Salad with Beets, Avocado, and Prosciutto

Beets are something you either love or hate. Some people think they taste like dirt. (If that’s you, just make this salad without the beets, or better yet, sub orange or grapefruit segments). Others, myself included, can’t believe a vegetable can be so sweet. I grew up eating pickled party beets straight from the can (you know, the ones with the ridges), and while I admit to still loving them, I’ve become a big fan of the non-pickled variety too. Roasting beets is easy (see simple instructions here), but buying them pre-steamed at Trader Joe’s is even easier.

In this salad, beets are paired with creamy avocado, tangy goat cheese, and salty prosciutto. The colors are gorgeous and all the contrasting flavors work beautifully together. Mixing quinoa into your greens is optional, but it does make the salad more filling if you’re serving it as a meal.

Ingredients
For the salad
6 cups mixed greens
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled (optional)
4 slices prosciutto
6 small cooked beets, cut in quarters
2 avocado, peeled, seeded, and sliced
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

For the dressing
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
To make the dressing, whisk together the mustards and honey. Whisk in the vinegar and lemon juice. Slowly stream in the oil, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix together the greens, green onion, and quinoa in a large bowl. Drizzle with about a third of the dressing.

Place the prosciutto on a rimmed baking sheet (line with foil for less clean-up). Broil about 2 minutes a side until crisp. Watch the prosciutto closely—it will burn and set your fire alarm off (not that that’s happened at my house or anything). Let the prosciutto cool slightly and crumble.

When ready to serve, put greens on each plate. Top the greens with the beets, avocado, goat cheese, crumbled prosciutto, and sunflower seeds. Drizzle with remaining dressing.

Serves 4.

Get the printable recipe.