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Emma Christensen
Emma Christensen
Emma is a former editor for The Kitchn and a graduate of the Cambridge School for Culinary Arts. She is the author of True Brews and Brew Better Beer. Check out her website for more cooking stories
updated May 2, 2019
summer
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Golden beets, red onions, barley and wilted chard stems are tossed with a quick lemony dressing and topped with a sprinkle of salty feta.
Serves8 to 10Makesabout 10 cupsreviews
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This colorful salad is an oldie but goodie, and a variation of another favorite of mine, my Roasted Beet and Barley Salad. I love the bright pops of golden beets and red onions mixed in with the barley and wilted chard stems. It’s all tied together with a quick lemony dressing and topped with a sprinkle of salty feta.
Golden beets are sweeter and less earthy-tasting than the red beets with which most of us are familiar. They’re great for getting reluctant beet-eaters hooked! You cook them just as you do for red beets, and as a bonus, they won’t stain your hands purple. I love rainbow chard in this recipe (even more color!), but if your beets come with the greens still attached, you can substitute the beet greens for all or part of the chard.
I’m also not going to lie: this recipe takes a little time to come together. With the beets baking, the barley simmering, and the chard cooking on the stovetop, there’s a lot of multitasking going on. But on the flip side, you make a lot of salad. It’s enough to feed a crowdor to keep in the fridge for quick lunches and dinners all week long.
This beet salad is a fantastic side for just about anything. On its own, I love it as a light lunch with a hunk of good sourdough bread. Either way you go, this salad is a winner.
Tester’s Notes:
I have to tell you that I love this salad just as much now as when I first made it over four years ago. Maybe more. There are so many good flavors and textures going on that I find myself going back to the bowl to serve myself one more scoop…and then another. The lemon dressing really does bring it all together. You add a little lemon with the chard leaves and a little more in the dressing, so there’s a pleasant tartness and freshness in every bite. It’s just right.
This recipe is basically unchanged from when I wrote it. I re-arranged a few steps — it still takes some time in the kitchen to bring the salad together, but the process is a little more streamlined now. –Emma
Golden beets, red onions, barley and wilted chard stems are tossed with a quick lemony dressing and topped with a sprinkle of salty feta.
Makes about 10 cups
Serves 8 to 10
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 4
medium golden beets, tops removed (see Recipe Note)
- 1 cup
dried pearl barley
- 3/4 teaspoon
kosher salt, divided, plus more for seasoning
- 1/2
large red onion, minced (about 1 cup)
- 1 bunch
rainbow Swiss chard (about 1 pound)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 tablespoons
freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
- 4 ounces
feta cheese, crumbled, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 450°F. Loosely wrap the beets in aluminum foil. Roast until they are just fork tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the barley, soak the onions and prepare the chard.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the barley and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the barley is tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the barley and return it to the pan. Cover with a clean dishtowel until ready to use. Place the onions in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside to soak for at least 30 minutes.
Wash the chard and pat dry, but leave some moisture clinging to the leaves.Strip off the leaves, stack them in a pile, and slice them crosswise into 1/2-inch ribbons; set aside. Dice the stems into small bite-sized pieces and set aside.
When the beets are ready, set aside until cool enough to handle. Peel and dice the beets into 1/2-inch cubes.
Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chard stems and a pinch of salt and sauté until they start to turn translucent around the edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the chard leaves, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and a big pinch of salt. Continue to cook, stirring gently, until the leaves are bright green and wilted, 4 to 5 minutes more. If the pan is very dry, add a few tablespoons of water so the chard can keep steaming; set aside.
Drain the red onion from the soaking water and place in a large bowl. Add the beets, barley, and chard. Let everything cool to room temperature.
Stir in the feta. Whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Drizzle over the salad and stir to evenly coat all the ingredients. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve family-style in a large bowl or in individual bowls with extra feta sprinkled over the top.
Recipe Notes
Using beet greens: If your beets come with their tops still attached, you can substitute them for all or part of the chard.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
(Images: Emma Christensen)
Filed in:
autumn
Cheese
greens
Ingredient
Keeps Well
Lunch
