Pistachio 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)

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

Earthy roasted beets, nutty buckwheat, and peppery arugula come together in a salad that feels genuinely special without requiring any fussy technique. The real star is the walnut-basil pesto — blended with fresh lemon juice and garlic, it's bright, herby, and rich all at once, coating every grain and beet wedge in something you'll want to eat by the spoonful. Walnuts do double duty here, both inside the pesto and scattered on top for crunch, so the flavor is layered and satisfying from the first bite to the last. For anyone navigating tree nut concerns around pistachios specifically, this recipe leans entirely on walnuts, keeping things straightforward with no ambiguous ingredients to second-guess. Roasting the beets in a foil packet is a low-effort move that concentrates their sweetness and makes the skins slip right off — no peeling required. Buckwheat groats add a hearty, slightly toasty base that makes this feel more like a meal than a side dish. It's the kind of salad that converts skeptics and impresses guests without you breaking a sweat.

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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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