Description
This Beet Cucumber Salad is a vibrant, refreshing, and healthy dish perfect for a light lunch or side. It combines sweet roasted beets, crisp cucumber, tangy red onion, and fresh herbs, all tossed in a zesty homemade dressing with a hint of honey and garlic. Optional feta cheese adds a creamy, salty contrast to the earthy vegetables. This salad is easy to prepare, naturally gluten-free, and can be enjoyed chilled for a refreshing taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 medium beets, cooked and peeled
- 1 large cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
Herbs & Cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cooking the Beets: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Wash the beets thoroughly, trim off the greens leaving about an inch of stem, and wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil. Place them on a baking sheet and roast for 45-60 minutes until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Let cool slightly before peeling.
- Peeling the Beets: Once cooled enough to handle, peel the beets using a paring knife or your fingers wearing gloves to avoid staining.
- Slicing the Beets: Slice the peeled beets into thin rounds or half-moons approximately 1/4 inch thick.
- Preparing the Cucumber: Peel the cucumber and thinly slice it. If the cucumber has large seeds, scoop them out before slicing.
- Slicing the Red Onion: Thinly slice the red onion and place in a bowl of ice water for 10-15 minutes to reduce sharpness. Drain well.
- Chopping the Herbs: Finely chop the dill and parsley, removing any tough stems.
- Making the Dressing: Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl.
- Seasoning: Add salt and pepper to taste to the dressing.
- Whisking: Whisk vigorously until the dressing is well emulsified.
- Combining Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine sliced beets, cucumber, red onion, dill, and parsley.
- Adding the Dressing: Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Adding Feta: If using, gently crumble feta cheese over the top of the salad.
- Chilling: For best flavor, cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Wear gloves when peeling beets to avoid staining your hands.
- Roasting beet flavor intensifies; you can boil beets as an alternative but roasting enhances sweetness.
- Soaking red onions in ice water helps reduce their sharpness for a milder bite.
- Chilling the salad allows flavors to meld and enhances the refreshing taste.
- Feta cheese is optional – omit for a vegan or dairy-free version.
- Maple syrup can be used instead of honey for a vegan-friendly dressing.
