Beet Salad with Garlic and Walnuts

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make beet salad with garlic and walnuts? Gather your ingredients. Try to pick a sweet variety of beet — usually the dark-colored kind. The beets should be firm, with no dents or signs of spoilage. You can use pre-shelled walnuts or shell them yourself.

2. Step 2:

   

   Cook the beets. How? You can simply boil them: scrub the beets well with a brush, cover with cold water, and set over medium heat. Once it boils, lower the heat and cook for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on their size. You can also wrap them in foil and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30–40 minutes, or microwave them at full power for 6–8 minutes.

3. Step 3:

   

   Check the beets with a sharp knife — it should slide in easily. Let the cooked beets cool completely, then peel them.

4. Step 4:

   

   Grate the beets on the medium side of a grater. That's my preference, but you can dice them small, cut them into matchsticks, or grate them coarse — whatever you like.

5. Step 5:

   

   Put the grated beets in a bowl. Peel the garlic clove and press it through a garlic press (you can also grate it on the finest side or mince it). Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Go easy — if you're dressing the salad with mayonnaise, remember it's salty too.

6. Step 6:

   

   Grind the walnuts in a mortar, or chop them with a knife. I like them finely chopped so there are no big pieces in the salad, but that's up to you — leave them chunkier if you prefer. It helps to toast the shelled nuts briefly in a dry skillet first; they'll be crunchier and more fragrant.

7. Step 7:

   

   Add the nuts to the bowl, then the mayonnaise. Instead of mayonnaise, you can use sour cream, a mix of mayo and sour cream, or plain yogurt.

8. Step 8:

   

   Serve the salad in a bowl or shaped on a plate with a ring mold. Garnish it with fresh herbs and a few nut pieces. Enjoy!