Vegetarian Roasted Beet and Walnut Salad with Buckwheat and Basil Pesto

Total time1 hr 15 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time45 min

4.5

(14)

Vegetarian Roasted Beet and Walnut Salad with Buckwheat and Basil Pesto

Earthy, vibrant, and genuinely satisfying, this salad brings together roasted beet wedges, nutty buckwheat groats, and peppery baby arugula in a way that feels like a proper meal rather than a side dish. The beets are foil-roasted until completely tender, which concentrates their sweetness and makes the skins slip right off — no peeling required. Buckwheat groats add a hearty, slightly toasty base that keeps everything grounded and filling without relying on any meat or fish. The real star is the walnut-basil pesto blended with fresh lemon juice and garlic, which coats every component in something bright, herby, and rich all at once. Dry-roasted walnuts pull double duty here — blended into the pesto for body and scattered on top for crunch — so the flavor builds in layers from the first bite to the last. A pinch of red pepper flakes at the end adds just enough heat to keep things interesting. It's the kind of plant-forward dish that genuinely impresses at a dinner table without requiring any complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.

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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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