Now this isn’t your average roasted root veggie salad. For all my Russians out there, you may recognize that some of these combined ingredients look a little familiar. I decided to switch things up a little with my take on a very classic Russian salad called “Vinaigrette” (which is not to be confused with salad dressing vinaigrette, same word – different meaning!)
This month, the Recipe Redux asked us to share some favorite food memories and this salad definitely has many great memories.
It brings me right back to sitting around the table with my family during holidays and family events, eating, talking and eating some more.
A lot of people do this salad their own way. Some use beans instead of peas, some use no mayo, etc. The way my mom makes it (which is obviously the best way) is she uses boiled beets, boiled potatoes, carrots, pickles and sweet peas. She usually adds either a little extra oil or just a little mayo, with some scallions or some fresh herbs.
Boiling the root veggies gives them a soft texture, and it really lends well to making this salad sweet and savory with the beets and potatoes.
I decided to make my own take on this by replacing the potatoes with sweet potatoes, using parsnips instead of carrots and roasting the veggies instead of boiling them.
You can definitely use carrots, but I wanted to use parsnips for the color since the sweet potato is orange too.
I know pickle sounds kind of weird but it gives it a nice crunch, with a pop of vinegar. The beets caramelize, the sweet potato and parsnips soften and the sweet peas bring everything together!
It is just a wonderful mix of flavors for a perfect side dish (or starter). It is a labor of love and does take some time prepping the veggies, but it is well worth it! And now I make this every year for my in-laws on Christmas and Easter!
Let’s get to it!
Roasted Root Vegetable Salad
Ingredients
- 4 beets peeled, cut in medium dice (1/2 in. all way around)
- 2 sweet potatoes peeled, cut in medium dice
- 2 parsnips peeled and cut in medium dice
- 1/2 cup canned sweet peas drained and rinsed
- 3 dill pickles cut in medium dice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cilantro chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Start by preparing beets. Add them to a bowl, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt & pepper, stir. Place on baking sheet and bake.
- Repeat same steps with the sweet potatoes. After beets have been in oven about 10 minutes, add sweet potatoes and bake both beets and potatoes in oven for additional 15 minutes.
- Add parsnips to a bowl with 1 tsp olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper and when 15 minutes are up, add parsnips and bake all 3 for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until all vegetables have cooked through.
- Let veggies cool when they are done baking, add to a big bowl with the sweet peas, pickles and cilantro. Stir and place in fridge for at least an hour before serving.
Notes
Feel free to add extra olive oil or some red wine vinegar if you'd like a little extra flavor, but it is perfect without!
Buy pre-cut vegetables to save prep time
How beautiful are those colors together?! You want to eat it just from looking at it, but trust me, it tastes even better.This beauty is vegan, gluten free and filled with tons of nutrients.
Perfect side dish for any meal, especially with Thanksgiving coming up!
As always, I hope you enjoy!
Lots of LOVE,
Eva