Name: Crunchy Beet and Cucumber Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 130 min
Ingredients: 2 fresh beets (medium size ); 1 cucumber; 4 tsp sunflower seeds; 2 tsp olive oil; 1 tablespoon mint (fresh ); 2 tbsp Greek Yogurt; 1 clove garlic (fresh, minced ); 2 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tablespoon honey (or maple syrup); 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin ); 1 tablespoon dill (fresh, chopped); Salt and pepper ( to taste)

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

This simple beet and cucumber salad made with dill and creamy Greek yogurt vinaigrette is crunchy and perfect for any occasion.

Crunchy cucumber, roasted beets with fresh herbs, and creamy yogurt dressing make a healthy and delicious salad that can be served as a stand-alone salad or a side dish.

This cucumber beet salad is easy and great when cucumbers and beetroot are in the season. While cucumbers have their peek in summer, beets are available year-round, and winter is the prime time for baby beets. So this salad is the one we make all year.

Beets taste different, and only some people like them. I used to be one of those people, but not anymore. Now, I make dishes that my whole family, even my kids, love beets. We put beetroot powder on yogurt, make juices with beets, pickled beets, beetroot sauce and the kids really enjoy beet chips. They’ve become our favorite snack when we watch movies together.

Why you will love this recipe

Tackles the Earthy Flavor of Beetroot

This dish is perfect for those hesitant about the earthy taste of raw beets but eager to explore. We have two innovations that address the earthy flavor.

Beets naturally have an earthy taste due to geosmin, also found in carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms. Adding lemon to the recipe helps diminish this earthy taste. Additionally, roasting the beets enhances the flavor and adds a crunchy texture that reminds of root chips rather than pieces of veggies.

Nutrient-Rich

Packed with essential vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants from delicious beets and fresh herbs like dill and mint, this recipe offers a nutrient-rich salad packed with sweet, tangy, and salty flavors that please all family members.

All-Year-Round Salad

While perfect when garden cucumbers and beetroots are in season, the beauty of this recipe lies in its adaptability, allowing you to enjoy its deliciousness throughout the year.

This dish is perfect for those who are hesitant about the earthy taste of beets but eager to explore. We have two innovations that address this earthy flavor.

Ingredients to make beet and cucumber salad

Benefits of beets

Raw beets are a nutritional powerhouse packed with essential vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants that support immune function, heart health, and digestion. The nutrition of this beet salad is enriched with nitrates that improve cardiovascular health by dilating blood vessels, which can lead to lower blood pressure.

The problem with them is their earthy taste and soft texture, which only some people like. I started to eat beets when I discovered the roasting process that made them crunchy and tasty. While some recipes call for cooked beets or use canned beets, I vote for freshly roasted beets that improve the taste and texture of beetroot.

The only disadvantage is the timing. This beet and cucumber salad recipe takes only 10 minutes to throw together without roasting it.

Cucumbers

The addition of cucumbers, herbs and yogurt dressing add to the delicious taste and nutrition of this beet salad.

You can use crunchy garden cucumbers when they’re in season or English cucumbers that are also perfect for this salad. The question is whether to peel or use the cucumber with the skin on.

While The fresh cucumber peel contains fiber and certain nutrients, some people enjoy the added crunch and color that the peel provides, while others may find it slightly bitter and prefer a smoother texture without the peel.

English, Lebanese or Persian cucumbers have softer skins that need not be peeled.

Herbs

Dill

Fresh dill has a unique, slightly tangy flavor that complements the earthy, sweet beets and adds a refreshing note to the salad.

Mint

Mint brings a cool, refreshing flavor with a hint of sweetness and a subtle peppery undertone. The combination of mint with cucumber is a classic pairing that enhances the salad’s crispness.

Sunflower seeds

I love to add roasted sunflower seeds or other seeds or nuts to this lovely salad.

Dressing

Whole Milk Greek Yogurt
fresh garlic minced
lemon
honey or maple syrup for plant-based diet to add some sweetness.
extra virgin olive oil or herb infused olive oils
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh dill chopped

Cucumber and beetroot salad recipe

First step: Roast the beets

Peel and cut the fresh beets into ½ cm slices and place the sliced beets on parchment paper in the oven. Drizzle with olive oil (I use a basting brush to cover the beet slices from both sides with olive oil), sprinkle with salt, and bake for about an hour at 200°C.