Wild Arugula and Beet Salad With Orange, Walnuts and Tarragon

By Martha Rose Shulman

Published September 19, 2014

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
5(291)
Comments
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This is a salad filled with contrasting sweet and peppery flavors. Pungent wild arugula contrasts beautifully with sweet beets, anisy tarragon and juicy oranges. If you can find purslane, it makes a great addition to the salad, with its earthy flavor and almost juicy, delicate crunch. You can use a mix of colors for the beets. I roasted golden and red beets together, and the red beets bled into the outside layer of the golden beets, making their color striking in the salad.

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 4

  • 3 cups wild arugula

  • ½ cup chopped purslane, if available (substitute more arugula if not)

  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons chopped walnuts

  • 2 large or 4 small or medium beets, any color or a mix, roasted peeled and cut in wedges

  • 1 navel orange, peeled, pith removed, and sections cut from between membranes

FOR THE DRESSING

  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

  • Salt to taste

  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

  • 1 small garlic clove, puréed or put through a press

  • 1 tablespoon walnut oil

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • Freshly ground pepper (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

11 grams carbs; 180 calories; 6 grams monosaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 15 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 281 milligrams sodium; 3 grams protein; 6 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl.

  2. Step 2

    Whisk together balsamic vinegar, salt, sherry vinegar, garlic, walnut oil and olive oil. Toss with salad. Season if desired with freshly ground pepper.

Tip

  • Advance preparation: The beets will keep for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
291 user ratings
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Comments

Marisolsita

This is a decent, light tasting salad that sounds heavier than it is. Great starter salad. Colors are beautiful. If making for a dinner party, be sure to roast and cut up the beets in advance (could do 3 days before) and you can cut up the oranges in advance too (1 day). If you’re too lazy to take off the orange membrane, don’t worry-still works with it on.

Sasha

Great recipe that is easy and quick, and is a huge crowd-leaser. I found that it's easier if you wrap the beets individually in tin foil and pop into the oven for an hour, just make sure to pierce them with a fork first. You'll avoid a huge mess.

NW foodie

Feta is a complementary addition for taste and contrasting white color. Local organic (not wild) arugula was delicious in this recipe.

Lucy

Nicely balanced between sweet (orange) and peppery (

nicky richmond

I've made this twice now. I added feta and some sweet tomatoes the second time and it worked. You could probably add some bitter leaves also if you're using purslane as well if/instead of the rocket. And I toast the nuts. So good, either as per recipe or tweaked.

Candace

Double everything but the garlic. Add one to two teaspoons of dried tarragon and one half teaspoon of Dijon mustard. One and a half teaspoons of salt and a heaping quarter teaspoon of pepper.

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