This roasted beet and fennel salad is the salad for non-salad people. For one, it doesn’t feel like a salad (it’s one of those non-traditional, lettuce-free salads). It’s also packed with fun flavors and textures that are often missing from salads (hi, walnut bread crumbs and juicy oranges!).
It’s light and refreshing and the perfect meal or side dish for warmer weather. At the same time, since the veggies are roasted instead of raw, it’s heartier and more satisfying than your standard salad. It’s great as a side dish, but thanks to the addition of chickpeas and avocados, it also works as lunch or dinner.
If you’re looking for another fabulous not-so-average salad, this Vegan Broccoli Salad is a must-try!
Why you’ll love this salad
Wholesome. This salad is made with several nutritional superstars: fennel (antioxidants, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory compounds), walnuts (omega-3 fatty acids), chickpeas (protein, fiber, and iron), and beets (potassium, iron, fiber, nitrates, antioxidants!).
A salad for non-salad people. While I enjoy traditional lettuce salads, a good salad doesn’t need lettuce! If you’re a salad skeptic, I promise this dish will make you enjoy salads. Or, at least this salad.
Texture heaven. In my Youtube video on how to build a great salad, I mention that one of the best ways to create salads you’ll love is by introducing textural variety. Here, we have crispy textures from the walnut breadcrumbs, creaminess from the avocado chunks, a slight chewiness from the roasted beets and chickpeas, juiciness from the orange pieces, and a slight crunchy crispness from the roasted fennel.
PS: if it’s summer when you’re reading this, one of my favorite texture-heavy recipes to make is this crispy zucchini and corn casserole!
Flavor-packed. If I’m going to share a salad recipe, you better believe it’s a salad brimming with flavor. Here we have slightly earthy yet sweet beets paired with anise-flavored fennel and earthy walnuts, which are all a natural match made in heaven. The tangy citrus vinaigrette makes everything pop, and the fresh herbs (parsley, dill, and fennel fronds) bring a bright herbaceousness.
A mostly “make ahead salad.” The citrus vinaigrette can be made several days in advance and stored in the fridge. Roasted beets can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. And the walnut breadcrumbs can be stored in a jar in the pantry for several weeks. The fennel can also be roasted a couple days in advance and reheated later (in the oven on a baking tray), but I find it’s best the day of roasting.
How to make this salad (step by step photos)
Trim most of the stalks and greens off of the beets, leaving about 2 inches of stalks. Do not cut the skinny tails off. Use the beet greens for another use or add to this recipe (see the “how to use up beet greens” section below).
Add the beets to a baking dish or Dutch oven. Very lightly rub the beets with olive oil and pour water into the pan to go ¼-inch (.6 cm) up the sides.
Cover the pan with its lid or foil and roast at 425°F/218°C until fork tender (time dependent on size of beets; see recipe card for time ranges).
Slice the fennel stalks (reserve stalks for veggie broth or to simmer in soups) and set aside the wispy fronds for the salad.
Cut each fennel bulb into half, vertically; then slice horizontally into rings, about 1/3 to 1/2-inch thick (0.8-1.3 cm).
Transfer fennel to a rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt/pepper. Roast until tender and browned on edges.
Make the walnut bread crumbs. Add the olive oil and finely chopped walnuts to a frying pan. Cook for 90 seconds.
Add the panko bread crumbs and cook 2 minutes. Stir continuously to prevent burning.
Add the Aleppo pepper and flaky salt and briefly cook. Transfer to a plate, spread out, and allow to cool.
Combine the roasted beets, fennel, and chickpeas in a large bowl.
Add the walnut bread crumbs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped parsley, dill, and fennel fronds. Season with sea salt and pepper.
Toss everything to combine.
Add the avocado chunks and chopped oranges (I used cara cara oranges). Gently toss to combine.
Transfer the beet and fennel salad to plates and pour some vinaigrette on each salad just before serving.
How to use up beet greens
If your beets come with greens that look decent, don’t toss them! Especially in late spring and early summer during their first season, beets have delicate greens that are delicious! I learned this from the fabulous Six Seasons cookbook by Joshua McFadden.
Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden
If you like the sound of this salad, you will love the this vegetable-forward cookbook! It’s has plenty of vegan-friendly options and will inspire you to eat more veggies!
Here’s what I like to do with beet greens. Clip them off the beet stalks and wash them (they’re very dirty). Pat dry or use a salad spinner. Then roll up the leaves and slice them thinly into ribbons (like a chiffonade for basil).
Heat up a frying pan over medium heat with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Add the beet greens and sauté for just 3 to 4 minutes, until wilted but not soggy. Season very lightly with salt and pepper. Simple but tasty!
You can add the beet greens to this salad if you like, or serve as a side dish with another meal.
Tips for making this roasted beet and fennel salad
Beets
Don’t slice off the beet tails before roasting. Keeping them intact helps the beets stay juicy inside.
Traditional red beets bleed quite a bit and will stain the rest of the salad ingredients pink. I learned that after making this salad for the first time. There is nothing wrong with this and it doesn’t affect the taste, but as a food photographer, it was impossible to photograph lol (hence, the finished photos use golden beets).
