My aunt sent me this recipe a couple of weeks ago because she saw it in a magazine and thought it sounded like something I would like. She knows me well! I love beets, I love walnuts, and I love blue cheese! If made exactly by the instructions, this will make a HUGE salad. If you’re like me and only feeding a couple of people, you might want to reduce down some of the ingredients. I followed the dressing recipe exactly because it can be saved in the fridge for up to a month, but for the salad, I cut everything in half. Even after we ate some, there was still plenty left over for me to eat at lunch a couple of days this week.

If you’re having a dinner party for a few guests, you could make the recipe in its entirety. Perfect for the fall season, it would pair beautifully with a soup to make a complete meal. Perhaps this yummy pumpkin soup I introduced you to last year?

Walnut Beet Salad

Slightly adapted from American Profile. Serves 8.

Ingredients:

3 medium beets, scrubbed and trimmed

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup dark raisins
½ cup cider vinegar, boiling
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp diced roasted beets
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup toasted walnut oil*

Salad:
1 pound spring mix
1 head romaine, separated into leaves, and torn into bite size pieces
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted
Remainder of diced beets
6 oz blue cheese, crumbled
1 crisp tart apple, unpeeled, diced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F. Wrap beets in foil, place on a baking sheet and bake 30 to 45 minutes or until crisp-tender. Cool; run under cold water to slip off skins. Dice, reserving 2 tablespoons for vinaigrette.
To prepare vinaigrette, place raisins in a heatproof bowl; pour boiling vinegar over raisins. Let stand 30 minutes or until raisins are plump and liquid is cool. Transfer to food processor.
Process until raisins form a dark paste. Add honey, 2 tablespoons diced beets, mustard and salt; continue processing. Gradually add oil. Transfer to a bottle or bowl. Refrigerate. Return to room temperature and shake or stir well before using.
To prepare salad, combine greens, romaine and green onions in a large salad bowl. Toss well. Add walnuts, beets, blue cheese and apple to salad; drizzle one-third** of the vinaigrette over salad and toss well. (Store remaining dressing in refrigerator for up to a month).

*I used hazelnut oil because that's what I had in the pantry

**I prefer to serve the dressing alongside the salad and let people choose how much they want on theirs.