Thin slices of pickled beets are paired with fennel, nasturtium leaves and flowers, and tofu ricotta for a colorful springtime pickled beet salad. This vegan and gluten free salad is just as beautiful as it is delicious! Plus, there’s only minimal cooking involved.
I’ve long been a firm believer in the fact that things that are in season together go together. It may sound like a simple principle, but it’s one that frequently guides my recipe development. And, it’s one that Erin French echoed in an episode of The Lost Kitchen that I just watched. By pairing things together that are being grown and harvested at the same time, you’re able to truly experience the season at hand. You’re able to actually see and taste that specific moment in time, which I think is an incredibly magical thing!
This pickled beet salad was born out of this guiding principle. I found myself with some lovely Chioggia beets and knew I wanted to pickle them and incorporate them into a spring salad. Since I’d also brought home some fennel, I knew it’s crunch and mild licorice flavor would go nicely with the beets. The leafy green element came from the lush nasturtium plants in my garden. And to make it a more substantial dish, I added a homemade tofu ricotta for a creamy element and added protein. Each element is arranged on the plate in order to be a feast for the eyes as much as the belly!
Why You Should Make This Recipe
- It’s the perfect way to slow down and appreciate all of the beautiful colors, flavors, and textures of spring.
- It doesn’t require any cooking except for warming up the pickling liquid for the beets!
- Once you pickle the beets, the salad comes together fairly quickly, especially if you opt to use a store-bought vegan or regular ricotta.
- It’s incredibly delicious as it relies on fresh and flavorful spring produce.
- It’s both vegan and gluten free.
- It’s as enjoyable to look at as it is to eat!
How to Make Pickled Beets
The base of this salad is thinly sliced quick-pickled beets. They’re incredibly simple to make, and since we’re slicing them very thin, we don’t need to peel or cook them beforehand! You’ll start by scrubbing your beets very well. Then, you’ll slice off the very top and bottom of the beets. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, you’ll cut your beets into very thin rounds like you see in the photos here. You’ll transfer your sliced beets into a wide-mouthed glass jar or container.
Next, make the pickling liquid. Combine the water, vinegar, salt, bay leaf, cracked black peppercorns, and garlic clove in a small pot over medium heat. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Let it simmer 5 minutes then remove it from the heat. Carefully pour the liquid over the beets until they are fully submerged. Allow the beets to pickle for at least 1 hour before proceeding for the recipe. You can easily do this 1 day (or even 1 week!) ahead of time.
Tips for Composing this Pickled Beet Salad
Rather than tossing everything together like a standard salad, we’re intentionally “composing” all of the elements together on a plate. Here are some tips for composing a beautiful salad:
- Add each element one by one. Start with the beets first, then the nasturtium leaves. Next comes the fennel, then dollops of tofu ricotta. Finish the salad by garnishing with dill or fennel fronds, nasturtium flowers (if you have them) and a sprinkle of salt and pepper if you like.
- To keep the pickled beets from “bleeding” onto all of the other elements, you can blot them with a paper towel prior to composing your salad. It also helps to lay them down first on the plate!
- Fennel has a tendency to oxidize (like an apple) once it’s sliced. You can either cut it right before you make and eat your salad. Or, you can keep the slices in cold water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice until you need them. Just make sure to drain them before you create your salad!
- Have fun with it and don’t rush the process! Think of it like you’re painting or drawing.
Looking for more springy salad recipes? Try this celery salad with blood orange, dates, and walnuts or this spring lentil salad with creamy dill dressing.
Pickled Beet Salad with Fennel & Nasturtium Leaf
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 2–3 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Thin slices of pickled beets are paired with fennel, nasturtium leaves and flowers, and tofu ricotta for a colorful springtime pickled beet salad. This vegan and gluten free salad is just as beautiful as it is delicious! Plus, there’s only minimal cooking involved!
Ingredients
for the pickled beets:
- 2 medium-sized beets
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 tsp finely ground sea salt
- 1/4 tsp cracked black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
for the salad:
- 2 cups loosely packed nasturtium leaves
- 1 small bulb of fennel
- 1/2 cup vegan ricotta (the recipe for my homemade tofu ricotta is in the notes!)
- 2 tbsp roughly chopped dill or fennel fronds
- sea salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- a few nasturtium flowers to garnish, optional
Instructions
Make the pickled beets first. We won’t be peeling the beets so scrub them very well. Slice off the very top and bottom of the beets and. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, you’ll cut your beets into very thin rounds. Transfer your sliced beets into a wide-mouthed glass jar or heat-proof container.
Make the pickling liquid next. Combine the water, vinegar, salt, bay leaf, cracked black peppercorns, and garlic clove in a small pot over medium heat. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Let it simmer 5 minutes then remove it from the heat. Carefully pour the liquid over the beets until they are fully submerged. If you have pickling liquid left over, you can use it to pickle other veg or discard it. Allow the beets to pickle for at least 1 hour before proceeding with the recipe. Keep your pickled beets in the fridge and enjoy them within a month or two.
Right before you’d like to serve your salad, prepare the fennel. Remove the fronds and stems from the fennel if they are still attached. Then, cut the fennel in half. Remove and discard the core (at the root end), then thinly slice the fennel.
Choose the plate or platter you’d like to serve your salad on. Start by arranging some of the slices of pickled beet on the surface. You can blot the pickling liquid from the slices if you’d like to keep the appearance of the salad clean and tidy. Next, add some of the nasturtium leaves, then slices of fennel. Add dollops of the ricotta next, followed by the dill or fennel fronds. Finish with a sprinkle of salt and pepper if you like and a few nasturtium flowers.
This salad is best enjoyed soon after it’s made. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use any variety of beet you like here. The variety in the photos is Chioggia.
- If you don’t have access to nasturtium leaves, you can use baby arugula or baby mustard greens in their place.
- If you prefer to make your own vegan ricotta, combine 1 block of extra firm tofu in a blender along with 1/2 tsp lemon lemon zest, 3 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp sugar, 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, and 2 tsp nutritional yeast. Pulse several times to bring everything together.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Inactive Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: salad
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