Crushed Beet & Avocado Salad with Pumpkinseed Vinaigrette
I like beets, but I don’t love them. I think a lot of people feel this way! I’m very particular about how I like them prepared, which is illustrated in this salad. I prefer them boiled or steamed, then dressed in a punchy vinaigrette. I also think that it’s nice to crush beets for salads instead of slicing them, which gives the beets more texture and makes them look beautifully irregular when served (if you don’t find this whole crushing business appealing, you can definitely slice the beets instead).
Beets and avocado make for such a delicious pairing. Something about the creaminess of avocado complements the earthy sweetness of the beets so well. The addition of toasted pumpkin seeds to the vinaigrette contributes a crunch and some toasty notes to the final dish. And a shower of chives or scallions gives a fresh and herbal finishing touch.
Crushed Beet & Avocado Salad with Pumpkinseed Vinaigrette
serves 4-6
5 medium beets
sea salt
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
zest and juice from 1 lime
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
handful of chives or 2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C). Add the beets to a medium pot, cover with water, and salt well. Bring to a boil and boil for 25-30 minutes, or until the beets are easily pierced with a knife. Strain the beets and let sit until cool enough to handle (you can speed up this process by running them under cold water). Peel off the skin (it should slide off easily). Crush the beets with the bottom of a bowl, then slice into smaller wedges if necessary. Alternatively, slice the beets into wedges without crushing. Transfer the beets to a medium bowl.
Add the pumpkin seeds to a baking sheet, put them in the oven, and toast for 5-7 minutes, or until nice and golden. Watch the seeds closely, as they can burn quickly.
Make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, rice vinegar, mustard, lots of pepper, and a generous pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth. Stream in the olive oil while whisking, until emulsified. Add the toasted pumpkin seeds and mix them in. Taste the vinaigrette for salt and pepper, adjust if needed.
Add about 2/3 of the vinaigrette to the bowl with the beets (it’s okay if the beets are still warm, it’ll help them absorb the dressing better), mix to coat. Ideally, let the beets marinate in the vinaigrette for around 30 minutes if possible.
Assemble the salad. Arrange the beets on a serving plate, followed by the avocado and chives/scallions. Drizzle the rest of the vinaigrette over top, making sure to get plenty on the avocado chunks. Serve the salad right away.
Intuitive Cooking Takeaways
Boiling or steaming beets is my favorite way to prepare them. I much prefer those methods over roasting, which can leave the beets simultaneously burnt and undercooked, in my experience. Meanwhile, boiling/steaming gives beets a beautiful, velvety texture all the way through, plus it’s so easy to do.
This pumpkinseed lime vinaigrette is delicious in all kinds of salads, on cooked veggies, even drizzled over grains. The pumpkin seeds can be replaced with other toasted nuts/seeds, depending on what you’re cooking.