This 7-Layer Beet Salad is a stunner! Studded with cooked beets, supremed oranges, chopped pistachios, creamy truffle ricotta, and a bit of fresh mint. So fresh, so good!
And, not to brag, but I’ve been doing that really well by way of this beet salad for the last few weeks.
In This Post: Everything You Need For This 7-Layer Beet Salad
This salad is beautiful and ridiculous. It’s a bit of a nod to the old-school creamy 7-layer salads and dips, but this time with, well, um, beets.
Our 7 layers:
- Truffle ricotta.
- Massaged kale.
- Beets.
- Oranges.
- Pistachios
- Shallots.
- Mint.
It’s fresh in just the right kind of way for January – like when you want that revitalized feeling that comes from actually eating and truly enjoying vegetables, but you also need it to be absolutely substantial and satisfying. Maybe we CAN have it all?
You can plate this salad up individually and swipe through it with a piece of soft focaccia – which is what I’m often having for a throw-it-together lunch these days. Or, you can do as I also often do, which is serving this family-style as a side for whatever else you have going on for dinner.
Lunch for the stay-at-home mom – it works.
Dinner parties – it works.
A casual side for Tuesday dinner – it works.
Midnight snack – I mean, I’m not above it.
7-Layer Beet Salad: Frequently Asked Question
Can I use something besides ricotta?Yes! Try full fat plain yogurt instead. If you want a dairy-free option, use an almond-based product like Kite Hill dip or spread instead.
What kind of beets do you buy?It’s easiest to use pre-cooked beets (Love Beets brand is perfect and sold at many grocery stores); otherwise, you can steam your own beets. Red or golden beets can work in this salad!
How do you cut your oranges?To do what’s called “supreme an orange”, cut the bottom off so it rests flat on your cutting board. Then cut around the sides to remove the peel and white layer. Finally, cut the centers into rounds.
Description
This 7-Layer Beet Salad is a stunner! Studded with cooked beets, supremed oranges, chopped pistachios, creamy truffle ricotta, and a bit of fresh mint. So fresh, so good!
- Massage kale with a bit of the dressing to soften it. Trust me – it will taste way better.
- Cut the beets, oranges, and shallots.
- Spread a little bit of your creamy element onto the serving platter. If this is a salad for one, I would use about 3 tablespoons. If it’s a salad for 4-6, I would use more like 1/2 cup.
- Layer the rest of the 6 ingredients: massaged kale, beets, oranges, shallots, pistachios, and herbs. Finish with olive oil, salt, and pepper if you want. I love this salad with a hunk of good focaccia.
Notes
I like the simple green salad dressing for this – I think it works perfectly on the kale. The Maple Balsamic dressing from Trader Joe’s is a bit more on the creamy side and also works great.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Chop
- Cuisine: American
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How Do You Serve This?
Individual Beet Salads
I’ve been doing this for my lunches! I got all my elements cut up and prepped in the fridge, and then every day I just layer myself a nice 7-layer beet salad on a plate for lunch. Easy.
If this is going to be a stand-alone meal, I’d recommend serving it with some good bread for swooping through all the layers. I like the rosemary focaccia from Kowalski’s. No, that’s a lie, I LOVE it. Best lunch ever.
Family Style Beet Salad / Beet Salad for the Whole Table
Just do the same thing, but build on a much larger platter and use a lot more of everything. 🙂
This makes an awesome dinner party salad because it’s so beautiful. Just let guests use a spoon to scoop servings onto their plates.
Or, if you are very casual and just eating it at home with your spouse for dinner, you just both take a fork and devour it off the same plate. Not that I have done that.
How Do You Cook Your Beets and/Or Where Do You Buy Them?
Buying Them Pre-Cooked
For the sake of time, I almost always buy the Love Beets brand pre-cooked beets, which are sold in the refrigerated produce section.
Locally, I buy them at Cub Foods or Kowalski’s. Still waiting for my Target to start carrying them!
Cooking Them Yourself
If you’re using fresh beets, YUM. We made a lot of fresh beets this summer with beets from our CSA and they are so buttery and delicious. I cooked mine in the Instant Pot! Just steamed them for about 20 minutes and then pulled the skins off once they were cooked. Easy peasy.
Orange Options
How Do You Cut the Oranges Like That?
I use a knife and a cutting board – I cut the bottom off so I can set it flat, then I cut around the sides to remove the peel and the white outer layer so what you’re left with is just the juicy center. Then I cut the center into little rounds!
Using Other Types of Oranges
I’ve made this a lot with Cara Cara oranges – I love the pink on the plate! SO pretty. I would highly recommend using (or at least trying) those if you can find them!
In these photos and in the written recipe, I just used regular oranges as they are easier to find year-round.
The Ricotta / Creamy Element Discussion
Truffle Ricotta vs. Not
I love truffle, so obviously that’s a yes from me. I bought my truffle ricotta (it’s actually something of a dip) from ALDI. Highly recommend with rosemary crackers, dolloped on pasta, and smeared on a plate for building this salad. It’s good with so many things.
If you’re sensitive to / don’t like truffle, regular ricotta will work great.
Can I Use Something Besides Ricotta?
Yes – you can also use plain yogurt! Full fat works best since it’s thicker.
Goat cheese would be a different eating experience since there would be no swooping, but also good. Just crumble it over the top!
If you’re dairy free, I think you’ll still love this salad without the plate shmear. Or I would recommend trying one of the dairy-free brand creamy dips or alternative products, like Kite Hill. That way you can still experience the creamy, scoopy deliciousness.
