Beet and Cucumber Salad

By David Tanis

Updated November 10, 2025

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1 hour 50 minutes
Prep Time
1 ½ hours
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(100)
Comments
Read comments

With its mustard vinaigrette and a shower of tarragon and dill, this is a most refreshing salad. Dress the beets and cucumber separately to keep the ruby juices from staining the cucumber slices. You can cook the beets a day in advance. Poke them with the point of a paring knife to check if they’re tender, then let them cool a bit before rubbing off the outer skins. To make a more substantial salad, add a hard cooked egg and some soft goat cheese.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 1 large shallot, finely diced

  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice

  • Salt and black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 English cucumber, or 6 Persian, peeled

  • 4 or 5 small beets, boiled until tender and peeled (see Tip)

  • 1 small head of butter lettuce (optional)

  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped dill

  • 1 tablespoon roughly chopped tarragon, plus some whole leaves

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

10 grams carbs; 126 calories; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 9 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 356 milligrams sodium; 2 grams protein; 5 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

    Make the vinaigrette: Put shallot and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the Dijon mustard until it dissolves. Whisk in olive oil.

  2. Step 2

    Halve cucumbers lengthwise, then cut each half into ¼-inch-thick slices. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Halve the beets and cut into ¼-inch-thick half-moon slices and place in a separate bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

  3. Step 3

    Add half the dressing to each bowl, and toss both to coat well. Let sit for 10 minutes or up to 1 hour at room temperature (you can also refrigerate, if desired).

  4. Step 4

    Line individual plates with a few leaves of butter lettuce, if you like. Put a spoonful of beets and a spoonful of cucumber on each plate. Sprinkle each plate with dill, followed by the tarragon.

Tip

  • To cook the beets, place them in a medium pot, and add water to cover by several inches. Bring to boil, then cook at brisk simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until easily pierced with a paring knife. Drain and let cool slightly. While still warm, the skins can be easily rubbed off.

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Comments

Josh

Do not boil the beets. Make a tinfoil pouch, drizzle beets with olive oil and a touch of kosher salt. Seal the package and roast at 400 degrees for 39-45 minutes. Let cool and peel. Roasting intensifies the beets’ flavor, not boil it away,

GWC in OC

@Josh truer words have never been said.

Fran Eckert

I react to tarragon the way some people react to cilantro, I'm almost gagging just thinking of it... any idea what to sub? I love chives on anything but afraid they would overwhelm the rest of the salad, which sounds fabulous. Basil, maybe? Also, the vacuum packed beets that seem to be readily available are very tasty, and would save use of the oven and a pair of nitrile gloves I keep in stock for when I peel beets or pit cherries.

Maggie

This recipe looks delicious and I’ve always wanted to try beets at home instead of only ordering them in restaurants because I hadn’t a clue how to prepare them. I’m wondering though, if the any of the alternative methods for cooking the beets as mentioned in the comments would have any effect on their nutrition? I’m thinking of the nitrates and their benefits as outlined in the article. If I’m going to cook with them I may as well get the most out of them! TY

Holly Starbright

I agree that roasting the beets is the preferred method. However, the 'foil pouch' method mentioned below is not actually roasting. A closed package steams. However, I've never had bad luck just throwing whole beets on a baking sheet and roasting away. Be sure to peel when they are still warm or you'll lose your mind. That said, the first time I made this I used the packaged pre-cooked beets and it tasted just fine. Might make again for company but it's a bit fussy for every day.

Paul

Ok, pet peeve alert! What, exactly, is "1 large shallot"? In my 50+ years of cooking, I've watched them go from a golf ball sized orb to something much larger. It would be helpful to use some more objective measure, tablespoons, grams--something that will tell me I've met the spec. Or just say, "to taste" and be done with it.

Holly Starbright

I'd say 'to taste' is sufficient. I picked the largest shallot in the bin and thought it was too much. So, just grab one and go.

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