Last month I posted a recipe featuring beets, my first post on the little red devils from Schrute Farms. Since that time, I’ve cooked beets several more times, including an attempt at roasting them with their skin on, then peeling after. I didn’t like this method at all, as I found it more difficult that peeling prior to roasting.
With a huge crisper drawer filled with beets, I needed to make something and all I can seem to think of are salads or borcht. I decided to go with the former. Having made a quinoa salad with beets before, I decided to try again, this time making it a bit prettier and with a more refined look. This meal is completely vegetarian (not Vegan), but if you wanted to add meat, I think that minced chicken marinated in a lemon vinaigrette might be a good start.
In this recipe, as you’ll see, I linked to my first beet recipe for Lemon and Garlic Roasted Beets. I used the basic roasted beets from that recipe and changed the rest of the salad using quinoa and white beans as the base. You can just as easily roast them plain and add more of a dressing later.
Ingredients:
Serves 4 as large salad, 6-8 for small appetizer
6-8 medium size beets – roasted according to previous Lemon/Garlic recipe
1 cup quinoa – cooked according to package directions
1 can white beans (great northern) – rinsed and strained
1 shallot, minced
~ 1/4 cup feta or goat cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon olive oil
high quality aged balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup unsalted walnuts, roughly chopped
salt
pepper
Peel beets and cook according the instructions from Lemon Garlic Roasted Beets, however, here only cut the beets in half. The process should take about 45-55 minutes, so when the beets are half way, you can begin making your quinoa according to the package directions. For me, the quinoa required about 20 minutes of cooking time. You want the quinoa to cool slightly, so when it is ready, you can place in a bowl and stick in the fridge (or freezer, just don’t forget about them).
Once the beets are cooked and slightly cooled, cut the pieces into thin slices and set aside.
Mix cooled quinoa with white beans, lemon juice, feta (or goat) cheese, shallot, walnuts, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place quinoa mixture on plate lengthwise and top with beets in a neat row. Drizzle aged balsamic vinegar around plate (and some over beets if you choose). Serve as a nice appetizer salad or a large lunch salad.
Yup, three of my very favorite non-meat ingredients. Bookmarked, thanks!
Has anyone made this? I’m looking for a recipe with quinoa and beans to make for Thanksgiving, but nervous to try a new one without reading much feedback about this recipe!! It looks super good though.
There appears to be some likes on Facebook, though sadly no more comments on my blog. I can attest to it being tasty. I often make salads for lunch that consist of quinoa and white beans — the dressing varies. I’d also suggest making the quinoa with vegetables or chicken stock instead of water. More flavorful. If you make it, let me know how it goes!