Arrange stripes of golden beets, pink-and-white watermelon radishes, and strawberries on a bed of Bibb lettuce to look like a giant Easter egg. It makes a gorgeous and delicious dish for your Easter menu when assembled that way, but you can also simply toss everything together for a side-dish salad for any meal. A slightly sweet vinaigrette studded with pistachios and dill brings these contrasting flavors together.
This dish is all about the produce, so make sure you're starting with the best-quality ingredients. When shopping for beets, look for firm and smooth-skinned beets. If the greens are still attached, you want them to be brightly colored and crisp. If you prefer your beets on the milder, sweeter side, look for smaller beets. You could substitute the more common red beets in this recipe, but they will have an earthier flavor. Watermelon radishes are another visual star of this salad. They are larger and sweeter than an ordinary radish, so keep that in mind if you're making substitutions.
Ingredients
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⅓ cup white balsamic vinegar or balsamic vinegar
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2 tablespoon honey
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1 tablespoon lemon juice
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½ teaspoon kosher salt
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⅓ cup olive oil
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3 tablespoon finely chopped pistachios, plus more for topping
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3 tablespoon finely chopped green onions
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3 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
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1 head Bibb lettuce or Boston lettuce, leaves separated
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2 golden beets, roasted, halved, and thinly sliced
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8 ounce whole fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced (about 2 cups)
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2 watermelon radishes, peeled and thinly sliced
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2 ounce ricotta salata, finely shredded (substitute feta cheese, if desired)
Directions
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For vinaigrette: In a small bowl whisk together vinegar, honey, lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Gradually whisk in olive oil.
Test Kitchen Tip: Using white balsamic vinegar allows the colors in this salad to shine brightest, but if regular balsamic vinegar is what you have on hand, you can use that for similar flavor. The color will be browner, but it will still taste delicious.
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Stir in pistachios, green onions, and dill; set aside.
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For salad: Arrange lettuce leaves on a large platter. Top with rows of roasted beets, strawberries, and radishes.
Sprinkle with cheese and additional pistachios. Serve with dressing on the side.
To Roast Beets: Preheat oven to 375°F. Place beets on a piece of heavy foil. Bring up sides of foil around beets; fold ends to enclose. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Slip off skins and continue to prep as called for in the ingredient list.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 262 | Calories |
| 21g | Fat |
| 18g | Carbs |
| 3g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 8 | |
| Calories 262 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 21g | 27% |
| Saturated Fat 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol 6mg | 2% |
| Sodium 229mg | 10% |
| Total Carbohydrate 18g | 7% |
| Total Sugars 14g | |
| Protein 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin C 30.1mg | 33% |
| Calcium 41mg | 3% |
| Iron 0.9mg | 5% |
| Potassium 283mg | 6% |
| Folate, total 61.4mcg | |
| Vitamin B-6 0.1mg | |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
