I came up with this recipe as a way to make beets appeal to more people, including my kids! I love beets but many people don’t care for their sweet earthy fresh garden taste. I have prepared beets many different ways but this one really clicked for me.
This recipe can be doubled or tripled depending on how many people you are trying to feed and how much they enjoy beets! If you need to make a very large quantity I suggest you use more than one cookie sheet to roast the beets. This recipe serves about 4 people.
You will need 5 or 6 beets depending on how big they are, about a pound total. Wash the beets and the greens, remove the greens as well as the tap root. Save the tops for salad or cooking as you would spinach or any other greens. Peel the beets and dice in to 1/2 inch cubes. Toss in a bowl with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, enough to cover all surfaces of the beets. Add salt and pepper and toss to coat.
Spread the beets in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet and place in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes. The time will also depend on how many beets you have and how big your cubes are. If you double or triple the recipe be sure to increase the baking time. Every 12-15 minutes open the oven and toss the beets with a spatula but keeping them in a single layer.
While the beets are roasting it is time to dice one medium sized onion. Sauté with 1-2 tablespoons of butter for about 20 minutes until they soften or begin to caramelize. At this time reduce the heat and add 2-3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Stir the onions and vinegar until the vinegar reduces and leaves the onions coated with a dark syrupy sauce. Remove from the heat.
Back to the beets. Be sure they are tender but not mushy. When a fork is inserted with little resistance they are finished. Remove from the oven and toss the beets and the onions together in a serving bowl and sprinkle with a generous amount of crumbled Feta cheese.
This warm salad can be served hot or warm or let it cool completely and serve at room temperature. The left-over beets are great the next day as is or add them to a regular garden salad.
Enjoy!
