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–+ servings
Beets and cucumbers in a glass bowl with dill lemon dressing

Cucumber Beet Salad

Marissa
This cucumber beet salad is a lovely mix of textures - crunchy cucumbers paired with tender beets, brought together with fresh dill and a simple lemon-olive oil dressing. Keep it simple or dress it up with feta or goat cheese and walnuts.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course dinner, lunch, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, European
Servings 4 people
Calories 364 kcal

Equipment

  • medium bowl
  • Vegetable peeler
  • knife

Ingredients
  

Ingredients for the cucumber beet salad:

  • 3-4 medium beets cooked, peeled, and diced (or canned whole or sliced)
  • 2 medium cucumbers diced
  • 1/4 red onion thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill chopped or 2 tsp dried dill
  • 1/2 cup Feta or goat cheese (Optional)
  • 1 cup Walnuts (Optional - or caramelized walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, seeds)

Ingredients for the simple lemon salad dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions
 

  • If starting with fresh beets, wrap them in foil and roast at 400°F (200°C) for about 45-60minutes until tender. Let cool.
  • Peel and dice the beets into bite-sized pieces. You can also slice the beets if you prefer.
  • Dice the cucumbers into similar-sized pieces as the beets. You can also slice the cucumbers if you prefer.
  • Thinly slice the red onion and chop the fresh dill.
  • In a large bowl, place the diced beets on the bottom, top with cucumbers, and red onion and fresh dill.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Pour the dressing over the vegetables and just before serving toss gently to combine.
  • If desired, top with crumbled feta or goat cheese or caramelized walnuts, or other nuts or seeds just before serving.

Notes

1. You can also use canned beets, but don't use pickled beets. The flavor is not the same.
2. Fresh dill is best, but you can also use dried dill. Dill is one of those herbs where the dried version is remarkably good. You can also use parsely or chives if you don't have any dill.
3. If making the salad in advance, make sure you put the beets in first in the bottom of the bowl as the beets will bleed onto the other salad ingredients. Mix the salad at the last minute, right before serving.
4. Beets can stain your hands so make sure you wear gloves if you will see people anytime soon.
5. This cucumber beet salad is gorgeous and very versatile. Serve as a pretty side dish at Christmas, or top with Feta and walnuts and serve with simple lemon ricotta bruschetta for a light lunch.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 364kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 10gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 472mgPotassium: 660mgFiber: 6gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 448IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 165mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Christmas, quick
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