About This Salad
This orange beet salad is my all-time favorite recipe. I love its vibrant color, unique texture, and, of course, its delicious flavor. In Mexico, some families serve this salad as a side dish on Christmas.
This recipe is so stunning that it can impress your family or guests, although it only takes 10 minutes to prepare. The only challenge could be cooking the beets, which take some time, but you can always use store-bought cooked beets.
Ingredients
- Beets
- Orange
- Pecans
- Olive oil and vinegar
- Shallots
- Mint
How to Make This Beet and Orange Salad
- Cook the beets. Check the recipe card for tips on how to cook them.
- Peel and slice the oranges.
- Slice the shallots and quickly pickle them in the vinegar.
- Finely chop the pecans and mint.
- Assemble the salad by arranging a layer of beets on a platter, then top with the orange slices, distribute the shallot slices, and pour the vinegar on top. Drizzle with olive oil, add salt and freshly ground black pepper. Finish with the pecans and mint.
Tips for the Best Beet Salad
- Use your favorite orange in this salad. Navel oranges work great, but if you want more color, try blood oranges or cara cara oranges. They are all delicious and this salad looks gorgeous with any of them.
- I used pecans, but just like oranges, use the type of nut you have at home. Walnuts, pine nuts, and pistachios would be great.
- If you don’t have shallots, substitute with red or sweet onions. Don’t worry about the strong bite; it will disappear with the vinegar.
- I love the combination of the citrusy orange flavor with the sweetness of the beets, all tied together with the freshness of mint. Feel free to make this recipe your own by using basil, dill, or parsley instead.
- Toss the salad with spinach or arugula if you want to include some greens. And if you want extra richness, crumble goat or feta cheese on top.
More beet recipes you might like: Beet and Pomegranate Salad, Beet Ginger Juice, Pink Beet Smoothie.
Mexican Beet and Orange Salad
Equipment
- Medium pot
- Serving Platter
Ingredients
Salad:
- 8 small beets or 4 medium
- 3 oranges peeled and sliced into rounds
- ⅓ cup roasted pecans chopped
- 10 fresh mint leaves cut in thin strips
Dressing:
- ⅓ cup shallots peeled and sliced
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by pickling the shallots. Peel and slice them, put them in a small bowl with the vinegar, and let them rest for 10 to 15 minutes while you prep everything else.
- Place the beets in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then lower to medium heat and cook until tender when pierced with a fork (25 to 40 minutes depending on size). Let them cool, peel, and cut into quarters or thick slices.
- Peel the oranges and slice them into rounds or half-moons. Remove any seeds.
- Arrange the beets and oranges on a platter. Spoon the pickled shallots on top and drizzle with the remaining vinegar from the bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Finish with the chopped pecans and mint.
Notes
- You can also roast the beets: wrap them in foil and bake at 400°F for 35 to 40 minutes until tender.
- Cook beets up to 5 days ahead. Store peeled in the fridge and assemble when ready.
- Use any orange you like. Navel, blood, or cara cara oranges all work and look beautiful.
- Substitute pecans with walnuts, pine nuts, or pistachios.
- If you don’t have shallots, use thinly sliced red onion.
- Add crumbled goat cheese or feta for extra richness.
- Toss with arugula or spinach if you want to add greens.
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Hi, I’m Ale Graf!
I’m a Mexican home cook based in Texas and the voice behind AleCooks and Piloncillo & Vainilla.
I create easy, family-friendly recipes with Mexican roots and a plant-forward mindset—always flexible and made to bring people together. I’m also the co-author of Yo Cocino Latino and love helping home cooks feel more confident in the kitchen.
Come say hi on Instagram—I’d love to hear what you’re cooking.