healthy vegetable to add to your diet with an excellent dose of vitamin C which is especially important during the winter months when fennel is in season.

Red Onion: The red onion in this salad adds a nice bite, and added color.

Watercress: A watercress is a leafy green that grows in spring water. It is usually used as a garnish but is packed with nutrients like vitamin K, and antioxidants.

Chopped Pecans: I used chopped walnuts. However, you can use pecans, or even almonds if you prefer. It provides a nice added crunch to this salad.

Dressing: The dressing for this salad is made with a combination of maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, orange juice, and coriander. It’s a slightly sweet and tangy dressing that pairs nicely with the natural sweetness of the beets.

How to Make Beetroot Salad – Step by Step

Step 1: If using fresh beetroots, preheat your oven to 400 F. Scrub beetroots, and wrap loosely in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Or use the boiling method if you prefer. When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them by rubbing a paper towel over the outside peel. It should easily come off if they are cooked. If you’re using pre-cooked beets, skip this step.

Step 2: Cut beets into long and even strips. Place them in a large bowl. Chop fennel bulb and red onion into long and even strips. Reserve to the side to add to the salad later.

Step 3: Make the dressing: Whisk together the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, orange juice, and coriander in a small bowl.

Step 4: Add the onion slices to the beets. Pour dressing over top. Toss until well coated.

Step 5: When ready to serve, add the fennel strips. Toss together. Top with chopped walnuts, and watercress. Serve immediately.

Expert Tips

• Use pre-cooked beets to save you some time and a bit of mess.
• Use a plastic cutting board to chop your cooked beets. They will bleed and stain wood cutting boards. A plastic cutting board can easily be washed and cleaned. If you don’t have a plastic cutting board, you can line your wood cutting board with parchment paper. But be careful! If your knife cuts the paper, the juice can still stain the wood!
• Wear gloves when handling the beets. Just like they will stain your cutting board, they will also stain your hands.
• Beet skins are easily removed after they are cooked. You do not need to peel them prior to cooking.
• Keep the beet greens! They are full of nutrients and quite delicious! Add them to your salads, stir-fries, and pasta. It’s best to remove the stems right away, and store them separately from the beet bulb. They wilt and go bad more quickly than the bulb.

Recipe FAQS

Variations and Substitutions

Can’t find watercress? Use cilantro, fresh mint, or parsley. Both have a different flavor than the watercress, but they add a nice bright green to the salad. You could even add baby spinach.

Can’t find fennel? You can leave this ingredient out if you choose. Or substitute the fennel for celery, bok choy, or leeks.

Additions: For a sweet and salty combination add feta cheese, if you’re vegan try this vegan feta. For the vinaigrette, try adding a tablespoon of olive oil, a tablespoon of lemon juice, and one minced garlic clove, with a hint of black pepper.

How to Store and Keep

This salad is best served and enjoyed immediately. The beet juices will bleed into the other ingredients such as the fennel, onion, and watercress.

However, if you have leftover salad, store it in an airtight container. It will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

I recommend keeping the fennel, nuts, and watercress separate from the beets, and then arranging the salad when you’re ready to enjoy it again.

How to Serve

Beets are quite dense and have a sweet flavor when cooked. This roasted beet salad pairs nicely with lighter main dishes. My vegan suggestions include roasted cauliflower, or a fresh and herbal vegan pesto pasta.

More healthy salad recipes!

Recipe