Beet Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette & Herby Yogurt
These beets are earthy and sweet, beautifully jewel-toned, and honestly one of my favorite things to pull out of the oven when the weather starts to cool down and serve as an appetizer. The real magic happens when you pair the beets with something bright and tangy. Enter: grapefruit.
This Beet Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette & Herby Yogurt is one of those salads that looks fancy enough for a dinner party but is actually incredibly simple to throw together. You’ve got tender roasted beets, juicy grapefruit, creamy herby yogurt, and a punchy grapefruit vinaigrette that ties everything together.
The secret is in the yogurt
Rather than tossing everything together in a bowl, I like to spread a thick layer of herby yogurt onto a platter first. The yogurt becomes the creamy, cool base for all those sweet roasted beets. I usually use Greek yogurt because it’s thick and tangy, then mix in plenty of fresh herbs, a little garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. It’s simple, but it makes the whole salad feel completely different.
Beets and grapefruit might not be the most obvious combination, but trust me on this one.
The grapefruit adds just the right amount of acidity and bitterness to balance the natural sweetness of the beets. I like to use the grapefruit in two ways: the juicy segments go directly into the salad, while some of the juice gets whisked into the vinaigrette. The vinaigrette is bright and zippy with grapefruit juice, olive oil, a little Dijon, and a touch of honey. It cuts through the richness of the yogurt and makes every bite taste fresh.
A few little things I love
Roast the beets until they’re really tender. You want them soft and caramelized around the edges, not crunchy.
Don’t skip the grapefruit zest. It adds a huge amount of citrus flavor without making the vinaigrette too acidic.
Use lots of herbs. Dill, parsley, chives, mint, or a combination of them all work beautifully here.
Make it a meal. Add toasted walnuts or pistachios for crunch, crumbled goat cheese for extra creaminess, or some warm crusty bread on the side.
And if you’re making this for a dinner party, assemble it right on a big platter and bring it straight to the table. It’s colorful, a little unexpected, and makes a very pretty centerpiece.
Beet Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette & Herby Yogurt
Ingredients
For the Beets
- 1½ lbs small red and golden beets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
For the Grapefruit Vinaigrette
- ½ cup fresh grapefruit juice
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp grapefruit zest
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small shallot very finely minced
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the Herby Yogurt
- 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp fresh dill finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh mint finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh chives finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
To Finish
- Fresh grapefruit segments
- Fresh dill and mint
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Flaky sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Trim the tops and roots from the 1½ lbs small red and golden beets and wash them thoroughly. Keep the red and golden beets separate if possible to prevent the red beet juices from staining the golden ones.1½ lbs small red and golden beets
- Toss the beets with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp ground black pepper. Wrap them loosely in foil packets or place them in a covered baking dish.1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper
- Roast for 40–60 minutes, depending on their size, until a knife slides easily into the center.
- Allow the beets to cool until they are comfortable to handle. Rub off the skins with a paper towel and trim away any remaining stem or root.
- Cut the beets into halves or wedges, depending on their size. Set aside.
- While the beets are cooking, whisk together the ½ cup fresh grapefruit juice, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp grapefruit zest, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 small shallot, ½ tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Slowly whisk in the ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified.½ cup fresh grapefruit juice, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp grapefruit zest, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ½ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 small shallot
- While the beets are still slightly warm, place them in a shallow container and pour the grapefruit vinaigrette over them. Gently toss to coat, then cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours, preferably overnight.
- Combine the 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp fresh dill, 1 tbsp fresh mint, 1 tbsp fresh parsley, 1 tbsp fresh chives, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, and 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a bowl. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp ground black pepper and stir until smooth.1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp fresh dill, 1 tbsp fresh mint, 1 tbsp fresh parsley, 1 tbsp fresh chives, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper
- Spoon the herby yogurt onto a large serving platter and spread it into a generous layer. Arrange the marinated red and golden beets and Fresh grapefruit segments over the yogurt. Spoon the remaining grapefruit vinaigrette over the beets.Fresh grapefruit segments
- Finish withFresh dill and mint, a drizzle of Extra-virgin olive oil, Flaky sea salt, and fFreshly cracked black pepper. If desired, add a few fresh grapefruit segments for an extra burst of acidity and color.Fresh dill and mint, Extra-virgin olive oil, Flaky sea salt, Freshly cracked black pepper
