Raw Beet Salad Recipe {Citrus Vinaigrette} | Self Proclaimed Foodie (2024)

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Raw Citrus Beet Salad is a gorgeous, bright, and incredibly easy to make vegan super food side dish salad recipe bursting healthy flavor.

It will even have non-beet lovers asking for more.

Raw Beet Salad Recipe {Citrus Vinaigrette} | Self Proclaimed Foodie (1)

Table of Contents

  • Why this recipe works:
  • How to make this recipe:
  • Recipe tips:
  • Related recipes:
  • Raw Citrus Beet Salad Recipe Recipe

Why this recipe works:

This easy vegetarian side dish is almost a cross between a salad and a coleslaw.

  • Fresh beets have never tasted so good. It is seriously amazing how only a few ingredients can come together to create something with so much flavor.
  • This recipe is easy to make. In as little as 15 minutes you can serve it up, although the longer it sits, the more the flavors develop.
  • Delicious healthy ingredients! We’re talking bright, vibrant super food.
  • Even people who swear they don’t like beets end up loving this raw beetroot salad.

How to make this recipe:

  1. Beets come with a thin layer of skin that will need to be peeled. Then remove the stem, shred beets, and add to bowl.
  2. Add zest and juice from entire orange. Add zest and juice from lime to taste (this amount is subjective).
  3. Add olive oil and toss to combine. Add salt to taste and toss, once again, to combine.
  4. Add chives just before serving.
Raw Beet Salad Recipe {Citrus Vinaigrette} | Self Proclaimed Foodie (2)

Recipe tips:

  • You can either thinly shave or grate the beets. Using a food processor with the grater blade will make easy work and easy clean up. You can use a box grater, but beets will splatter and stain.
  • Don’t discard the beet greens! You can throw them int a smoothie or saute them up as a side dish.
  • The grated beets can be dressed and kept in the refrigerator, covered well, for a couple of days. They become more tender but don’t lose their texture, and the mixture becomes even sweeter as the beet juices mingle with the citrus. Toss again before serving.
Raw Beet Salad Recipe {Citrus Vinaigrette} | Self Proclaimed Foodie (3)

There are so many sweet and savory beet recipes that can be made with fresh or roasted beets. Here are some of my favorites.

Raw Beet Salad Recipe {Citrus Vinaigrette} | Self Proclaimed Foodie (4)

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Raw Citrus Beet Salad Recipe

Prep15 minutes mins

Total15 minutes mins

Servings 4

Author Krissy Allori

Fresh beets have never tasted so good. This vibrant fresh beet salad will even have non-beet lovers asking for more. This is a gorgeous bright super easy to make super food side dish.

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Video

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 medium to large beets peeled and trimmed*
  • 1 valencia orange with zest
  • 1 lime with zest
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 cup chives minced

Instructions

  • Shred beets and add to bowl. Add zest and juice from entire orange. Add zest and juice from lime to taste (this amount is subjective).

  • Add olive oil and toss to combine. Add salt to taste and toss to combine.

  • Add chives just before serving.

Notes

  • You can either thinly shave or grate the beets. Using a food processor with the grater blade will make easy work and easy clean up. You can use a box grater, but beets will splatter and stain.
  • Don’t discard the beet greens! You can throw them int a smoothie or saute them up as a side dish.
  • The grated beets can be dressed and kept in the refrigerator, covered well, for a couple of days. They become more tender but don’t lose their texture, and the mixture becomes even sweeter as the beet juices mingle with the citrus. Toss again before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 110kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 48mg, Potassium: 291mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 310IU, Vitamin C: 28.2mg, Calcium: 33mg, Iron: 0.7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave me acomment below

This post was originally created in July 2014 and has been updated with process photos, helpful information, and recipe tips. Don’t worry – I didn’t change the recipe!

Salads Side Dish Summer Recipes Valentine's Day Vegetarian

Raw Beet Salad Recipe {Citrus Vinaigrette} | Self Proclaimed Foodie (6)

Hi! I’m Krissy.

I love to create the BEST versions of your favorite recipes. If you love to cook, love to eat, or just have a deep appreciation for good food, you're in the right place! Stick around... I have hundreds of recipes for you to make.

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27 Comments

  1. I shall try this, sounds yummy.

    And to share:

    Grate raw beets, grate raw carrot. Add a squeeze of lemon and toss veges together in this.
    Blend or crush 3 cloves of garlic with any salad or olive oil.
    Put all into a bowl or plastic bag, toss so that it’s all combined.
    To serve, add a few sunflower and roasted pumpkin seed and perhaps chopped water chestnuts.

