Spicy Horseradish Beet Salad Recipe

Every week, we’re spotlighting a different food blogger who’s shaking up the blogosphere with tempting recipes and knockout photography. Below, Tim Mazurek of Lottie + Doof puts a spicy spin on chef Nancy Silverton’s beet salad with a heaping of zingy horseradish.

Photo: Tim Mazurek

Beet salads are a dime a dozen. I tend to stay clear because they are often too sweet for me. Chef Nancy Silverton of Mozza Restaurant Group apparently agrees, and she inspired me to try adding some horseradish to spice things up. It works. I use Atomic brand prepared horseradish, which is fantastically spicy. You’ll end up needing somewhere between a tablespoon and ¼ cup, depending on the prepared horseradish you choose and your sensitivity to heat. A handful of toasted walnuts is a good addition, especially it you want to add some crunch and protein.

Beets With Horseradish 
Adapted from the Mozza Cookbook
Serves 4

For the beets:

1 pound red beets, stemmed, scrubbed and dried
2 tablespoons oilive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing and serving:

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Prepared horseradish, to taste
Fresh chives (I used about a dozen), cut into 1-inch pieces

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Place the beets in a small baking dish and toss them with the oil, salt, and pepper. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 60-75 minutes, or until the beets are tender and easily pierced with a knife. Remove the foil and set the beets aside until cool enough to handle. When cool, remove the skin from the beets and cut them into ½-inch cubes. Transfer the cubed beets to a medium-sized bowl.

Make the dressing: Whisk together the apple cider vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Pour the dressing over the beets and toss to coat them. Add between 1-4 tablespoons of prepared horseradish to the bowl with the beets and toss to evenly distribute. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a serving platter and top with the chives. Serve at room temperature, or cold.

More must-have side dishes:

Creamed Swiss chard to the rescue

Salt-and-vinegar chips get a whole new look

Spicy-sweet parsnips get the job done

Have a favorite side dish? Sing its praises below!