Pink Salad

Pink Salad

We make this Pink Salad whenever we want something that looks absolutely stunning on the table without having to say a single word about it being plant-based. The roasted beetroot turns everything this gorgeous, deep pink colour and people genuinely cannot believe it. You've got sweet roasted sweet potato, crispy chickpeas, and all that earthy beetroot working together in a way that just feels really satisfying. It's one of those salads that actually fills you up, which we think is how all salads should be. Give this one a go tonight and I promise it'll be on your regular rotation by the weekend.

Cook: 50 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 200°C
  • 2x large baking trays
  • Powerful blender
  • Large mixing bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 50g pine nuts toasted
  • 3 spring onions
  • 1 bag of chopped kale
  • 1 bag of rocket
  • 1 x 400g can of chickpeas drained
  • 2 large sweet potatoes
  • olive oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 80ml almond milk
  • 1 pack of vacuum beetroot
  • Pinch of salt
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 small garlic clove

Method

1

Roast the beetroot

  • Peel and roughly chop the beetroot
  • Place the beetroot chunks into a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt
  • Mix well and roast for about 30-35 minutes, or until soft
  • Once roasted, remove from the oven and leave to one side to cool until needed
2

While the beetroot is roasting

  • Cut the sweet potato into chunks and place into a baking tray
  • Drain the chickpeas and add to the baking tray
  • Drizzle with olive oil, 1 teaspoon of paprika and a pinch of salt
  • Mix well until all of the sweet potatoes are coated in the oil and roast for 30-35 minutes until soft
3

Make the salad dressing

  • Place the roasted beetroot into a powerful blender, add the rest of the salad dressing ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy - adding a dash more almond milk if needed until you reach the consistency you like the best
4

Make the salad

  • Finely slice the spring onions
  • Place the kale into a large mixing bowl and add a drizzle of olive oil
  • Rub with your hands to soften
  • Add the roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas, sliced spring onions and pine nuts to the bowl and mix well
5

Time to serve

  • Spoon the salad into a large serving bowl and drizzle over the pink salad dressing, serve straight away or mix well until all of the dressing coats the salad

Tips & Variations

  • Get ahead on the roasting: The beetroot takes 30-35 minutes so get it in the oven first before you do anything else. It frees you up to prep everything else while it does its thing.
  • Don't skip the cooling time: We know it's tempting to rush but letting the roasted beetroot cool a little before assembling stops it wilting everything else in the bowl. Five minutes makes a real difference.
  • Wear an apron: Beetroot will stain absolutely everything. Hands, chopping board, your favourite shirt. You have been warned, trust us on this one.

Why This Works

The trick here is roasting the beetroot and sweet potato separately so they each get properly caramelised rather than just steaming each other in the oven. That roasting time is doing a lot of heavy lifting, bringing out a natural sweetness that you just don't get from raw or boiled veg. The chickpeas going in as well means every mouthful has a bit of crunch and protein, which is what takes this from a side dish to something genuinely filling.