Summer is coming to an end, and the good news is that it’s harvest time!!! Today I want to share with you a simple beetroot salad recipe I developed using veggies grown on my rooftop garden. This salad uses beets, rondo carrots and rocket. Super easy veggies that you can grow too, if you have a little space.
My rooftop garden is made up of four large planters on the patio of the building I live in. It was my first time having a garden, and I loved it! Since I had never gardened before, a friend suggested that I start with beets and carrots. Both of those are supposed to be fairly straightforward to grow, and do well in containers.
He was right! I had to fight off some caterpillars during the summer, but besides that, all the magic happened under the soil without need for supervision. I watered the beets just once every one or two days, and watched them grow.
For the carrots, I planted rondo carrots, which are just so adorable! Their small size makes them so beautiful to use whole in any dish. It’s also a great conversation starter because they aren’t that easy to find in the supermarkets. In fact, before growing them, I only had them in restaurants. What a little luxury to have at home!
Rocket is one of the easiest greens to grow. So long as you keep picking it, the leaves keep re-growing. But you really have to keep picking it. If you let it grow, it will start to flower and that is the end of the plant’s life. But if you keep picking, it will keep growing new green leaves for a season. In the space of about one square foot, I harvested nearly 10 medium sized bags of rocket this summer. It’s also a really convenient green to grow because you can pick just a few leaves here and there to toss into a salad, or on top of a pizza.
This roasted beetroot salad really allows each of the flavors of the veggies to shine. The natural sweetness of the beets and carrots are highlighted by the honey, but also tempered by the peppery rocket. Though the beets and carrots are roasted together, the carrots should still retain a crunch, which gives texture to the salad. Lastly, topping the salad with feta adds a creamy finish.
I posted more pictures of the veggies grown on my rooftop garden on the Worktop’s Facebook page or Instagram. Check them out!
Honey Roasted Beetroot Salad
Print RecipeIngredients
- 5 small beets (beetroot) (about 200 grams)
- 8 small carrots (about 80 grams)
- 2 tablesoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup cubed feta cheese
- 1 cup arugula (rocket)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220°C / 420°F. For easier clean up, line a small oven proof dish with aluminum foil.
- For the beets, wash, peel and slice into 1/4 inch thick pieces. For the carrots, wash and peel. If using a regular carrot variety, cut into about 1 inch thick pieces.
- Place the beets and carrots into an oven proof dish.
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and honey. Slowly pour the marinade over the beets and carrots.
- Place in oven and roast, uncovered, for about 30 minutes. Remove when the beets are easily poked by a fork, but the carrots are still a bit firm.
- Immediately add the rocket after you remove from the oven, and lightly toss. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Add the feta and serve.
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