To make the process of slicing and cooking red beets less messy, lightly grease your cutting board and hands with olive oil or a neutral-flavored oil. For why this works, check out this quick video from Nik Sharma, author of The Flavor Equation (another fantastic cookbook). In any event, beet stains will come out of cutting boards easily and will fade from your fingers in a few hours.
Tip: Roast an extra beet and then you can easily make this gorgeous, wholesome Beet Hummus!
Walnut Bread Crumbs
Don’t skip the walnut bread crumbs! It’s what takes this salad from great to fantastics. Plus, they’re quite simple to make. You just need walnuts (finely chopped), panko bread crumbs, Aleppo pepper (or red pepper flakes), and flaky/coarse salt.
You’ll need to finely chop the walnuts – about the size of bread crumbs. This can be done by pulsing them in a food processor (faster but more dishes) or with a knife (slower but fewer dishes).
Keep an eye on the walnuts and stir frequently while cooking them to prevent burning. Once you add the panko, you’ll want to stir almost continuously.
PS: Walnuts are a versatile, heart-healthy ingredient I recommend keeping on hand! Use them in salads like this, in baked goods like these outrageously good vegan banana muffins, or to make vegan bolognese meatier.
Assembly
If you are planning to keep leftovers, assemble the amount you wish to eat now. Then store the components separately. This will preserve the best texture. Storage instructions can be found in the “frequently asked questions” section below. Also, don’t add the avocado to the portion you plan to keep as leftovers (it’ll brown in a day).
Frequently Asked Questions
Instead of using walnuts, use chopped pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds).
In lieu of panko bread crumbs, try gluten-free panko (the Kikkoman brand also sells gluten-free panko). I wouldn’t use regular bread crumbs, as the panko’s light flakiness is what yields the fabulous crispy texture in this salad.
Sure! You can save some time that way.
They are quite similar in terms of nutritional content, but there are slight differences in taste. Red beets are a characteristically a bit earthy (yet still sweet), while golden beets are a tad sweeter. Golden beets also won’t stain your fingers and surfaces :)
Store the leftover components separately to preserve the best texture. Roasted beets, fennel, herbs, and oranges can be combined together. The walnut bread crumbs will stay crispiest if stored separately in a jar at room temperature. Store the dressing in a jar in the fridge. And add the avocado only when ready to eat to prevent premature browning.
If this isn’t possible, at least try to store leftovers undressed and without avocado.
If you give this roasted beet and fennel salad a try, be sure to tag me with you recreations on Instagram and please leave a rating and review below :) It’s always much appreciated!
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.
Roasted Beet and Fennel Salad with Walnut Bread Crumbs
Ingredients
- 3 medium red or golden beets (about 12 to 15 ounces, 340-430g)
- 2 medium fennel bulbs (reserve fronds for salad)
- Extra virgin olive oil (for roasting)
- Kosher salt or sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 small lemon, zested and juiced
- 1/3 cup (38g) raw walnuts, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup (25g) panko bread crumbs**
- ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes)
- ½ teaspoon flaky or coarse sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 cup (160g) cooked chickpeas, (if canned, drained and rinsed)**
- ½ cup (6g) flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup (4g) fresh dill, finely chopped (or fennel fronds)
- 1 medium orange (zest it for the dressing, then peel & cut into bite-sized pieces for the salad)
- 1 large ripe avocado, cut into small chunks
Citrus Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or whole grain mustard, plus more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon sweet or hot paprika
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup (only if needed to balance the tartness)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F/218°C.
- Prep the beets. Trim off the beet greens and most of the stalks (leave some of the stalk intact to prevent beets from “bleeding” in the oven). Do not trim the beet tails (it results in less juicy beets). Wash and scrub the beets clean. Very lightly rub the beets with olive oil.
- Roast the beets. Place the beets in an ovenproof casserole-style or baking dish (or Dutch oven) and pour water into the pan to go ¼-inch (.6 cm) up the sides. Cover the pan with its lid or aluminum foil. Roast for 45-90 minutes, depending on the size of your beets, or until fork-tender. Medium-sized beets usually take 50 to 60 minutes, larger beets up to 90 minutes.
- Roast the fennel (this can be done simultaneously with the beets). Slice the stalks off from the fennel bulbs. Pick off the fronds and reserve. Slice each bulb in half vertically, then slice horizontally into wedges (1/3 to 1/2 inch thick). Toss the wedges with 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a rimmed sheet pan. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the fennel is tender on the inside and browned on the edges. For the fennel fronds, chop 2 to 3 tablespoons worth and set aside for the salad.
- When the beets are cool enough to touch, run them under cool water and peel off the skins (wear gloves if you don’t want to stain your hands). Cut the stems off and discard. Slice the beets thinly into half-moons or thin rounds (if beets are large, thinly slice into quarters).
- Make the walnut bread crumbs. Heat a medium or large frying pan over medium heat. After a minute or two, add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and the chopped walnuts. Cook for 90 seconds, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add the panko and stir continuously for 2 minutes. Add the chili flakes and flaky salt. Cook for another 30 seconds until very aromatic. Take off the heat and transfer to a plate, spread out, and allow to cool.
