I’m dying for Pakistani food…can you be ready in 45 minutes?, Mike asked me one night.
Well, that was a silly question since I am always in the mood for Pakistani food and can be ready at a moment’s notice. I had already made these pretty salads, but it worked out well since I had one for dessert later that night and the other went into the fridge for breakfast the next day.
I know, salad for dessert (or breakfast!) sounds odd, but beets are so sweet and paired with the sweetness of oranges it really was pretty treat-like. Mike didn’t indulge me in my salad-for-dessert idea, not because he thought it was weird (which ok, it is), but because he claims not to like beets. In reality though, I’m pretty sure he’s never tried them, which is a shame, really, because if I were trying to convince a beet-hater to give beets a try, this salad would be the way to go. He wasn’t having it though and his stubbornness won out…but there’s always next time.
I dressed this salad very simply with Prima Oliva’s Persian Lime EVOO and a sprinkle of salt and pepper so the flavors of the other components could really shine through. If you can’t find this oil (which was a gift from two very sweet colleagues of Mike’s – thank you, ladies!), you can use any lemon or lime-infused olive oil you can find.
- 2 medium beets (red or yellow, or a mix of both), pre-cooked and thinly sliced (see Note)
- 1 naval orange, peeled and thinly sliced
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted in a dry skillet
- 1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
- 1½ teaspoons lime or lemon-infused olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- Arrange the beet and orange slices on 2 plates.
- Top with the onion, pine nuts, feta, and dill.
- Drizzle on the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired.
- Serve.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Rosa says
February 29, 2012 at 5:51 amA mouthwatering salad! This tasty and colorful combination is fantastic.
Cheers,
Rosa
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
February 29, 2012 at 6:28 amThis is so pretty! I love beets and especially love them in salad. Can’t wait to try!
Blond Duck says
February 29, 2012 at 7:51 amI’ve never tried beets!
Erica says
February 29, 2012 at 9:31 amI really love beets! I actually have a friend whose a fanatic too- I’m going to send this to her. The salad is gorgeous- great blend of flavors
Daisy@Nevertoosweet says
February 29, 2012 at 11:22 amI’m really not a fan of beets :) But this looks so pretty and if you say that they’re sweet i’m happy to give this salad a try ~
Alyssa @ Everyday Maven says
February 29, 2012 at 12:24 pmThis is beautiful. I used to be a beet hater but I turned the corner a few years ago and now I can’t get enough of them! and Pakistani food is soooo good! What is your go-to dish?
Faith says
February 29, 2012 at 1:33 pmAlyssa, I sort-of go through phases with my go-to dish, but my current addiction is tandoori chicken with a side of spicy vegetarian lentil curry (love it — the flavor of ginger really stands out!) and naan…mmm… :)
Barbara says
February 29, 2012 at 3:00 pmI make a salad like this often…aren’t beets wonderful? And the mixture of colors is perfect. Love the pine nuts, I’ve never added those. Double yummy!
Patty says
February 29, 2012 at 3:03 pmEvery time I turn on my oven I am tempted to throw in some beets for roasting, they are so great to have on hand. I’m saving your recipe for beet citrus salad as I can always use another delicious beet recipe in my repertoire!
Lucy says
February 29, 2012 at 5:53 pmWhat a beautiful salad! The bright colours seem just perfect for spring.
BeadedTail says
February 29, 2012 at 6:47 pmI love beets but don’t know many recipes for them so will have to give this a try!
Amy (Savory Moments) says
February 29, 2012 at 7:34 pmBeets are a perfect pair with citrus. Your salad looks so lovely and fresh!
Carolyn Jung says
February 29, 2012 at 8:09 pmOooh, that Persian lime olive oil looks divine.
And I think people who say they hate beets have just never had a fresh beet before. They grew up with the stuff in the cans and anyone would develop an aversion to that. LOL
Reeni says
February 29, 2012 at 8:52 pmI’m a beet lover and would totally enjoy this for dessert! It’s so simple but so beautiful!
