When the days begin to shorten and the air gets a little chill, we start craving earthy root vegetables. That’s why we love this recipe for roasted beet, sweet potato and parsnip salad with sweet and spicy pecans. The goat cheese brings out the natural sweetness of the roasted beets, sweet potato, and parsnips, and our sweet and spicy pecans adds a light and buttery crunch. The sherry vinaigrette adds a bright finish and the nuts a sweet and spicy flair to the salad. Keep this roasted root vegetable salad recipe tucked away for a rainy day, but honestly, it’ll also taste great when the sun is shining. Add a grilled chicken breast, salmon fillet, or sliced roast pork loin to make this a perfect meal.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Servings/Yield: 16 Servings

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 medium beets, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped

Salad:

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp sherry wine vinegar
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 cups mixed greens
• 1 cup Santé Sweet and Spicy Pecans
• 1/4 cup finely crumbled goat cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Stir together olive oil, thyme, garlic and salt. Toss beets with 1/3 of the olive oil mixture; toss sweet potatoes and parsnips with remaining mixture. Arrange on two baking sheets in single layer. Roast vegetables, tossing occasionally, for 35 to 40 minutes or until tender (beets may take longer to cook). Let cool to room temperature.

Salad: Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, shallot, mustard and salt; toss with greens. Top with roasted vegetables, pecans and cheese.