    I usually make this a day before and leave the beets/carrot to marinate in the garlicky oil (refrigerated) overnight.

    Reply

  2. Raw Beet Salad Recipe {Citrus Vinaigrette} | Self Proclaimed Foodie (11)
    I’ve made a variation of this adding shredded carrots and copped walnuts with an orange juice dressing. The friend I made it for absolutely loved it. Raisins are also a nice addition

    Reply

    1. Your take on this recipe sounds fabulous..I’m gonna try it! Thx for sharing.

      Reply

  3. Raw Beet Salad Recipe {Citrus Vinaigrette} | Self Proclaimed Foodie (12)
    I’ve made this with red beets and golden beets. Love it!!!! This is the only way I’ll eat beets now and it’s a winner in my bi-weekly rotation. To be honest, plain beets taste like grass to me, but the citrus flavors make beets sing!!! I used a Cuisinart food processor (6-cup, heavy duty) with the fine shred blade, then I minced up the leftover chunky pieces with a chef’s blade. Ordinarily, I don’t cook with salt, but did add 2 T EVOO and 1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt to my 3.5lbs worth of beet salad. Thanks for this fantastic recipe!!!

    Reply

  4. Raw Beet Salad Recipe {Citrus Vinaigrette} | Self Proclaimed Foodie (13)
    Great recipe, I love the orange and lime flavours with the beetroot, it’s a winner, many thanks 🙏

    Reply

  5. Raw Beet Salad Recipe {Citrus Vinaigrette} | Self Proclaimed Foodie (14)
    This is the very best way to eat beets – the citrus dressing makes this an absolutely divine salad. I served it over power greens.

    Reply

  6. Raw Beet Salad Recipe {Citrus Vinaigrette} | Self Proclaimed Foodie (15)
    Wonderful summer recipe to not heat up the kitchen. Enjoyed it thoroughly.

    Reply

    1. I found your recipe searching for different preparation offers as a way to consume my garden full of beets. This recipe caught my interest since there are few beet recipes where raw or uncooked beets are used. I love this salad idea! Kinda like coleslaw with similar crunch. I did not have a fresh orange when preparing so added a heaping tablespoon of orange marmalade. The sweetness definitely took it to “coleslaw” with the lime zest and juice it was excellent. Could add this to dome shredded cabbage for extra crunch and profound pinkness.

      Reply

  7. Raw Beet Salad Recipe {Citrus Vinaigrette} | Self Proclaimed Foodie (16)
    Made it and loved it. It is a fabulous summer salad. Recently, following the less-than-ideal food consumption that occurs over the Christmas and New Years holidays, I found myself craving this salad again. My fridge is stocked, and I’ll happily be making it again today!

    Reply

  8. I love this salad , can’t wait for my family to try it.

    Reply

  9. Hey, can you please provide the sources of the statements you are making in the health benefits section above? Just wondering because by law, health claims cannot be made about a food or supplement unless proven in at least two double blind placebo trials with a large amount of participants. Thanks; can’t wait to see the scientific research.

    Reply

    1. Hi Eliza, As stated in the post, I just did a quick google search for “health benefits of beets” and I summarized what I found. I’m not making any specific claims and haven’t collected any scientific research on my own; I simply summarized what I found. Personally, I love to eat anything I can grow in my garden and really just love the taste of fresh beets. Sounds like you’re not a big fan of beets and/or don’t believe they can be that good for you? 😉

      Reply

    2. This is literally a salad recipe and that’s all it has to be. If you are questioning that beets in general are healthy for you then just Google and read a scientific paper of your choice and conduct unnecessary experiments.

      Reply

  10. Raw Beet Salad Recipe {Citrus Vinaigrette} | Self Proclaimed Foodie (17)
    This is my go to beet recipe. Its simple and fantastic. Sometimes I add spiralized carrots and/or apple. Getting ready to make for a worksite I coach at to demonstrate that beets can be yummy!

    Reply

Raw Beet Salad Recipe {Citrus Vinaigrette} | Self Proclaimed Foodie (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to eat raw beets? ›

Raw beets can be tough, so they must be sliced or grated ultra-thin to be crispy and edible. They're great in slaws, salads and relishes. Raw beets can also be spiralized.

How do you cut raw beets for salad? ›

How to Cut Beets
  1. Cut off the root end and the stem end using a Hardy Slicer.
  2. Peel the skin using a Vegetable Peeler or Paring Knife.
  3. Place the beet flat side down on the cutting board and cut into slices of desired thickness.
  4. Stack the slices to cut into planks.
  5. Cut the planks crosswise to dice.
Jul 17, 2018

How do you shred beets without a food processor? ›

Scrape the vegetable over the large holes on the shredding surface of a box grater (Amazon) or a plane grater, starting from the top of the grating surface and moving the vegetable to the bottom of the grater. To finely shred, use the same method but move to the smaller holes of the box grater or plane grater.

