Beet Salad

4.28 from 11 votes

Beet salad, patzarosalata in Greek, is an all-time favorite. Earthy beets pair beautifully with garlic and the acidity of good vinegar. You’ll find this salad on tables everywhere, the perfect match to fish recipes like fried cod croquettes and retsina.

Course dinner, salad, side dishes, starter

Cuisine Greek, Greek cuisine, Mediterranean diet

Keyword beetroot, Diane Kochilas, extra virgin olive oil, Greek food, Greek olive oil, Greek recipes, winter salad

PREP TIME 15 minutes

COOK TIME 1 hour

SERVES 5

Ingredients

1 large bunch of fresh beets greens included (about 2 – 3 pounds / 1 – 1 ½ kilos)
2 large garlic cloves chopped or cut into very thin slivers
3 tablespoons extra virgin Greek olive oil plus more for the greens
2 teaspoons Greek red wine or balsamic vinegar plus more for the greens
Salt to taste

Instructions

Cut the greens off the beet roots and rinse very well in cold water, then leave to drain. Bring to a boil in a pot of salted water and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove and drain.
Scrub the beet roots very well and trim off the root and stem ends. Place in a pot of cold salted water and boil gently for about a half hour to 45 minutes, until tender. Alternatively, place the beets in a roasting pan, cover and roast at 400F/200C for about 1 hour, until tender. Let the beets cool slightly, to handle, then peel. Cut the beetroots into rounds about 1/8-inch thick.
Whisk together the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 teaspoons vinegar or balsamic, garlic and salt. Toss the beetroot slices in the dressing and place in the center of a serving platter. Strew the greens around the beets and dress with additional olive oil, vinegar and salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.