- Make the citrus vinaigrette. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and paprika to a jar with a lid. Add the reserved lemon zest and the orange zest from the salad to the jar. Screw on the lid and shake until emulsified. Taste for seasonings, adding salt and pepper as needed. If too acidic, add a bit of maple syrup and shake again. You can also add the ingredients to a bowl and whisk until emulsified.
- Assemble the salad. Transfer roasted beets and fennel to a large serving bowl. Add the cooked chickpeas. Add ⅔ to ¾ of the walnut bread crumbs, along with 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, the parsley, dill, and reserved fennel fronds and toss to coat. Season with sea salt and pepper.
- Top with the orange pieces and avocado chunks. Add the vinaigrette and scatter the remaining walnut bread crumbs on top or serve on the side.
Notes
So great! I added a sweet potato and onion
Hi Jessica, it’s great to hear you had success with the recipe. Thanks for the review!
Brought this to a potluck and everyone loved it! Someone even commented that it made all the other food look bad by comparison. Just saying. Delicious nonetheless and great to bring to a Taoist event where alliums are avoided.
Thank you for your lovely comment, Lea! It makes us happy to know that everyone enjoyed the recipe.
Wow, this is superb! A great way to use up this week’s CSA, I added some lettuce mix, otherwise I made it as written, great flavors!
Hi Megan, we’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
This is beautiful and bright and perfect for summer! The flavors interact together so well. I did a grocery pick up order and received bok choy and grapefruit rather than fennel and oranges. It still turned out AMAZING. 10000/10 😍
Hi Victoria, Thank you so much for such a fantastic review! Appreciate you taking the time!
This recipe is SO GOOD and so addictive, that I have somehow found the time to make it three times in the past two weeks, and that is saying a lot considering I am the mother of a two year old and a newborn! My two year old loves it, and so does everyone else. I spread this recipe around like it’s gospel. I think I’ll make it again tomorrow. :) Thank you, Nisha, for making it so easy to eat so well!
Hi Audrey, thank you for such a fantastic review! It’s so awesome to hear this recipe is such a hit with you and your whole family :)
Delicious! Such an amazing flavor! The dressing toned down the earthiness of the beets which is wonderful.
Had to modify to fit what I had on hand and it was still fantastic.
Thank you for your lovely comment, Molly! It makes us happy to know that you enjoyed the recipe.
This may be the best salad I’ve ever had. It’s so refreshing and interesting in flavour and texture, and quite simple to make (ahead). I needed it as a lighter side dish for Christmas so I omitted the chickpeas. The oranges balance out the earthiness of the beets perfectly, the fennel brings a beautiful aroma, and the crumble a satisfying crunch. I used pumpkin seeds instead of walnuts due to allergies, it worked really well!
We’re over the moon to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Tina. Thanks for your kind words! :)
I made this today (Christmas Eve) and it was absolutely delicious. A perfect blending of textures and tastes.
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Deborah!
It sounds cliche, but this is the best recipe I have ever made. The flavors go together so well and its so delicious that I think I’m eating in a gourmet restaurant. Thanks Nisha, you are a wizard.
Hi Scott, we’re thrilled to hear you’re such a fan of this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
Love this recipe !!!❤️❤️❤️. So much flavor and the different textures! Everyone that i have made this for always wants me to make it again, thank you so much!
Hi Judue, we’re so happy you enjoyed this recipe and we’re looking forward to you trying even more! :) Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe.
This is such a delicious and gourmet salad! All the ingredients worked so well together and tasted extra special and amazing. It looks beautiful as well and your pictures are gorgeous! Thanks so much! We love all your other recipes as well and always look forward to seeing and making whatever you come up with!
Your positive feedback is the best reward for our hard work. Thank you, S! :)
I absolutely love this recipe (as did my family)! I prepared the veggies and dressing in advance, so I could quickly throw it together for lunch.
Hi Savannah, Thank you so much for such a fantastic review! Appreciate you taking the time!
This tastes so gourmet! Every bite is so complex, and the fresh herbs add a wonderful flavour. The citrus vinaigrette leaves a very pleasant aftertaste. I think I’ll add more chickpeas next time though, cause they give a nice texture to the salad.
This was amazing! It is so fresh and herby, the fresh herbs are absolutely needed in my opinion. I made a couple substitutions I used gluten-free bread crumbs and it tasted just as good to me. I also used great white beans as that was what I had on hand. Plus I made a lemon and orange loaf with my left over lemon juice and the citrus zest. This recipe is perfect for this time of year between winter and spring.
Hi Connie, we’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the salad! And thank you for sharing your substitutions :)
Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
Incredible recipe!!! Absolutely incredible!! Everyone LOVED it and wanted the recipe. I didn’t have avocado and used mandarins instead of cara cara. I only used golden beets and it was amazing on day 2. The beet leaves were not in great shape but next time I’ll try that as well. Thank you for this.
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Janie! We are so glad you loved the recipe.