Roasted Beet Salad with Pistachio Pesto and Goat Cheese Served over Fresh Arugula

This is a flavorful summer salad that I came across recently in a newspaper. I didn't wait long to make it, as beets are one of my favorite vegetables and though it was a hot and humid day, I went ahead and roasted the beets anyway. I can tell you that my kitchen was certainly extremely hot, as was I. It was worth the effort though, and this unique dish is really rather simple to prepare. I enjoyed it on the deck with my sweetie in the evening when it wasn't so blistering hot. I also had an opportunity to share some with a special friend who simply adores beets too.

Roasted Beet Salad with Pistachio Pesto and Goat Cheese Served over Fresh Arugula

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on August 6, 2010 Light and refreshing summer beet salad with goat cheese, oranges and a pistachio pesto Print this recipe Salad: 3 lbs (1,350 g) beets, trimmed and unpeeled 1 tablespoon olive oil juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) generous bunch of fresh arugula 4 Clementine oranges, peeled and separated 10 oz (300 g) soft goat cheese, cut into pieces or slices Pesto: 1 cup shelled unsalted pistachios 2 tablespoons fresh parsley 2 tablespoons fresh mint 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon lemon zest juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup water Instructions: Roast the beets until fork tender in a 400° oven — 60 to 90 minutes depending on the size of the beets. Let the beets cool until you can handle them without burning your fingers. Peel and slice into small rounds. Toss the beets with lemon juice and olive oil. To make the pesto, place the pistachios, parsley, mint, sugar, salt and lemon zest in a food processor. Blend until you have a coarse mixture. Now add the lemon juice, olive oil, and blend. Add 1/4 cup of water and blend until you have a pesto that you can drizzle over the beets. Add more water if necessary. Arrange some of the arugula on plate and top with beets and pieces of the orange. Top with some goat cheese and then drizzle with pesto and serve at room temperature. Makes 4 to 6 servings

Other beetroot recipes you may enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Beetroot rasam
Haloumi, Beetroot and Greens Dressed with Tahini and Lemon
Beetroot and Quinoa Salad with Feta and Olives

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