Roasted Beets with Tahini and Pine Nuts

This tahini beet salad is sweet, earthy, nutty, creamy, and crisp. Vibrant, flavorful, and nutritious, it’s an easy appetizer or side dish that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day, special occasions, or any time you have fresh beets on hand. 

Looking for more ways to use beets? Try my roasted beet tartare, green bean beet and pistachio salad, and red rice and beet cakes, too! 

Beets can be a divisive ingredient. Many complain that beets have an earthy taste, which can be attributed to a substance called geosmin. Humans are quite sensitive to the compound, even in low doses, which explains why our response to beets ranges from one extreme to the other. I, for one, am a big fan of the veggie, especially when my beets are roasted and paired with creamy, tangy toppings. 

Beets have been used for centuries, with women using them as a cheek and lip stain during the 19th century. Ancient Romans enjoyed their juice as an aphrodisiac, and in Greek mythology, Aphrodite, the goddess of love, ate beets to enhance her appeal. Today, we enjoy beets in a variety of forms, but one of my favorite combinations is beets with tahini, like those found in this easy salad.

Ingredients and Notes

Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete ingredients and instructions!

• Beets – Use roasted beets for this salad. They add a vibrant color and earthy flavor, along with vitamins, nutrients, and fiber. For instance, beets are a good source of unique antioxidants called betalains, ​​tryptophan, betaine, and boron. 
• Tahini – This is a smooth sesame seed paste and can typically be found in the nut butter or ethnic section of your local grocery store. 
• Fresh Lemon Juice – This helps thin the tahini dressing, and the acidity adds a touch of brightness that balances the fats in the tahini. 
• Salt – Adjust to taste. 
• Greens – Use spring greens, baby kale, baby spinach, or a combination of your favorite greens. 
• Pine Nuts – Lightly toasted pine nuts add texture and a delicate, buttery flavor that complements both the beets and the tahini dressing. Toasting them briefly brings out their natural nuttiness. Just be careful not to let them burn, or they’re likely to taste bitter! 

Tori’s Top Tips for Success

• Roast the beets until tender. Beets should see a knife easily when they’re done roasting. Proper roasting brings out their natural sweetness and deepens their flavor, reducing some of the bitter, earthiness. 
• Let the beets cool to room temperature before assembling. Cooling helps prevent wilting the greens and allows the flavors to stay clean and vibrant.
• Thin the tahini dressing gradually. Tahini thickens quickly when mixed with lemon juice. Add liquid slowly, and whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy. You can also use a bit of extra virgin olive oil for a thinner consistency and slightly richer flavor.
• Adjust the dressing. Include a dash of red pepper flakes for a touch of heat, or add a touch of maple syrup or honey for extra sweetness.
• Assemble just before serving. Toss the greens with dressing and beets at the last minute to maintain freshness and texture.

Roasted Beets with Tahini and Pine Nuts

Sweet, earthy beets and creamy sesame tahini dressing. Appetizer Salad, Aphrodisiac Recipe for Valentine’s Day. Vegan, Healthy.

COURSE: Appetizer

Kosher Key: Parve

Servings: 6 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

• 6 medium to large beets, any color, roasted
• Nonstick cooking oil spray
• 1 cup tahini sesame seed paste (made from light colored seeds), room temperature
• 3/4 cup lukewarm water, or more for consistency
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (or more to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (heaping)
• 3 cups spring greens, baby kale or baby spinach
• 6 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted in a skillet

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”MYBu4sQb” upload-date=”2017-11-02T18:43:39.000Z” name=”How to Roast Beets” description=”How to Roast Beets recipe video: Learn a simple process for roasting beets in the oven, peeling and prepping roasted beets”]

Instructions

• To learn how to roast, peel and prepare your beets, click here. Roasting takes 1-2 hours depending on the size of your beets. Before preparing the salad they should be peeled and allowed to return to room temperature (this step can be done 1-2 days ahead).
  
• To make the tahini dressing, combine tahini paste, lukewarm water, lemon juice and heaping 1/2 tsp salt together in a food processor or blender till sauce is creamy and ivory-colored. A food processor is the easiest way to make this sauce; scrape the sides of the processor periodically during processing. If using a blender, you may need to use a long-handled spoon to break up the thick part of the sauce once every 30 seconds; this will keep it from clogging your blender blades. After a few minutes of blending, sauce will turn into a rich, smooth paste. Slowly add more water, continuing to blend until it reaches the consistency of a thick salad dressing. Taste often during the blending process; add more lemon juice or salt, if desired. With this recipe you will end up with some extra tahini sauce; keep it in a sealed Tupperware container for up to a week. It goes great on salads or as a sauce to fish or chicken. You can also make this sauce 1-2 days ahead. It may thicken in the refrigerator, but can easily be brought back to the proper texture by stirring in a little warm water.
  
  

To Assemble Salads:

• Mound ½ cup of greens onto each salad plate. Slice one roasted beet per plate and lay it on top of the greens. Sprinkle the beets lightly with salt. Pour 1-2 tbsp tahini sauce over the top of each sliced beet, then sprinkle each beet with 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts (if you have a nut allergy, feel free to omit the pine nuts). Serve immediately.
  
  

NOTES

You will also need: 9×13 baking dish, aluminum foil, wooden skewer, tongs, food processor or blender, 6 salad plates

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Roasted Beets with Tahini and Pine Nuts

Amount Per Serving

Calories 344 Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Fat 28g43%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Sodium 278mg12%

Potassium 554mg16%

Carbohydrates 19g6%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 280IU6%

Vitamin C 14.3mg17%

Calcium 72mg7%

Iron 3.1mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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