Beet and Mango Salad with Walnuts

My Beet and Mango Salad with Walnuts is a a gorgeous fusion of savoury and sweet, enhanced with a delicate dressing. It is an homage to an appetizer salad I discovered at a restaurant called Galleria in Cambridge, England back in 2018.

The Galleria is an independent restaurant located at the foot of Magdalen Bridge with lovely views over both St John’s and Magdalen College. The menu is modern fusion, so you can enjoy everything from Moroccan and Indian inspired dishes, to innovative seafood, delicious pasta and great steak. I’ve eaten at The Galleria on many occasions since that first visit over three years ago, and I order this salad almost every time.

While beets and mango may sound like an unlikely combination, they really do work together deliciously. The first time I ordered the Beet and Mango Salad, the dressing was a sun-dried tomato and olive oil dressing. On subsequent occasions, the dressing had pesto in it instead (pictured below).

Recreating Beet and Mango Salad with Walnuts

I liked both these dressings but I decided I’d like to switch things up a little as I love a good Balsamic Vinaigrette. The sweet balsamic vinegar perfectly compliments the flavours of the mango and the beets, without venturing anywhere near pickled beet territory, something I was keen to avoid.

For those of you traumatised by the memory of being forced to eat pickled beets during school lunches, please be assured that the beets in this salad are simply roasted, chilled and sliced. There’s no vinegar involved, until it comes to the dressing, and then it’s sweet Balsamic, which doesn’t really taste like vinegar at all.

I tend to cheat and use pre-cooked beets that I can buy in the supermarket, but it’s easy enough to roast beets yourself. If I do this, I roast a lot at a time as they keep well in the fridge.

Beet and Mango Salad with Walnuts is Good for You

My Beet and Mango Salad with Walnuts is full of healthy ingredients. Beets and mango contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre, as do walnuts, which also contain omega-3 fats. Pomegranates are considered a super food, a rich source of antioxidants equal to green tea and red wine, and they also contain potassium. If, like my husband, you do not care for pomegranate seeds, you don’t have to use them. However I love the colour they add to the salad, as well as their bright, juicy flavour.

Perfect for Entertaining

Beet and Mango Salad with Walnuts and a Balsamic Vinaigrette makes a wonderful light lunch for two or an elegant starter for four. You can make the recipe up to where you add the beets ahead of time. Be sure to add the beets just before serving, or their colour will ‘weep’ into rest of the salad and spoil the look of it.

Is This Recipe Gluten Free?

Provided you use authentic Balsamic Vinegar, this recipe is gluten free.

Beet and Mango Salad with Walnuts – Printable Recipe

Created by: April J Harris

Beet and Mango Salad with Walnuts

Course Appetizer, Salad

Cuisine British

Servings 4

Beet and Mango Salad with Walnuts is an appetizer salad featuring a fusion of savoury and sweet flavours, enhanced with a delicate dressing.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 4 cups bite size pieces of mixed lettuces 4 cups is about a large bowlful of lettuce pieces
• 8 medium cooked beets, peeled and cooled Beets are called "beetroot" in the UK
• 1 mango, peeled and thinly sliced
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds These are optional but I love the colour they add.
• For the dressing:
• 2 tablespoons good Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon runny honey
• a generous pinch of salt
• freshly ground pepper

Instructions

• Put the lettuce and half the walnuts in a bowl.
• Shake the Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil, honey, salt and pepper together in a jar.
• Drizzle half the dressing over the salad and toss.
• Divide the dressed lettuce and walnuts between 4 medium plates.
• Cut the beetroot into slices or small chunks, depending on what you prefer.
• Arrange the beetroot and mango slices on top of the dressed lettuce and walnuts.
• Scatter the salads with the remaining walnuts and the pomegranate seeds.
• Serve with the remainder of the dressing on the side.

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