Last Updated on April 15, 2022 by Karen

Orange and Beet Salad with Dijon Citrus Dressing is guaranteed to satisfy your craving for something healthy and refreshing!

Happy Monday – hope you all had a good weekend! Mine was spent running errands, getting some running and yoga routines in, and doing some volunteer work as a judge at a high school debate tournament sponsored by my company, so all in all, it was a productive weekend I must say. We had a few inches of snow on Friday (the first day of Spring!) and even though it has been generally chilly over here, I am excited about the prospects of doing lots of fun outdoor activities in the city, seeing trees and flowers in full bloom again, and planting some herbs and small plants this year.

Other than herbs I use often – basil, cilantro, and mint (I like it in my infused water) – I would like to try my hands at growing some heirloom peppers, which include my absolute favorite padron peppers, also called shishito peppers. I don’t have much of a green thumb though ;)

To celebrate Spring in spirit at least, I am sharing with you a vibrantly colorful and citrusy dish — Orange and Beet Salad with Dijon Citrus Dressing.

Citruses are in abundance at the moment, so in addition to regular navel oranges, I tossed in a Cara Cara navel orange for the color as well as the taste. If you have never tried Cara Cara oranges before (I didn’t until this winter), these oranges are very sweet, with flesh that is reddish-pink in color and a flavor reminiscent of berries. Mixed with earthy, juicy roasted beets and a tangy vinaigrette, this salad satisfies my craving for something healthy and refreshing.

For my fall/winter salads, I like to use balsamic vinegar in my dressings, but when it gets warmer, I like to lighten up with vinegars like white wine and apple cider vinegars. This recipe was actually inspired by the dressing in Ina Garten’s Cape Cod Chopped Salad, and I adjusted the amounts of maple syrup and olive oil to keep it on the light side.

I would serve it on the side with a warm weather dish like bacon, blue cheese, and arugula flatbread, or as a main course salad with added ingredients like prosciutto, goat cheese, and toasted sunflower seeds.

By the way, this dressing is so versatile – you can even drizzle it over grilled salmon or pork chops!

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Orange and Beet Salad with Dijon Citrus Dressing {Meatless Monday}

Author Karen @ The Tasty Bite

Ingredients

1 lb beets about 4 small ones, trimmed
1 pound oranges peel and pith removed, segmented

For the dressing:

1 tsp orange zest grated
2 tsps Dijon mustard
3 tbsps apple cider vinegar
2 tbsps fresh orange juice
1 tsp pure maple syrup
2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F. Wrap beets tightly in foil and roast until they are tender when pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes.
Once cool, remove skin and slice into rounds or half-moons, depending on the size of the beet.
Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by whisking orange zest, mustard, vinegar, orange juice, and maple syrup in a bowl, and then slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Arrange beets and oranges on a platter and drizzle on salad dressing. Serve immediately.

Notes

*If the beets are similar sizes, wrap in a big foil packet and roast. If not, wrap the beets individually and then remove the smaller beets from the oven first as they cook faster than larger beets.