Beet Salad with Tarragon Dressing

Name: Beet Salad with Tarragon Dressing
Cuisine: Iranian
Ingredients: 4 beets (about 1¼ lb/570 g total), scrubbed; 1½ teaspoons sea salt, divided; ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil; ¼ cup (60 ml) aged balsamic vinegar; 1 small shallot, minced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; 2 green onions, thinly sliced; 2 tablespoons roasted pepitas

Preparation info

Makes
4
servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Bitter & Sweet

By Omid Roustaei and Lauren Ko

Published 2025

About

This salad celebrates my unwavering love for the vibrant beet and my years of teaching plant-based cooking classes, where I emphasized improvisation. Though I experimented with many ingredients, I consistently showcased a beet salad and converted many non-beet enthusiasts into fans!

Ingredients

4 beets (about 1¼ lb/570 g total), scrubbed
1½

Americas
Asia
United States
Iran
Side dish
Gluten-free
Vegan

Method

Trim the roots and stems of the beets and place them in a large saucepan. Cover with water, add 1 teaspoon of the salt, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and let the beets cook until they are tender, about 45 minutes. You can check their readiness by inserting a paring knife into the beets—if it goes in smoothly, they’re good to go!

While the beet