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crunchy raw beetroot salad with feta and pear
© David Loftus

crunchy raw beetroot salad with feta and pear

servings
Serves 4
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When most people think about beetroot in salads, they think of big vinegary crinkle-cut chunks from a jar and immediately say no! But remember, beetroots are only vinegary when they’re pickled. When simply boiled or roasted they are juicy and sweet as you like. Raw beetroot is amazing in salads, giving you a deep, earthy, minerally flavour, lots of crunch and, of course, incredible colours! Did you know you can get golden and stripy beetroot as well as purple? Have a look next time you’re at a farmers’ market or buy some seeds and grow a few yourself.

Remember to wear an apron when chopping beetroot, and wash your board and hands afterwards or you’ll get red fingerprints everywhere. If your knife skills aren’t up to speed yet, buy one of those matchstick peelers or matchstick mandolins in good cook shops. Then you’ll be really quick at it.

Dress the beetroot and pear matchsticks in a little of the lemon oil dressing and season with some salt and pepper. Taste to check that the flavors are balanced and lovely, and add a little more lemon juice to check the sweetness of the pears and beetroots if you need to.

Divide the salad between four plates or put it on a big platter, crumble over the creamy white feta, and sprinkle over the baby mint leaves and the sunflower seeds if you’re using them. Simple, but it’s a treat and a half.


• from Cook With Jamie

ingredients


• 4 good-sized beetroots, lovely different colors if possible, scrubbed, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks
• • 3 ripe pears (or you could use apples), peeled, cored and cut into matchsticks
• 1 x lemon oil dressing see below recipe
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 200g/7oz feta cheese
• a small bunch of fresh mint, smallest leaves picked
optional: a large handful of sunflower seeds

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tried this recipe or a similar one? share your tips...
1. by Sandra on Fri 30 Sep 2011 @ 09:17

Great recipe, thanks Jamie. Took it to a BBQ with friends they loved it! I added a hint of balsamic vinegar to the dressing; and as I was in a hurry I used tinned beetroot and pears.

2. by Alexa on Fri 19 Aug 2011 @ 11:41

Thank you for the idea, beetroot is very good for helth, and I needed a salad recipe...that is interesting one. Regards

3. by astrid on Sat 23 Jul 2011 @ 05:31

our friends did it for us, the most amazing salad ever !!!!!!! ( and we are French and Italian, so quite fussy on delicious food )

4. by Ali on Sun 03 Jul 2011 @ 06:13

Jamie, thanks for generously sharing your recipes for free with us. We are all enjoying healthy Sunday night flat meals and Monday lunchtime leftovers exploring the recipes from your site. <br />

5. by linda on Thu 30 Jun 2011 @ 16:13

come on guys....anyone can make a simple dressing!!!!

6. by monte on Thu 26 May 2011 @ 07:12

My daughter made this for us recently and it was delicious!!! Thanks Jamie.

7. by Jan on Sun 24 Apr 2011 @ 01:19

where is the recipe for the lemon oil dressing,that goes with the beetroot salad?

8. by Mary on Tue 05 Apr 2011 @ 02:12

This salad is out of this world. A bit tricky on the chopping but well worth it!!

9. by Eva on Fri 14 Aug 2009 @ 14:26

WOW big thanks to JOliver and I am liking this site :) lots good tips too :) cooking really should be healthy and fun! :)

10. by myrna on Mon 13 Jul 2009 @ 18:15

this is really yummy. but since i didnt find pears , i used instead a granny smith ! everyone loved it at home:-)
thx Jamie :-)

11. by STRATTON on Sat 28 Feb 2009 @ 02:17

YOUR RECIPE FOR BEETROOT SALAD DOES NOT INCLUDE THE LEMONOIL DRESSING! It is also not in the most recent cookbook which I have purchased : Jamie Oliver Italy

12. by ngil on Wed 25 Feb 2009 @ 10:18

very bad

13. by SAMUEL BAUTISTA on Thu 19 Feb 2009 @ 14:43

"When simply boiled or roasted they are juicy and sweet as you like"

So do you cook the beetroot by boiling it or do you use it raw??¿


14. by Max on Sun 25 Jan 2009 @ 12:18

Excellent salad! Just made it for a friends of mine. Beetroots with red delicious apples worked perfectly. And the mint tops it off. Used the lemon + olive oil + s & p and it was perfect!

15. by Emily on Mon 12 Jan 2009 @ 19:16

This was phoenomenal and incredibly beautiful. I used a combo of golden, red, and candy cane beets and served it for a dinner party. It was a major crowd pleaser. I was trepedatious about the beet pear feta combo but it was far better than i would have guessed. Thanks for this and many other winning recipes Jamie.

16. by beck on Sun 21 Dec 2008 @ 20:44

how many does this recipe serve for?

17. by Andrea Barnett on Sat 06 Dec 2008 @ 08:42

Googled Jamies Lemon Oil dressing.....

basically 1 parts lemon juice to 3 parts olive oil with seasalt + fresh ground black pepper

18. by damon on Tue 14 Oct 2008 @ 11:21

haha u suk

19. by ermmmmm on Tue 14 Oct 2008 @ 10:31

errrrrrrrrrrrr




dutt assss fukk

20. by tina on Wed 23 Jul 2008 @ 05:33

Add some Israel Couscous to this and top with some pan fried fish, a quarter of an avocado and a lemon wedge. now your talking.

21. by Oli on Mon 21 Jul 2008 @ 04:23

WOW..
Was a Dinner hit with friends. I used roasted pine nuts rather than sunflower seeds.
It was a great dich that complemented some tasty lamb cutlets.
Thank you!

22. by Lizzy on Sun 20 Jul 2008 @ 09:43

Sounds great, but where's the recipe for the dressing???

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