Hazelnut Free Roasted Beet and Walnut Salad with Buckwheat and Basil Pesto

Total time1 hr 15 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time45 min

4.5

(14)

Hazelnut Free Roasted Beet and Walnut Salad with Buckwheat and Basil Pesto

Earthy roasted beets, nutty buckwheat groats, and peppery baby arugula come together in a salad that feels genuinely special without being fussy. The real star is the homemade basil pesto — blended with walnuts, fresh lemon juice, and good olive oil, it coats every component in something bright and herbaceous. Walnuts pull double duty here, both inside the pesto and scattered on top for crunch, so the whole dish stays cohesive and deeply satisfying. For anyone navigating tree nut concerns specifically around hazelnuts, this recipe is a clean win — walnuts are used throughout with no hazelnut ingredient in sight, and the pesto is made entirely from scratch so there's no guessing about what's in it. Buckwheat, despite its name, is actually a seed rather than a grain, and it toasts up beautifully to add a hearty, slightly nutty base that makes this feel like a real meal rather than a side salad. The beets roast low and slow in a foil packet until they're meltingly tender, then get rubbed of their skins and cut into wedges that soak up all that lemony green pesto. It's the kind of bowl that looks impressive on the table and tastes even better than it looks.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the roasted beets

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

For the buckwheat

¾ cup raw buckwheat groats
1 ½ cups water
¼ tsp salt

For the pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
½ cup dry-roasted walnuts, divided
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad

5 oz baby arugula
¼ cup dry-roasted walnuts, roughly chopped
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Place the beets on a sheet of foil on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt. Wrap the foil loosely around the beets to form a packet and roast until a paring knife slides through the center of the largest beet with no resistance, 40–50 minutes depending on size.
2
While the beets roast, combine the buckwheat groats, 1 1/2 cups water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook until the groats are tender and the water is absorbed, about 12–15 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, and fluff with a fork. Spread onto the baking sheet (or a plate) to cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

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