Grilled Beet & Carrot Salad with Avocado & Seeds
This is a unique summer salad that is just as good warm as it is cold. It’s also excellent with a bit of cooked grain, such as quinoa, barley, etc., to make it a heartier dish. Crafted by Bowen Close of Bowen Appetit.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. golden, red, and/or Chioggia beets (about 6 medium to large beets), trimmed, peeled, and cut into 4 to 8 wedges
6 medium trimmed carrots, halved lengthwise if more than 3/4-inch wide
Around 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 to 2 avocados, ripe but fairly firm, diced
One large handful of roughly chopped cilantro (all of the leaves and stems) or parsley (leaves and upper, tender parts of stems only)
Olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt
Directions
Toss prepared beets with a bit of olive oil and salt, then wrap in a foil packet (make sure there are no places for steam to escape!) and place on a hot grill until beets are tender, about 25 minutes (depending on the size of the wedges).
Optional: If you’d like, you can then remove them from the packet and place pieces on the grill for a minute or two to get a bit of charring.
Meanwhile, toss whole carrots with a bit of oil and salt and place on the grill until tender, about 15 minutes.
To toast the pumpkin seeds, heat a small, dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add the raw pumpkin seeds and cook, jostling frequently, until they start to brown, pop, and smell toasty. Immediately transfer into a bowl or other container so they don’t burn.
Alternatively, to do this on a grill, use a small, grill-safe skillet (such as a cast iron) and toast the seeds while the veggies are grilling.
Assemble the salad: Spread grilled carrots on a serving platter, then top with grilled beets, avocado, cilantro, and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and the juice from half a lemon, and sprinkle a pinch or two of salt over the top.
Suggestions
Making ahead/storage: This salad looks best when freshly made because during storage the beets will stain other ingredients and the avocado may turn brown, but it will still taste delicious for another day or two when stored in the refrigerator. If you want to prep items ahead of time, chill the beets and carrots separately and assemble before serving.
You could toast the pumpkin seeds before doing the grill cooking, if desired; although the flavor of the pumpkin seeds really comes through while they’re warm. We suggest toasting the seeds on the grill while the vegetables are cooking, if you have a large enough grill. See alternative suggestion in recipe directions.
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