A friend of mine, who is a clinical dietitian and lover of beets, would change everything I thought I knew about beets. And namely, I thought that I hated them. She hosted us for dinner, and made some amazing beet burgers from scratch. While everything was grilling she told me about how beets were one of the healthiest foods on the planet, and that it was an insane that an endurance athlete, like myself, was not eating them daily. One bite into her grilled beet burger, and I also wondered why it had taken so long to embrace beets. The flavor was incredible.
Grilling beets? Honestly, nothing could be easier. They don’t even need to be peeled! And the flavor, oh the flavor! Add some fresh tarragon, flat leaf parsley, red wine vinegar and dijon to create a memorable dressing. Throw in some pickled red onions to contrast with the smokey, earthy grilled beets. And carrots for crunch and sweetness, and this is one unique, delicious summer salad.
After a few hours of marinading, everything in this vegan grilled beet salad recipe will turn beet red, but the flavors will also deepen. I suggest serving it right away, because I like the contrast between the grilled beets, crunchy carrots and pickled red onion. It would be less contrasting after several hours. As a final note, I want to urge you to use fresh tarragon. It is very powerful, and takes this salad up a notch. You won’t regret it!
This salad is beet heaven. Enjoy!
Grilled Beet Salad
⅓ cup sliced red onion
⅓ cup + ¼ cup red wine vinegar, divided
½ cup very cold water
3 large red beets, ends trimmed off and sliced into wedges
1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼-½ tsp dijon mustard
3 Tbsp olive oil + more for drizzling beets
1 cup julienned carrots
1. In a large mixing bowl, add red onions, ⅓ cup red wine vinegar, water, and a pinch of salt. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. While the red onions are pickling, turn beets out over a large piece of non-stick aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and black pepper. Pull up the sides of the foil, and create a sealed pouch (crimp the edges). Grill until the beets are fork tender. I used a gas grill on HIGH, and it took about 25 minutes. When they are done grilling, open the pouch and allow them to cool.
3. When the time is up on the red onions, drain them, and set them aside. Add tarragon, parsley, dijon, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 3 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper to the large mixing bowl, and whisk until well combined. Add red onions, carrots, and grilled beets. Combine, and taste. Adjust seasonings, and serve immediately.
