Tulo

Shaved Raw Beet Salad Recipe

Thin ribbons of raw beet tossed in a bright citrus vinaigrette with herbs, a crisp, no-cook salad.
Photo by Farhad Ibrahimzade on Pexels

Shaving the beets paper-thin on a mandoline exposes far more surface area to the dressing than a chunkier cut would, so the vinaigrette actually softens and seasons the raw beet in the short time before serving instead of just coating the outside.

Prep
20 min
Cook
0 min
Total
30 min
Servings
4

Ingredients

Servings4
  • 3 medium raw beets, mixed colors if available, peeled
  • 1 whole orange, juiced and zested
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 cup pistachios or almonds, toasted and chopped

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Instructions

  1. 1Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, shave the beets into paper-thin rounds or ribbons.
  2. 2Whisk together the orange juice and zest, olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
  3. 3Toss the shaved beets with the dressing and let sit for at least 10 minutes to soften slightly and absorb the flavor.
  4. 4Just before serving, toss in the fresh dill and taste for seasoning.
  5. 5Transfer to a platter and scatter with toasted pistachios.

Tips & variations

  • A vegetable peeler works if you don't have a mandoline, just shave long ribbons down the length of the beet instead of rounds.
  • Crumbled goat cheese or feta stirred in at the end turns this into a more substantial salad.
  • Mixing red and golden beets, or adding thin-shaved raw fennel, gives it more color and crunch.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate dressed salad in an airtight container for up to 1 day, though the beets soften and the color bleeds more the longer it sits. For best texture, shave the beets ahead but dress just before serving.

Nutrition

A light, fiber-rich salad, low in calories with fat coming mainly from the olive oil in the dressing.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Use a mandoline's guard, raw beets are firm and slippery, a common way people cut themselves in the kitchen.
  • Keep red and golden beets in separate bowls until just before serving if you're using both, red beet juice bleeds fast and will dull the gold color.

FAQ

Do I need to cook the beets for this salad?

No, that's the point of this recipe, raw beets shaved thin enough have a pleasant crunchy texture and earthy-sweet flavor, and the acid in the dressing softens them slightly as they sit.

What's the best tool for shaving beets thin?

A mandoline gives the most even, paper-thin slices with the least effort. A sharp chef's knife or a vegetable peeler both work too, just expect slightly thicker, less uniform pieces.

How do I keep my hands from staining when peeling beets?

Wear disposable gloves while peeling and shaving, or peel the beets under running water, which helps rinse the pigment away as you go.

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