Just Beet It

an easy recipe for a very easy and refreshing salad

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My mom hates beets. Evidently, the nuns at Catholic school used to force her to eat them. As a result, we did not eat beets growing up. Which is a shame, because it turns out that I like beets.

It’s kind of funny to think about how many foods people miss out on eating or think that they don’t like as a result of someone else’s memory of them. I’m glad I didn’t let my mom’s aversion deter me when I moved to New Zealand.

They eat a lot of beets in New Zealand (called “beetroot” there). And while I do enjoy a slice of roasted beetroot on my burger, I actually really enjoy beets raw.

Beets have an incredibly earthy flavor (they taste like soil in the best possible way), and when they’re raw, they’re crunchy and sweet. Paired with apples (especially Granny Smiths), they sing.

I first made this recipe back when I was working at MUNCHIES. I loved it then, and I love it even more now. I’d normally recommend getting a mandolin for slicing the apples and beets, but it’s actually easier to slice them by hand (especially the beets—they can be hard to slice on a mandolin, and I don’t want any of you to lose any fingies).

You’ll definitely want to get a pair of rubber gloves, or risk your hands being stained red for a little while.

Crumbled feta and chopped pistachios get tossed with the beet and apple matchsticks, and the dressing is just a drizzle of olive oil and cider vinegar. It’s the perfect end-of-winter-patiently-waiting-for-spring salad.

My mom will likely comment below that the salad sounds lovely but she still refuses to eat beets. That’s okay. I’ll happily eat her portion…and I hope you’ll try it too.

Raw Beet and Apple Salad Recipe

Serves 4-6
Prep time: 25 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 Granny Smith apples (about 12 ounces|345 grams), very thinly sliced into rounds
2 red beets (about 12 ounces|345 grams), peeled and very thinly sliced into rounds
4 ounces|115 grams crumbled feta cheese
2 ounces|60 grams shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Slice the apples and beets into matchsticks and toss in a bowl with the feta, pistachios, oil, and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a platter and serve.