Grated golden beets add a sweetness to any salad and are a great addition to this colorful, yummy combination of veggies in this glorious, nutrient-packed salad.

Golden beets are less sweet and a bit more mellow than the more commonly known purple beets. Plus, they won’t stain your clothes or skin the way the purple ones do!  And they’re packed with fiber and nutrients such as folate, beta-carotene, magnesium, and iron. Golden beets can be eaten raw or cooked, but I love their crunch when grated raw in this salad. They can be coarsely chopped, but their sweetness really shines when they are grated. Any simple grater will do – just watch out that you don’t scrape your skin!

Note: to keep the salad crispy, keep the vinaigrette refrigerated in a separate container and toss with the salad at serving time. You can heat the dressing in 5 second intervals in the microwave to re-liquify, or leave it at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before using.

This recipe makes a large batch you can keep in a sealed container or Ziploc to enjoy for several meals.

Salad with Grated Golden Beets

Salad Ingredients

1 half head radicchio, chopped

1 fennel bulb, stems removed, chopped into 3/4″ pieces

1 orange pepper, cut into 3/4″ pieces

1 cup cherry tomatoes

3 scallions, chopped into 1/4″ pieces

1 endive, coarsely chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and grated

1 medium golden beet, peeled and grated

2 cups arugula

2 Persian cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise then into 1/2″ slices

3/4 cup crumbled feta (or goat) cheese

1/4 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts

Vinaigrette Dressing Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

3 Tablespoons balsamic, red wine, or champagne vinegar

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Maple syrup

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed through a garlic press

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Optional: 1 small shallot, finely chopped

Directions

1. Place all salad ingredients into a large bowl and toss to combine.
2. Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients together and, when ready to serve, use desired amount to dress the salad.