Other Recipes That I Love With Beets
Tomato Avocado Salad with Edamame
I love summer salads like this Tomato Avocado Salad with Edamame that has an amazing cumin-lime vinaigrette! And did you know that edamame is low in net carbs and high in protein!
PIN Tomato Avocado Salad with Edamame to try it later!
This tasty Tomato Avocado Salad with Edamame is something I’d love to make over and over in the summer when fresh tomatoes are so good. And both edamame and avocado are healthy foods that always feel like a treat!
I first made this recipe years ago when frozen edamame was only available in the shell, at least at the stores where I shopped. But now I can get shelled edamame at Kroger near me, and they make it much easier to get this on the table. And recently I came across this recipe back in the archives and got inspired to make it again, and I think the new photos really show off the deliciousness of this combination!
If you’ve enjoyed edamame as an appetizer in a sushi restaurant, I bet you’ll enjoy them in this salad. And if you’re lucky enough to have fresh garden tomatoes, that will only make the salad better!
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
What is Edamame?
Edamame is the name for immature soybeans that are shelled out of the pod and then eaten, and they’re a favorite appetizer with Asian food. You can probably find shelled edamame, which I do highly recommend, and they are often sold frozen, near the frozen vegetables.
Is Edamame high in carbs?
Edamame does have some carbs, but it’s also very high in fiber. One cup of shelled edamame has about 13.8 carbs, but 8 grams of fiber, and edamame is also high in protein. Check out the nutritional information for edamame and you might be surprised.
How to store avocado so it stays good longer:
I used to look longingly at those big bags of avocados at Costco but never buy them because I couldn’t use that many avocados before they went bad. Then I learned that once avocados are ripe, if you keep them in the fridge they last for days and days without getting any softer. I wish I remembered who told me about this, because that bit of avocado storage information has changed my life.
How to Make Tomato Avocado Salad with Edamame:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Dice the avocados, put in a bowl, then add fresh lime juice and stir until avocado pieces are all coated with lime.
- Drain thawed edamame into a colander placed in the sink. Pat dry with paper towels if needed.
- I took a photo of the edamame in a measuring cup to show you that a 12 oz. bag of frozen shelled edamame made almost exactly two cups of shelled edamame.
- Cut tomatoes in half so you have 2 cups of tomatoes.
- Slice green onions, more or less to taste.
- For an easy dressing I whisked together lime juice, olive oil, ground cumin, Spike Seasoning, and Vege-Sal (links are affiliate links).
- I love this dressing with lots of lime, but taste after you mix the dressing and see if you want to add a bit more olive oil.
- Mix together tomato and edamame and toss with the dressing. (You might not need all the dressing.)
- Then mix in avocado.
- Serve salad right away.
- This was surprisingly good when it had been in the fridge overnight, although I don’t think it would last more than one day.
Make it a Low-Carb Meal:
I would definitely eat this Tomato Avocado Salad with Edamame as just a whole-meal salad for a light lunch, but it would make a geat side dish for something like Grilled Fish with Lemon and Capers, Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Vegetables, or Marinated Grilled Flank Steak.
More Salads with Avocados
If you’re an avocado fan like I am, check out 26 Amazing Salads with Avocado.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 small avocados
- 1 T fresh lime juice
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 12 oz. frozen shelled edamame (see notes)
- 1/2 cup sliced green onion
Cumin-Lime Vinaigrette
- 4 T fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. Spike Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. Vege-Sal (or salt)
- 3 T extra-virgin olive oil (more or less to taste)
Instructions
- Dice the avocados into a bowl, then add fresh lime juice and stir until avocado pieces are all coated with lime. (This keeps the avocado from turning brown
- Thaw frozen edamame overnight in the fridge, then drain into a colander placed in the sink. I would pat them dry with paper towels after they dry,
- Cut cherry or grape tomatoes in half until you have enough to make 2 cups of tomatoes. (Or use diced fresh garden tomatoes if you have some!
- Slice about 1/2 cup of green onion, more or less to taste
- Whisked together lime juice, olive oil, ground cumin, Spike Seasoning, and Vege-Sal (or a slightly smaller amount of salt) to make the dressing.\
- I loved this dressing with lots of lime, but taste after you mix the dressing and see if you want to add a bit more olive oil
- Mix together tomato and edamame and toss with the desired amount of dressing
- Then gently mix in the chopped pieces of avocado
- Serve salad right away, although this was surprisingly still quite good when it had been in the fridge overnight.
Notes
Twelve ounces of frozen shelled edamame is about 2 cups.
Recipe created by Kalyn.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 198Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 263mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 6gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Did you make this recipe?
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Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Tomato Avocado Salad with Edamame is a great option for low-carb or Keto diets with only 5 net carbs per serving! All the ingredients here do have some carbs, but they’re also loaded with nutritional benefits, and edamame has lots of fiber so it’s low in net carbs. This is also good or for any phase of the original South Beach Diet, although it might be a bit of a splurge on fat for South Beach.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Salad Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type index pages to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This favorite salad with tomato, avocado, and edamame was first posted in 2009, probably with a photo that would make me shudder now. The recipe was last updated in 2023, with greatly improved photos and more information.
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Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
- Calories N/A
- Total Fat N/A
- Saturated Fat N/A
- Cholesterol N/A
- Sodium N/A
- Total Carbohydrates N/A
- Protein N/A
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