Golden Beet and Orange Salad
Golden beets have all the earthy sweetness of red beets without bleeding color, so the orange segments stay bright and the platter looks clean instead of pink-stained. A quick ice-water soak takes the bite out of the raw red onion, and mint cuts through the sweetness of both the beets and citrus so the salad reads fresh instead of heavy.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr 30 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 medium golden beets, trimmed and scrubbed
- 3 medium navel oranges
- 1/2 medium onion red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 oz crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional)
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 283
- Protein
- 7g
- Carbs
- 28g
- Fat
- 16g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
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Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim the beet greens, leaving about an inch of stem, and scrub the beets clean. Wrap each beet individually in foil and place on a baking sheet.
- 2Roast for 45-55 minutes, until a paring knife slides into the center with no resistance. Larger beets will take longer, so start checking at 40 minutes.
- 3Let the beets cool until they can be handled, about 20 minutes. Rub the skins off with a paper towel (wear gloves or work over the sink if you want to avoid golden-beet stains on your fingers).
- 4While the beets cool, place the sliced red onion in a small bowl of ice water and let it sit for at least 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
- 5Cut the tops and bottoms off the oranges, then slice away the peel and white pith following the curve of the fruit. Working over a bowl to catch the juice, cut the segments free from the membranes.
- 6Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice the cooled beets into thin rounds, about 1/8 inch thick.
- 7Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, honey, 1 tablespoon of the reserved orange juice, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.
- 8Arrange the beet slices and orange segments in overlapping layers on a platter. Scatter the drained red onion and mint leaves over the top.
- 9Drizzle the dressing evenly over the salad and top with crumbled feta or goat cheese, if using. Serve right away.
Tips & variations
- A mandoline gives the most even, thin beet slices, which matters here since the salad is served raw-thin rather than diced.
- Swap in blood oranges or cara caras for a color variation; both work the same way with the honey-citrus dressing.
- Toasted walnuts or pistachios add crunch if serving this as a fuller side dish.
- Keep golden beets separate from any red beets on the cutting board or in the bowl until the very end, since even golden beets can pick up faint pink staining from red beet juice.
Storage & reheating
This salad is best assembled and served the same day, since the oranges release juice that thins the dressing and the beets can bleed slightly into the mint over time. Roasted, peeled beets can be stored whole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and sliced just before serving.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- Roast the beets a day or two ahead and refrigerate them whole and unpeeled; the skins slip off just as easily cold as warm.
- Save the extra orange juice left over from segmenting to whisk into the dressing instead of using all fresh-squeezed juice.
FAQ
Can I use red beets instead of golden beets?
Yes, but red beet juice will bleed into the orange segments and turn the whole platter pink within minutes. If mixing colors, add the red beets last, right before serving, and keep portions separate until plated.
Can I make this salad ahead of time?
Roast and peel the beets up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate them whole. Slice the beets, segment the oranges, and mix the dressing separately, then assemble the salad no more than 30 minutes before serving.
What can I use instead of mint?
Fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley both work well and hold up similarly to mint's texture, though the flavor profile will shift slightly sweeter with basil or more herbal and neutral with parsley.
Do I have to roast the beets, or can I boil them?
Boiling works too, simmer whole unpeeled beets in water for 30-40 minutes until fork-tender, but roasting concentrates their sweetness more since less moisture and flavor leaches out into the cooking water.
