Dinner
Grain Expectations: Roasted Beet & Quinoa Salad
Ruby beets, fluffy quinoa, creamy white beans and juicy orange team up in a colourful dinner salad with crunch, brightness and no sad desk-lunch energy.
Grab this
- 3 medium beets, peeled and cut into bite-size wedges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, divided
- 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups water
- 1 can (398 mL) low-sodium white beans, drained and rinsed
- 5 cups baby arugula
- 1 large orange, peeled and cut into segments
- 1/3 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Do this
- Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss the beet wedges with 1 tablespoon olive oil and half the salt. Spread them on the baking sheet and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, turning once, until tender and browned at the edges.
- While the beets roast, combine the rinsed quinoa, water and remaining salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the quinoa from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cool for about 10 minutes.
- Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil with the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup and black pepper in a large bowl.
- Add the quinoa, roasted beets, white beans, arugula, orange segments and pumpkin seeds. Toss gently until everything is lightly coated, then divide among four bowls.
Easy swaps
- Use canned chickpeas or cooked lentils instead of white beans.
- Baby spinach or chopped kale can replace the arugula. Massage kale with a spoonful of dressing before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Replace quinoa with 3 cups cooked brown rice or farro. Allergen note: farro contains wheat and gluten; quinoa and rice are naturally gluten-free, but check packages for cross-contact.
- Sunflower seeds can replace pumpkin seeds. Allergen note: check seed packages for peanut and tree-nut cross-contact when allergies are a concern.
- Use lemon juice instead of balsamic vinegar for a brighter dressing.
- Allergen note: the standard dressing contains mustard, a priority allergen in Canada. For a mustard-free version, omit it and whisk in 1 teaspoon tahini or sunflower-seed butter. Tahini contains sesame.
- For a fully gluten-free version, confirm that the mustard, vinegar, beans and other packaged ingredients are certified or labelled appropriately.
Estimated per serving
Nutrition at a glance
- Calories
- 450
- Fat
- 15g
- Saturated fat
- 2g
- Carbohydrates
- 64g
- Fibre
- 12g
- Sugars
- 13g
- Protein
- 16g
- Sodium
- 260mg
Quinoa, white beans and pumpkin seeds provide a useful combination of plant protein and fibre.
Estimates vary with ingredient brands, substitutions and serving size.
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