Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 70 mins

Roasting Beets: 60 mins

Total: 2 hrs 30 mins

Servings: 4 to 6 servings

This beet salad is a combination of beets, spinach, and bacon along with pecans or walnuts. For a heartier salad, add some shredded or crumbled cheese. Swiss, cheddar, feta, or goat cheese are all good choices.

The beets may be boiled or roasted in the oven or slow cooker.

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Ingredients

For the Salad

• Pecan halves, or walnuts, toasted, optional

• 2 to 3 slices bacon, diced, or 3 ounces diced pancetta

• 1 pound beets, cooked, peeled, and diced

• 4 cups spinach

• 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced

• Shredded cheese, or crumbled goat cheese or feta, optional

For the Dressing

• 1 clove garlic, crushed and minced

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon  Dijon mustard, or a similar gourmet mustard

• 4 tablespoons honey

• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

• 2/3 cup olive oil

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. Arrange the pecans or walnuts in a dry skillet and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly until the nuts are lightly browned and aromatic.

   

3. In a skillet over medium heat, fry the diced bacon until crisp or fry the pancetta until browned.

   

4. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

   

5. Dice the bacon and set aside.

   

6. Arrange spinach leaves on 4 salad plates. Top with diced beets, diced bacon or pancetta, red onion, and pecans or walnuts. If desired, top with cheese.

   

7. In a bowl or blender, combine the garlic, salt, pepper, mustard, honey, and balsamic vinegar. Whisk or blend in the olive oil in a steady stream.

   

8. Drizzle the dressing over the salad or serve on the side.

   

9. Enjoy!

Tips

Boiled Beets: To boil beets, first start by washing and trimming the beets, leaving about 2 inches of the stem and root ends. Place the beets in a large saucepan and cover with salted water (about 1 teaspoon of salt per quart). Add a few teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice to the water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for about 40 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the beets.

Roasted Beets: To roast beets, first wash the beets and trim, leaving an inch or two on the stem and root ends. Rub the beets with a little vegetable oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper; wrap in foil and bake at 375 F for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. The time varies depending on the size of the beets. You can also roast the beets in the slow cooker.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	362
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g	34%
Saturated Fat 4g	21%
Cholesterol 6mg	2%
Sodium 487mg	21%
Total Carbohydrate 27g	10%
Dietary Fiber 5g	17%
Total Sugars 21g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 15mg	76%
Calcium 186mg	14%
Iron 5mg	29%
Potassium 864mg	18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.