A colorful beet quinoa salad with roasted yellow beets, tangy blood orange, salty feta cheese and sweet pomegranate seeds all dressed with a simple blood orange vinaigrette.
I practically jump up in glee once I see blood orange and pomegranates in season. Yes, I do love the winter for reasons of braising short ribs or osso buco, but it's these jeweled fruits that I can't get enough of.
Ingredients for Quinoa Beet Orange Salad
Like most of the recipes I make. this is another versatile one. Use what you have or can find but the pops of vibrant colors in this salad are so appealing.
- Cooked Quinoa: use single or tricolor for this recipe. I like to make a batch and use the leftovers for different recipes, such as kale tabbouleh salad.
- Roasted Beets: Another item I make in bulk to use for a number of things. Roast beets for roasted beet hummus or red and yellow beet soup.
- Blood Orange: tangy and beautiful, the juice is also used in the vinaigrette. If blood oranges aren't in season, cara cara oranges would be wonderful.
- Feta Cheese: just a bit crumbled for a layer of saltiness and goat cheese would be a great substitute as well.
- Fresh mint: roughly chopped and thrown in for freshness.
Quinoa Salad with Roasted Beets, Blood Orange and Feta
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
A colorful winter quinoa salad with roasted yellow beets, tangy blood orange, salty feta cheese and sweet pomegranate seeds all dressed with a simple blood orange vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- 2 yellow beets
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 blood orange peeled and cut into segments
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- Mint leaves roughly chopped
Blood Orange Vinaigrette
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 blood orange zest and juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and wrap beets in foil tightly. If any are very large, cut in half before wrapping in foil.
- Place beets on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hours until cooked through. You can test this by inserting a knife all the way through. Once done, remove and let cool for about an hour.
- Once beets are cool enough to handle, peel the outer peel off and cut into ¼ inch pieces.
- In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa, roasted beets, blood orange segments and toss to combine. Stir in crumbled feta, pomegranate seeds and mint.
- For the dressing, Combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl or mason jar and whisk or shake to incorporate. taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
- Pour vinaigrette all over quinoa salad and gently toss and garnish with extra herbs if preferred.
Notes
This is a perfect recipe to prep ahead of time: Roast the beets a day ahead and let cool in fridge before adding to salad.
Do the same for quinoa and make a batch ahead of time.
Quinoa beet salad holds up very well in the fridge and the quinoa soaks up the dressing up. Will stay in an airtight container for 3-4 days, though the herbs will start to wilt.
If making ahead of time, add the fresh herbs and feta closer to serving for optimal freshness.
Nutrition
Calories: 465kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 8gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 250mgPotassium: 417mgFiber: 6gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 112IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 122mgIron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a comment and 5 star rating!
This post has been updated on February 14th, 2021 since originally posted in April, 2013. Post has been updated with nutritional info, updated photos and retested recipe.
Kirsten says
Thanks for giving me the link to include in my upcoming Band Fruit Fundraiser Recipe Round Up! It will be published on 12/4/2013!
Dorothy at ShockinglyDelicious says
So, so pretty!
Karla @ Foodologie says
I'm totally with you on being behind the times. I've decided to pretty much just not blog about holidays for that reason haha!
This salad looks awesome! I would totally serve this on a bed of arugula and it would be dreamy
Miriam @ overtimecook says
Sam! You know I'm not a fan of beets but your gorgeous recipes make me think I should change my mind about that! 😉 absolutely gorgeous salad!
Miriam @ overtimecook says
Sam! You know I'm not a fan of beets but your gorgeous recipes make me think I should change my mind about that! 😉