What is beetroot salad made of? ›

Directions. Stir grated beets, vinegar, oil, parsley, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Serve immediately or for best results, refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

Who should not eat raw beets? ›

Who Should Avoid Beetroot? Beets are high in oxalates, which can lead to kidney stones. If you've had kidney stones, avoid beets or eat them only as a rare treat. Oxalates can also contribute to gout, a type of arthritis, so eat beets sparingly if you're at risk.

What happens to your body when you eat raw beets? ›

Beetroots and beetroot juice have been associated with numerous health benefits, including improved blood flow, lower blood pressure, and increased exercise performance. Many of these benefits are due to their high content of inorganic nitrates. Beetroots are delicious raw but more frequently cooked or pickled.

Do you have to peel beets for salad? ›

Forget what you thought you knew about food prep: You don't HAVE to peel your vegetables (well, most of them, anyway).

Is it better to roast or boil beets for salad? ›

The softest texture will be the boiled beets, the roasted beets will be tender, but will still have a little “bite” to them. The steamed beets will be somewhere in the middle. If using the beets in a salad, or serving them as a side dish, I prefer the roasted or steamed beets.

How do you keep beets from bleeding in salad? ›

Add lemon or vinegar for vibrant beets

A simple trick to prevent your beets from bleeding color, according to The Spruce Eats, is to add a tablespoon of lemon or vinegar to the boiling water.

Is a box grater better than a food processor? ›

Aside from its many functions, a box grater takes up much less room, uses no electricity, doesn't include a bunch of plastic, is easier to clean, and results in a nicer shred than does a food processor. (A food processor gives a blunt edge to the shredded bits, a grater gives a taper, which makes for a better texture.)

Do I need to peel beets before shredding? ›

If you're wondering if you peel beets before chopping, it depends on your preferences. Beet skin is edible, but it has a tougher texture than the flesh and tends to hold onto dirt even if you clean your beets well. Many people prefer to remove the skin before cutting fresh beets.

How do you eat beets if you don't like them? ›

One of my first and favorite discoveries was to put beets in Taco Soup. I usually put in shoestring canned beets, or you could slice up fresh ones. You won't even notice them in the soup. They will blend in with the tomatoes and give your soup a beautiful rich red color and you will get all of the vitamins!

Can I eat beetroot salad everyday? ›

Individuals with a history of oxalate-containing kidney stones should avoid over-consuming beetroot. You may eat any time or in any form: vegetable dish, salad or juice. Making sabji does not decrease its nutritional values until you don't cook it too long.

What makes beetroot taste better? ›

Try marinating them with citrus zest, garlic, scallion, vinegar, and again, plenty of salt. "Beets need a sharp, strong note," he explains, to both counteract and complement their muted, dirt-like undertones.

How to make beet root salad? ›

Ingredients
  1. 2 pounds beets, (5-6 medium)
  2. ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil.
  3. 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, or white-wine vinegar.
  4. ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard.
  5. ½ teaspoon honey.
  6. Freshly ground pepper, to taste.
  7. 1 stalk celery, finely chopped.
  8. 1 large shallot, finely chopped.

What is the healthiest way to eat beets? ›

Roast Them

Roasting is an overall healthy cooking method with minimal vitamin loss, particularly vitamin C. Roasted beets are rich and sweet with slight mineral flavors. Remember to avoid long cooking times and high temperatures, as these can reduce nutrients. Try using smaller bulbs if you want to prepare them faster.

What is the healthiest way to eat red beets? ›

Eating beets raw or juicing and roasting them may be more beneficial than boiling them. Beetroots, commonly known as beets, are a vibrant and versatile type of vegetable. They're known for their earthy flavor and aroma. Many people call them a superfood because of their rich nutritional profile.

What is the tastiest way to eat beets? ›

Here are five of our favorite ways to eat beets.
  1. Raw! – Yes, beets are quite good raw. ...
  2. Roasted with goat cheese. – The classic, all-time favorite preparation. ...
  3. In a salad. – Beets make a good complement to other salad staples. ...
  4. Pickled! – Pickled beets are just marvelous. ...
  5. As dessert.
May 12, 2022

Can you eat raw uncooked beets? ›

Raw beets contain more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants than cooked beets (yes, you can eat beets raw!).

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