Equipment
Ingredients
Roasted Beets
- 4 medium red beets, whole, unpeeled, scrubbed
- 10 ml olive oil
- 2 g salt
Tarragon Vinaigrette
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 ml champagne vinegar
- 30 ml fresh orange juice
- 10 g honey
- 5 g dijon mustard
- 10 g fresh tarragon, finely minced
Salad Assembly
- 120 g baby arugula, washed and dried
- 2 navel oranges
- 60 g walnut halves
- 100 g fresh goat cheese, crumbled
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 444 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 31 g
- Fat
- 33 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 25 g
- Sodium
- 432 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 15 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Cholesterol
- 12 mg
- Potassium
- 930 mg
- Calcium
- 213 mg
- Iron
- 3.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 80 mg
- Phosphorus
- 183 mg
- Zinc
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 134 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 104 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 44 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.20 mg
- Niacin
- 0.8 mg
- Folate
- 185 mcg
- Water
- 159 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Place scrubbed beets on a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with 10ml olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Fold foil to create a sealed packet and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 45-60 minutes until a knife slides easily into the center.
While beets roast, place walnut halves in a dry small frying pan over medium heat. Toast, tossing frequently, until fragrant and slightly darkened, about 4-5 minutes. Remove immediately to a cool plate.
Cut the top and bottom off the oranges. Stand them upright and slice off the peel and pith, following the curve of the fruit. Slice between the membranes to release the segments (supremes) into a bowl. Squeeze the remaining membrane skeleton to extract juice for the dressing.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, reserved orange juice, honey, mustard, minced tarragon, salt, and pepper. Slowly stream in the 60ml extra virgin olive oil while whisking constantly to emulsify.
Once beets are cool enough to handle, use a paper towel to rub the skins off. Trim the root ends and slice the beets into 2cm wedges or bite-sized cubes.
In a large mixing bowl, toss the arugula with half of the dressing. Arrange on a serving platter. Distribute beet wedges and orange segments over the greens. Top with toasted walnuts and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle remaining dressing over the top immediately before serving.
Chef's Notes
- To save time, roast the beets up to 3 days in advance. Store them peeled in the fridge; bring to room temperature before assembling.
- For the best texture, ensure the arugula is thoroughly dried after washing. Wet greens will repel the vinaigrette.
- If raw tarragon is unavailable, fennel fronds or fresh basil make acceptable substitutes, though the flavor profile will shift slightly.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store dressing and components separately to prevent wilting.
Troubleshooting
Dressing tastes too acidic
Cause: Oranges were not sweet enough or vinegar was too harsh
Fix: Add more honey or a teaspoon of warm water to mellow the acidity
Prevention: Taste oranges before making dressing; adjust honey accordingly
Beets are still hard in the center
Cause: Beets were larger than average or oven runs cool
Fix: Reseal foil packet tightly and return to oven for 15-minute intervals
Prevention: Test largest beet with a knife before removing from oven
Cultural Context
This salad exemplifies modern Mediterranean dining, utilizing winter root vegetables and citrus common in Italy and Spain. The combination of roasted beets and goat cheese became a restaurant staple in the late 20th century, celebrated for its perfect balance of earthiness, acidity, and creaminess.
