Festive Beet & Carrot Salad – for everyday & special occasions

The classic beet and carrot salad is made even tastier with chopped walnuts and parsley. It brightens everyday meals and dresses up holiday and other special occasion fare. Find some tips on cooking beets here, too.

This compatible duo of vegetables  — beets and carrots — are so “grate” in this simple salad. Two such flavorful veggies need only light embellishment. Just a little added sweetness and the tartness of lemon brings out their flavors.

Vary it with golden beets: I’m surprised I don’t see golden beets more often, because they’re even sweeter and more delicious than red beets. If you see them, grab some! They’re wonderful in this salad.

Less common but worth looking for are chiogga beets (an Italian heirloom variety with red-and-white stripes). Look for these less common varieties at summer and fall farm markets. Recipe adapted from Vegan Holiday Kitchen by Nava Atlas. Photos by Susan Voisin, FatFreeVegan.com.

A few ways to cook beets

• Microwave: Microwaving is the easiest and quickest way to cook beets. Rinse the beets and place beets in a deep microwave-safe container with a little water at the bottom — not more than a half inch or so deep. Cover and microwave for 2 to 4 minutes per beet (2 minutes for small beets, 3 for medium, 4 for large). This is a general guideline; best to start with less time and check for doneness, then add a minute or so.They’re done when you can just pierce them—and when cooking beets, try not to overcook.
• Stovetop: It’s best to use beets that aren’t too large if you want to cook them on the stovetop — otherwise, it takes quite a long time. Rinse beets and cut away all but an inch of the stalks. Place in a large deep saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a slow boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer until just tender. How long this will take depends on the size of the beets. Check after 15 minutes, but don’t poke too many test holes into them, or they’ll bleed too much! Drain and let cool when done.
• Oven roasting: Wrap beets (best to use medium or smaller beets for this process) snugly in foil. Place in a casserole dish with about 1/2 inch of water. Bake in a 400ºF oven for 40 to 60 minutes, or until the beets can be pierced through easily with a knife. Unwrap carefully, allow to cool, then peel and use as directed in recipes.

Finishing up the process: Whether you’ve microwaved, cooked, or roasted the beets, wait until cool enough to handle. Peel them over the trash or compost container, then and dice or slice as needed. To prevent discoloration of your cutting board, you can cover it with a piece of wax paper or parchment.

Using beets raw: If you have a good knife and don’t mind having your hands dyed bright pink for a while, simply peel beets and cut into thin pieces, dice, or grate for adding to salads. Or, peel beets and cut into chunks for juicing or to spiralize.

Explore more …

• Roasted Beet and Fennel Salad (with Beet Greens and Oranges)
• Russian Beet Salad (“Vinegret”)
• Beet and Vegan Feta Salad
• Sweet and Citrusy Beets with Beet Greens

Continue to Content

Yield: 6

Festive Beet and Carrot Salad

Print

The classic beet and carrot salad is made even classier with chopped walnuts and parsley. It brightens everyday meals and dresses up holiday fare.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 32 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 medium beets (see note)
• 6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 celery stalks, peeled and diced
• 2 shallots, minced, optional
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• Several mint leaves, sliced, as desired to taste
• Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon, to taste
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• Pinch of salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook or microwave the beets until about half done (see more info following the recipe box) —you should be able to pierce them with resistance. When cool enough to handle, cut into chunks.
2. Grate the beets and carrots using the grating blade of a food processor.
3. Combine with the remaining ingredients in a serving bowl and stir together. Serve at once or cover and store in the refrigerator until serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 113Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 114mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 4gSugar: 13gProtein: 2g

Nutrition data is always an estimate depending on program used to calculate and exact products used.

See more plant-forward salads & sides and Fresh Spring Salads