Lisa says
February 29, 2012 at 9:09 pmThis is beautiful and I’m sure it’s delicious! I love beet salads. I’m pinning this one for later!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
February 29, 2012 at 11:14 pmI’d be sharing this salad for dessert with you! Beets can be so lovely and sweet and I can see how this takes on a dessert-y quality! :D
Veronica says
February 29, 2012 at 11:39 pmI always eat salad for dessert! Glad I’m not the only one! :) but this is definitely more of a treat than my usual salads, not only for taste but for the eyes as well-so pretty! Good luck with converting Mike, I know how painful the process is! lol
Heba @ My Life in a Pyramid says
March 1, 2012 at 1:29 amI love beets! Will have to try this combination of flavors soon :)
tania@mykitchenstories says
March 1, 2012 at 1:44 amI love beetroot. It is not easy for us to get the golden ones and not a lot of people have seen them. Still I love the look of it
kellie@foodtoglow says
March 1, 2012 at 3:49 amI am beet-mad and love any excuse to eat them – raw, roasted, marinated (in homemade raspberry vinegar, dried chilli, cardamom & coriander – mmm), even pre-cooked ones. And, I have actually eaten beets for dessert – candied ones with fresh nuts. So no,it isn’t too weird. And I too would’ve gone for the Pakistani meal in a heartbeat. Lovely recipe and photos.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
March 1, 2012 at 5:29 amLove simple fresh salads like this!
Michele | Cooking At Home says
March 1, 2012 at 5:40 amI love beets! But my husband does not so I mostly eat them when we go out. Gorgeous beets and citrus look like shiny jewels.
Blond Duck says
March 1, 2012 at 6:38 amLove your healthy reuben!
Nicole, RD says
March 1, 2012 at 7:58 amI seriously LOVE beets. They were a food I didn’t try until just last year, and now I adore them more than many other veggies. The color is stunning…just like this salad!
Joan Nova says
March 1, 2012 at 8:07 amIt may seem weird to have salad for breakfast…but it sure beats cornflakes!!
I imagine one could achieve a similar result with evoo and a squeeze of fresh lime.
Faith says
March 1, 2012 at 9:05 amJoan, If you can’t find citrus-infused olive oil, I think regular olive oil and a little bit of lemon or lime zest would be great. This will add a punch of citrus-y flavor without the acidity, very similar to the infused oil. Let me know if you give it a try!
nancy at good food matters says
March 1, 2012 at 8:20 amBeets Like Jewels!
Faith, your styling and photography just keeps getting better and better.
Faith says
March 1, 2012 at 9:05 amThanks, Nancy!
Natalie says
March 1, 2012 at 9:08 amOh this is so beautiful! All the ingredients give this salad a pop of life I love it!
Jane says
March 1, 2012 at 11:54 amThis is so gorgeous! All the flavors sound delicious! And I must find some lime infused olive oil!
Krista says
March 1, 2012 at 7:13 pmI love those pretty beets that you used, Faith! :-) I just compiled my garden seed list and I have heirloom beets in a rainbow of colors just waiting to be planted. Hooray! :-) What a gorgeous way to use them. :-)
5 Star Foodie says
March 1, 2012 at 9:26 pmThe lime olive oil sounds so unique and flavorful. Lovely salad!
Katerina says
March 4, 2012 at 1:24 pmI love both beets and citrus! I am sure the combination of these two was divine!
Juliana says
March 5, 2012 at 4:45 pmI love beets with citrus…beautiful pictures!
Hope you have a wonderful week ahead Faith :)
Magic of Spice says
March 20, 2012 at 4:17 pmWhat a lovely salad and beautiful combination!
Prima Oliva says
April 28, 2012 at 9:38 amWe are so pleased to see our product featured as a part of your recipe. This is actually a fused olive oil as opposed to an infused. An infused oil, of which we carry many of excellent quality, is made by adding a natural flavor like garlic or basil after the oil is pressed. A fused oil is unique in that it is produced by crushing the whole fruit, in this case Persian Limes, at the time that the olive is crushed. This produces an amazing product that is truly delicious. You can see more about this olive oil and all of our products here. http://www.primaoliva.com/persian-lime-fused-extra-virgin-olive-oil/
Thank you,
The staff at Prima Oliva