Make this pickled beet salad for a nutritious way to eat beets. Quick pickled beets are topped with feta cheese and pepitas, and drizzled with chive oil. You can also use garlic oil.
This post includes tips on buying the best beets at your market.
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Quick pickled vegetables and fruits add accent notes to creamy entrées and create memorable sassy side dishes like this salad of roasted beets, feta and pepitas.
For entrées with pickled fruits and veggies, think pickled tomatoes added to creamy asparagus risottos or pickled apples tossed into a celery root mash like in these Vegetarian Cornish pastries.
🛒 How to pick the best beets
- Here are the things to look for when buying beets to ensure you get the best ones.
- Make sure their leaves are still intact. The leaves should be bright green.
- The beets should be a deep maroon color, free of blemishes, and firm to the touch.
- The taproot should be on the beets, but avoid any that are overly hairy. This can indicate that the beets will be tough when cooked.
- It may be counterintuitive, but leave the larger beets on the shelf and focus on the smaller beets. These will be the tenderest and most flavorful.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Make-ahead friendly. If you pickle the beets in advance, this salad is ready in minutes.
- Flexible. Use garlic olive oil or plain extra-virgin olive oil. Basil oil would be nice too.
- Main or side dish. Turn this salad into a main dish with farro.
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
The secret to many dishes often lies in the ingredients. The right ingredients affect the flavor and texture of a dish and can save you time in the kitchen.
This list only covers ingredients that require some notes. For all of the ingredients, measurements, and directions, go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.
- Red beets - See the above section for how to select the best beets at your market.
- Chive oil - I make my own chive oil, but you can use garlic-infused olive oil, plain olive oil, or one infused with an herb such as basil or oregano. You can also use plain extra-virgin olive oil, but be sure to use one of good quality.
- Pepitas - I make my own pepitas so I can add the spices I want, but you can purchase pumpkin seeds already roasted or substitute pine nuts.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.
💡Ideas for Possible Variations
- Use another type of olive oil. Garlic oil and basil oil are both great choices or use a good quality plain extra-virgin olive oil.
- If you don't have pepitas or don't care for them, substitute pine nuts or roasted hazelnuts.
- Turn this into a main dish with farro.
- While the farro is still warm from cooking, add the feta and chive oil so that the cheese melts into the farro a bit. Chevre and Boursin cheese also work very well in place of feta with the farro.
- Top with the pickled beets and pine nuts.
🤩 If you love beets ...
If you love beets, here are some other recipes to check out. There are so many ways to use them, and they're a nutritious vegetable to add to your diet.
Red beets spiralize well into spaghetti noodles. This recipe for beet noodles with whipped feta is amazing. The beets are spiralized before cooked and lightly sautéed on the stovetop. Unfortunately I haven't found other beets as friendly with my spiralizer.
This vegan beet salad with lentils and preserved lemon can be ready in 30 minutes, but the lentils and beets can also be cooked ahead.
Smashed roasted beets, beet greens, and a savory dressing made with goat cheese and creme fraiche create another delicious salad.
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Pickled Beet Salad with Chive Oil
Ingredients
Pickled Beets
- 4 medium beets
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ cup minced shallots about 1 large
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
Salad
- ¼ cup feta cheese or chevre
- 2 tablespoons Spicy Pepitas or pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons Chive Oil or garlic oil, or plain extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Pickled Beets
- Remove the beet greens and save them for another use. Slice off the beet taproots and discard. Place the beets in a microwave-safe bowl and coat with olive oil. Cover with plastic and microwave until tender (this takes about 15 minutes in my microwave, depending on the size of the beets).Note: you can also cook beets on the stovetop by simmering in water or in the Instant Pot.When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel, dice, and pile them into a jar.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, shallots, sugar, salt, peppercorns, and mustard seeds until the sugar and salt dissolve. Microwaving the liquid for 1 minute can speed this up. Pour the pickling brine over the diced beets in the jar, and screw on the lid. Allow the beets to macerate on the counter for at least 1 hour. Note: When pickling beets ahead for this salad, allow the beets and brine to cool before storing them in the refrigerator. Macerate overnight before draining. If the pickling juice doesn't completely cover the beets, add a little water or occasionally turn the jar upside down. When the beets are pickled to your liking, drain and transfer to a bowl.
Salad
- Transfer the pickled beets to a serving bowl, top with the feta cheese and pepitas, and drizzle with the chive oil.
cheri
What a gorgeous salad Susan, I love pickled beets, but have never actually made them myself, no idea it could be done in 3 to 4 hours. Thanks for the inspiration.
Erika
You always write such delicious, inspiring descriptions of your dishes! You have me craving some pickled vegetables ASAP. This weekend, I had the most delicious bibimpap bowl in Austin, but there were no pickled vegetables to be seen! It was sad, but they were still good of course. I'd love to try this salad, just gotta find me some beets!
Choc Chip Uru
Love the colour of those pickles beets it is so beautiful!
And makes the salad look even more refreshing 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Cass @foodmyfriend
I love pickling my own beetroot. My grandparents taught me 🙂
apuginthekitchen
So wonderful, I love pickled beets and your chive oil is such a great addition to the salad I have to make this salad.
lamnt
Very delicous ,i will try this .Thank you so much !
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
I love pickled beets and always have a few jars of my homemade recipe in the pantry or fridge. The chive oil sounds really special. I'll give it a try this week for sure.
Oui, Chef
I love your technique of microwaving and quick pickling, I MUST try this!
Melissa
Made this for SRC Reveal Day and I couldn't be happier! I think i found my new favorite salad! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I'm so happy you liked them, Melissa!!
SBO
That looks delicious! I like pickled foods.
Thank you for sharing the recipe.
The Wimpy Vegetarian
They're so good! I hope you give them a try! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Linda
This is a very tasty way to eat beets! I have high blood pressure, and they are one of the best foods for it. I just leave out the salt in the dressing, and don't even miss it!
Susan Pridmore
I'm so glad you liked it!! Thank you for letting me know how it worked for you.