Go Back

Crushed Beets with Chunky Olive Dressing & Mint

5 from 13 reader reviews
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 -6
Print Recipe Pin On Pinterest Leave Review

Ingredients

  • 6 medium beets (about 800 grams)
  • ½ cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted and chopped
  • 1 small shallot, sliced paper thin
  • 1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons parsley leaves, chopped
  • 1 ripe avocado

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Place the beets in a large pot and cover them with water. Bring the beets to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until very tender, about 30 minutes. Take the beets out of the water with tongs and let them cool a bit on a cutting board.
  • Once cool enough to handle, slip the skins off of the beets. Then, transfer the beets to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Using the bottom of a wide bowl or jar, gently crush the beets until they break off into craggy fragments. The pieces will be all different shapes and sizes and this is okay! Spread the pieces out in an even layer on the baking sheet.
  • Drizzle the crushed beets with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season the beets with salt and pepper. Slide the baking sheet into the oven for 20 minutes, or until the beets have dried out a tiny bit on the surface.
  • While beets are roasting, make the dressing: In a medium bowl, combine the olives, shallot, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining ¼ cup of olive oil, and some ground black pepper. Use a fork to “whisk” and mix it up. Set aside.
  • Transfer the roasted and crushed beets to your serving platter, placing them in one layer.
  • Peel, pit, and dice the avocado, and the scatter the diced pieces evenly over the beets. Quickly stir the mint and parsley leaves into the dressing, and then spoon the dressing over the crushed beets and avocado. Serve immediately!

Recipe Notes

  • You can use those pre-cooked and wrapped beets that you sometimes find at the grocery store. They’re usually soft enough to “crush” right out of the package. My only tip is to let them come to room temperature first.
  • Any type of pitted olive that you like works in this recipe!
  • No need to salt the dressing at all! I know I’m usually very clear about good seasoning, but olives and capers make it salty enough.
Crushed beets with chunky olive dressing is a mega flavourful side dish that’s beautiful in all seasons.