Right Now: Balsamic Beets and Greens Salad with Peaches

And a tiny backyard beet harvest

Thank you for subscribing to Right Now! Please consider upgrading to a paid subscription. Paid subscribers get full access to the Right Now recipe archives and exclusive Tuesday recipe posts. Subscriptions are $5 a month or $50 a year. Thanks for reading and supporting this work!

---

Things in the garden are happening slowly this year. I have lettuce, herbs, and very recently, a few tiny beets. Though small, my harvest of jewel-like beets was the inspiration for this freewheeling early summer salad. 

Balsamic vinaigrette rounds out earthy greens and beets. Sliced peaches add bright sweetness. And fresh herbs remind us that it really is summer. 

Instead of a long roast for the beets, I went with a quick steam. While the beets cooked, I had time to prep my greens (a mix of beet greens and lacinato kale), make a punchy balsamic dressing, and slice some peaches. Admittedly, the peaches are from the grocery store, but local peaches should start coming in in the next couple of weeks.

Balsamic Beets and Greens Salad with Peaches

The greens and beets should be dressed and salted individually before being tossed together. Both ingredients really absorb the vinaigrette, so add it in layers. The peaches just need a kiss of dressing and a few flecks of salt. If you have a nice flaky sea salt, this is the time to bust it out. Predictably, I like this salad finished with lots of black pepper plus a handful of whatever fresh herbs you have on hand. Basil, parsley, cilantro, or mint will all work well.

This recipe was created with fresh, greens-attached beets in mind. Swap in storage beets (the kind with no greens) and extra kale if that’s what you have. 

Makes: 4 servings

Salad

• 1/2 bunch lacinato or Tuscan kale, stems stripped, chopped into thin ribbons

• 1 bunch beet greens, long stems trimmed and chopped 

• 1 pound small beets, rinsed, trimmed, and sliced 1/2-inch thick

• 2 peaches, cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges

• 1/2 cup rough chopped basil, parsley, cilantro, or mint (or a mix)

• Flaky sea salt and black pepper

Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons minced shallot

• Zest of 1 lemon plus 1 tablespoon juice

• 3 tablespoons balsamic (an aged balsamic is ideal)

• 1 teaspoon Dijon

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Prep and wash the salad ingredients. 

2. Set a steamer basket in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When boiling, add sliced beets and cook 3 - 5 minutes, or until fork tender. Set aside to cool.

3. In a mixing bowl or jar, whisk to combine the shallot, lemon zest and juice, balsamic, Dijon, and salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking all the while, under dressing is nicely emulsified. 

4. Toss greens with the vinaigrette and add a pinch of salt as needed. Toss the beets with vinaigrette and salt. Arrange greens on a platter, tuck the dressed beets and sliced peaches all around. Scatter the herbs. Add a drizzle more of the vinaigrette and give the mixture a gentle toss. Finish with flaky sea salt and lots of black pepper. Serve right away.