This recipe for Greek beet salad – pantzaria salata is a definite crowd pleaser! A vibrant, colorful, packed with nutrients salad based on beetroot and its bold, earthy flavor. In Greece, this traditional pantzaria salata requires boiling the beets instead of roasting them. This version is super delicious, easy to make and flavorful – roasted beets are sweeter and beautifully absorb the mustard dressing.
To roast the beets, begin by snipping off the greens about an inch from the stem. This prevents the pigment from leaking out when you cook them. You can store the greens and cook them as you would vlita or Swiss chard.
You can prepare the beets ahead of time and prepare the salad sometime later, but make sure you leave the boiled beets unpeeled in the fridge, stored in their cooking water for up to three days.
Try this Greek beet salad recipe with a dollop of fresh yogurt, or, better yet, skordalia!
Beet Salad Recipe – Greek Pantzaria Salata
Ingredients
- 1 kg / 2 lbs fresh beets
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tsp dried thyme chopped
- kosher salt
- fresh pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the beets: Remove greens, leaving about an inch of stem. Don't cut the taproot. Wash gently, being careful not to break the skin, and mix in a bowl with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper.
- Wrap 2-3 beets in a small baking paper package. Repeat until the beet mixture is all used. Optionally, add one clove of garlic in each package for extra taste. Place onto the baking sheet and roast for 45-50 minutes, until tender.
- Unwrap the packages and let the mixture completely cool. Peel the beets, cut in chunks and place in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix cider vinegar, mustard, thyme, olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. Add the beet cooking liquid in the baking package and mix until fully incorporated.
- Combine dressing and beets in the bowl and toss. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving for optimal texture and taste.
AMAZING salad. Tassos thanks for the tips and the recipe.