Beets are probably one of my favorite vegetables, but for some reason I’ve never actually purchased fresh beets.  I always heat them up out of a can, which I guess is ok, but of course like every other recipe post, Misfits Market changed that!  This week there were two giant golden beets in my box.  Finally, the search was on for a great beet recipe.

I found what seemed like the perfect recipe from Love & Lemons.  I altered the recipe a bit based on what I had in the kitchen, but it’s probably one of my favorite side dishes now.  If you prefer your beets warm, you could even just roast the beets according to the first few steps of the directions and call it a day.  They’re delicious simply roasted, even before marinating!

Ingredients

• 6 to 8 small or medium red or yellow beets (I used the 2 large golden beets I had and they worked out great with this recipe!)
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 1 large navel orange
• balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
• Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste
• Handful of watercress leaves, arugula or microgreens, or other leafy vegetable of choice
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Flaky sea salt, optional

Optional Toppings

• Goat or feta cheese
• Chopped walnuts or pistachios

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Place each beet on a piece of foil and drizzle generously with olive oil and pinches of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Wrap the beets in the foil and roast on a baking sheet for 35 to 60 minutes, or until soft and fork-tender. The time will depend on the size and freshness of the beets. Remove the beets from the oven, remove the foil, and set aside to cool. When they are cool to the touch, peel the skins. I like to hold them under running water and slide the skins off with my hands.
3. Use a citrus peeler to peel long strips around the orange, avoiding the white pith. Grated zest would work here also. Slice ¾ of the orange into segments and reserve the remaining ¼ wedge for squeezing.
4. Slice the beets into 1” wedges or chunks and place them in a bowl. If you’re using red and yellow beets, place each color into separate bowls so the red beets don’t stain the yellow beets.
5. Drizzle with olive oil and sherry vinegar, then add the lemon juice, orange juice squeezed from the remaining wedge, and a few pinches of salt and pepper and toss. Chill until ready to serve.
6. Taste before serving and season with more salt (flaky sea salt, if using) and pepper or more vinegar (for more tang), orange, or lemon juice, as desired.
7. Serve on a platter with the orange segments, watercress, and citrus curls.