Mediterranean Diet Friendly Roasted Beet and Walnut Salad with Buckwheat and Basil Pesto

Total time1 hr 15 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time45 min

4.5

(14)

Mediterranean Diet Friendly Roasted Beet and Walnut Salad with Buckwheat and Basil Pesto

Earthy roasted beets, nutty buckwheat groats, and peppery baby arugula come together in a bowl that feels genuinely satisfying rather than virtuous-by-obligation. The homemade basil pesto — built with walnuts, fresh lemon juice, and good extra-virgin olive oil — ties every element together with a bright, herbaceous richness that store-bought dressings simply can't replicate. Walnuts pull double duty here, blended into the pesto for body and scattered on top for crunch, which means every bite has a little textural surprise. Buckwheat groats are the quiet MVP of this dish: they cook up tender and slightly chewy, soaking up the pesto beautifully while adding a hearty, grain-like base that keeps the salad filling without weighing it down. The whole approach leans on whole foods, plant-forward ingredients, and healthy fats — exactly the kind of cooking that makes this dietary style so appealing and sustainable long-term. Roasting the beets low-effort in a foil packet means you get deeply caramelized, fork-tender wedges with almost no hands-on work. It's the kind of composed salad that looks impressive enough for guests but is genuinely easy enough for a weeknight dinner.

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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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