Artificial Flavors Free Roasted Beet and Quinoa Salad with Turmeric Citrus Dressing

Total time1 hr 15 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time45 min

5.0

(16)

Artificial Flavors Free Roasted Beet and Quinoa Salad with Turmeric Citrus Dressing

Earthy roasted beets, fluffy quinoa, peppery arugula, and crunchy walnuts come together in a salad that feels genuinely satisfying rather than virtuous and sad. The dressing is where things get really interesting — fresh lemon juice, raw honey, ground turmeric, and ginger whisked together with olive oil create a bright, warmly spiced vinaigrette that coats every ingredient beautifully. Every single component here is a whole, recognizable food, which means you're not navigating a label full of unpronounceable additives or synthetic flavor compounds. Packaged dressings are one of the sneakiest sources of artificial flavoring, so making your own from scratch — as this recipe does — is the simplest way to stay in control of what's actually on your plate. Roasting the beets in foil concentrates their natural sweetness without any enhancement needed, and the quinoa cooks in nothing but salted water, letting real ingredients do all the heavy lifting. This is the kind of bowl that tastes complex and restaurant-worthy while staying completely clean from start to finish.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the roasted beets

1 lb medium beets (about 3–4 beets), scrubbed
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
¼ tsp salt

For the quinoa

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
¼ tsp salt

For the dressing

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp raw honey
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp salt

For the salad

3 cups baby arugula
½ cup dry-roasted walnuts, roughly chopped

For serving

¼ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped (optional)

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Place each beet on a square of aluminum foil, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt. Wrap each beet tightly in the foil and arrange on a baking sheet. Roast until a paring knife slides through the center with no resistance, 40–50 minutes depending on size.
2
While the beets roast, combine the rinsed quinoa, 2 cups water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water is fully absorbed and the quinoa's white germ rings are visible, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and spread onto a large plate or baking sheet to cool.

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