Citrus + Beet Salad with Spiced Yogurt

Full disclosure: I am NOT a beet fan usually. The thought of beets in most dishes makes me cringe, and I absolutely cannot have it in raw juices. The funny thing about this dish is that when I tried something similar at Toro in Boston (a tapas-style restaurant), I didn't even know they were beets at first! My friend Alice used to work there, so sometimes they still bring out free food for us to munch on, and this was one of them. I was instantly hooked - the spicy yogurt, cold beets, and variety of citrus in their cold tapas dish was mesmerizing. 

Here is my take on their tapas dish - I used za'atar instead of baharat like Toro did (and they also have mint and cucumber julienned in theirs; if you can hightail it over there to try it yourself I highly recommend it!)

Here’s what you'll need: 

  • 3 large golden beets, ends chopped off and peeled 

  • 3 medium-sized regular beets, ends chopped off and peeled 

  • 1-2 Tbsp olive oil 

  • 1 blood orange 

  • 2 small mandarin oranges 

  • 1 small container plain greek yogurt (like 8oz) 

  • 1 Tbsp za'atar seasoning 

  • 1 tsp paprika 

  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg 

  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon 

  • 2 Tbsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds) 

  • 2 Tbsp pomegranate seeds 

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Here’s how to make it:

     Preheat the oven to 400F. While the oven is heating, chop the beets into bite-sized pieces (I cut the larger beets into 1/8ths and the smaller beets into 1/2's or 1/4's). Place beets on sheet pan and drizzle olive oil on top until coated (use tongs to flip). I used salt and pepper to season them, but feel free to go wild with whatever! Cook for about 15 minutes, and then use tongs to flip over and cook for about another 10-15 minutes until soft. Peel the blood orange and either segment the orange slices or slice the orange (it's very pretty this way!) Repeat for mandarin oranges. 

    In a small bowl, combine the yogurt and spices until smooth and even. Spread onto bottom of plate / bowl / whatever you're serving this dish on. Plate the beets and oranges. Sprinkle pepitas and pomegranate seeds on top, and enjoy! Feel free to top with fresh parsley or mint for the ultimate aesthetically pleasing dish. 

Annie Muske