Oven-roasted beets are a simple dish, the sweetness of the beets and the saltiness of the feta and the pepitas go very well together to create a colorful, balanced salad. Drizzle the oven-roasted beets, feta, and pepita with extra virgin olive oil and you are ready to go.
There are many ways to prepare beets, grate them raw over salads, add them to your fresh vegetable juice, steam or roast beets, and marinate with lemon juice, herbs, and olive oil. Beets are root vegetables that are best known for their deep crimson color.
They have been enjoyed in various forms for a long time and are regarded as a healthy source of important nutrients such as potassium, iron, phosphorous, calcium, and a number of other trace minerals.
Oven-roasted beets are an amazing vegetable, so try to incorporate beets into your daily diet.
Beets are:
- High in immune-boosting vitamin C
- High in fiber
- High in essential minerals like potassium (essential for healthy nerve and muscle function)
- High in manganese (which is good for your bones, liver, kidneys, and pancreas)
- Contain the B vitamin folate
- They’re great for the liver, as they stimulate the liver’s detoxifying processes
- The pigment (betacyanin) in beets is a powerful anti-cancer fighting agent and that paired along with the high fiber content of beets can help protect against colon cancer
- Rich in carotenoids, which may help boost brain functioning and stave off depression
Pick beets that feel firm in your hand, never soft with smooth skin. If you purchase beets with the greens attached, try and cut the greens from the beets as soon as you get home; leaving 1 to 2 inches of stem attached. If you are not using them right away, you can store them in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Oven Roasted Beets, Feta and Salted Pepitas
Ingredients
- 4 each red beets medium
- 4 each golden beets medium
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup feta cheese
- 6 tbsp pepitas salt roasted
- 2 cups Arugula
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Wash the beets and rub with oil
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Get out a large rimmed baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Rinse and scrub the beets under cool water, using a brush to get off any caked-on dirt. Don’t scrub the beets too hard, as you don’t want to damage the skin. Rub each beet with a bit of olive oil.4 each red beets, 4 each golden beets, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Roast the beets
- Roast the beets until a knife or skewer slides easily to the middle of the beet, anywhere between 40 to 60 minutes. Roasting time varies depending on the size of the beets. I would check the beets at 40 minutes, and if a knife goes easily and smoothly through the center of the beet, then they’re ready. If not, roast another 10 minutes and test again. Continue to roast and test until they’re ready.
Peel the beets
- Let the beets cool, about 5-10 minutes. Once the beets are cool enough to handle, cut off the beet stems. (I try to keep the tails, I think they just look too cool.) Peel the beets by pulling off the skin with your hands (run under cold water, if needed). Or peel by holding the beet in a paper towel and using the edges of the paper towel to rub the skin away.
Plate and serve
- Cut the beets in quarters or half depending on size and arrange them on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil, garnish with crumbled feta and, roasted pepita seeds. I like to add a little arugula not only for color, but to add extra flavor, as well.1 cup feta cheese, 6 tbsp pepitas, 2 cups Arugula, 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate