Posts tagged beets

Dill Roasted Beets and Potatoes

February 28, 2010 · Filed under Autumn, Side/Salad, Spring, Winter · Tagged , ,

Posted by Lisa

Dill Roasted Beets and Potatoes

I love beets.  I love potatoes.  And I love dill.  Why did it take me so long to put the three together?  Beets and potatoes are both root vegetables, so it seems like a logical combination, but apparently not a common one.

I think dill weed is an under-appreciated herb.  Sure, fresh dill heads or dill seeds are well-known since they are in dill pickles, but I’m talking dill weed.  Fresh is obviously a much better choice than dried, but there’s no local, fresh dill to be found this time of year, so dried works well, too.  Dill weed has a fresh, light, grassy flavor with almost lemony notes.

The combination of the beets and potatoes was a really lovely contrast.  The beets are sweet and slippery, while the potatoes are soft and starchy.  Combined with the fresh, subtle flavor of dill, this dish was a real hit.  As with most roasted vegetable dishes, it’s a snap to prepare, but requires at least an hour of baking.

Dill Roasted Beets and Potatoes

printable recipe

  • 1 1/2 pounds potatoes*, cut into 1/2″ cubes (use whatever variety you have on hand)
  • 1 1/2 pounds beets*, cut into 1/2″ cubes
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill weed (or 2 teaspoons fresh dill weed)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • several grinds of pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Preheat oven to 400°.

Gently combine first five ingredients and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a baking dish.  A 9″ x 13″ baking dish or 12-14″ cast iron skillet will both work well.  Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until tender.  After you remove from the oven, drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and mix gently.  Serve warm.

*I don’t generally peel most root vegetables unless they have very blemished/bruised areas, but this is a personal preference.  Feel free to peel the potatoes and beets if you like.

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Marinated Beet Salad

December 31, 2009 · Filed under Autumn, Side/Salad, Winter · Tagged ,

Posted by Lisa

Marinated Beet Salad

This is our second favorite beet preparation, after roasting.  The beets are tender and sweet and the dressing is tangy.  The beets are dressed when they are still warm, so they soak up a lot of the flavor from the dressing.  I typically serve it when it is still slightly warm or at room temperature, but you could prepare it ahead of time and refrigerate it, then bring it back up to room temperature.  I’ve also served this topped with crumbled feta or chevre and it’s delightful with either of them.

Marinated Beet Salad

printable recipe

  • 2 lb of beets, washed and trimmed
  • 1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • a few grinds of pepper

Steam beets until tender.  The steam time will vary depending on the size of your beets.

Cool beets until they are cool enough to handle, but still warm.  Cut beets in half and then slice into thin slices (or you could quarter them and cut into thin slices, whichever you prefer).

Place beet slices in a large bowl.

Whisk mustard, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl until they are well-blended.  Pour the dressing over the beets and gently stir to combine.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  If you prepare this ahead of time, store in refrigerator, but allow to come to room temperature before serving.

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Quinoa and Beet Salad

September 14, 2009 · Filed under Autumn, Side/Salad, Summer · Tagged ,

Posted by Lisa
Quinoa and Beet Salad

Quinoa and Beet Salad

When our friends invited us to dinner recently, my friend served a salad of quinoa and beets, which I had never considered combining before.  This is an interesting combination because, although quinoa is typically thought of as a grain, it is actually related to beets, Swiss chard and spinach.  Quinoa is a very nutritious foods with high levels of complete protein, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus.

I found some Gorgonzola at a great price, so I decided to add it to my friend’s version of the salad.  When I typically make a salad like this, I will dress it with a vinaigrette, but this time I left the vinegar out because the Gorgonzola is a nice sharp contrast to the beets and I really didn’t want their sweet and earthy flavor over-powered.  If you prepare the quinoa and beets before hand, like my more organized friend does, this comes together very quickly for dinner.  If you don’t have Gorgonzola on hand or you aren’t a fan of blue cheese, I am sure that feta would be a wonderful substitute.

Quinoa and Beet Salad

printable recipe

  • 1 1/2 pound beets, steamed, cooled and diced
  • 3 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Gently combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl, adjust seasonings and serve at room temperature.

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