From Giada’s Happy Cooking cookbook, one of my top picks is this Beet, Olive, and Kale Salad made with fresh beets, garlic, Tuscan kale, feta, and olives. This light dinner salad takes roughly 2 hours to prepare and serves 6.

Giada Beet, Olive, and Kale Salad Ingredients

Beets

• 6 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 6 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• ¼ cup of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt

Salad

• 1 orange
• 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small bunch of Tuscan kale, ribs removed, leaves sliced thin
• ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt
• ½ cup of crumbled feta cheese
• ½ cup of Castelvetrano olives, pitted and quartered
• ½ cup of toasted hazelnuts, peeled

How To Make Giada Beet, Olive, and Kale Salad

1. Preheat Your Oven: Set the oven to 350°F and allow it to fully preheat while you prepare the beets.
2. Prepare the Beets for Roasting: On a large piece of aluminum foil, arrange the beets, garlic, thyme, and rosemary in the center. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Fold the foil up and around to tightly seal into a packet, keeping the steam inside.
3. Roast the Beets: Place the foil packet on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for about 1½ hours, or until a knife easily pierces the beets. Let the beets cool until they’re comfortable to handle.
4. Peel and Cut the Beets: Once cooled, use a paper towel or small paring knife to rub off the beet skins. Chop the peeled beets into bite-size pieces and set aside.
5. Prepare the Orange: Use a zester to remove the orange zest and set it aside. Over a bowl, cut away the orange peel and pith, then cut along the membranes to separate each segment. Squeeze the remaining orange core over the bowl to collect any additional juice.
6. Mix the Salad Dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the fresh orange juice, the reserved orange zest, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil. Add the chopped beets to the bowl and toss to coat.
7. Assemble the Salad: Lightly massage the sliced kale with salt, then add it to the bowl with the beets. Gently fold in the feta cheese, olives, and orange segments, tossing everything together. Top with toasted hazelnuts and serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

• Add a splash of lemon juice: Brighten the salad’s flavors by adding a little fresh lemon juice right before serving. It pairs well with the kale and beets.
• Use roasted nuts for added crunch: Toast hazelnuts in a pan over low heat for a few minutes to enhance their crunch and flavor.
• Chill the beets after roasting: For a cold salad, refrigerate the roasted beets for at least an hour before adding them to the other ingredients.
• Massage the kale for tenderness: Rub the kale leaves with a small amount of salt and oil to soften the texture and remove bitterness.
• Add a handful of pomegranate seeds: If in season, sprinkle some pomegranate seeds over the salad for a burst of color and extra sweetness.

Recipe FAQs and Variations

Check out More Giada Recipes:

• Giada Shrimp and Endive Salad
• Giada Soba Noodle Salad
• Giada Lemon Mustard Potato Salad