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Beet, Avocado and Pea Salad -Served with sliced avocado and green peas this is a filling and delicious meatless Monday meal. We love the bite of the onions, the creaminess of the avocado and the fresh taste of the peas and pea shoots.
I received my new cookbook written by Yotam Ottolenghi titled Plenty More, Vibrant Vegetable Cooking From London’s Ottolenghi. As with his previous cookbooks once you start reading it’s hard to put it down. The recipes are inspired, the photography is amazing and the food is breathtaking. Over the past week I’ve read myself to sleep each night trying to decide which recipe to make first. This recipe won the toss mostly because I still had a few beets in the garden that needed to be harvested, and this salad is made with pea shoots. Pea shoots are a fascinating garden plant often used in salads and very popular in Britain. I wasn’t sure I could find them in Virginia but the farmer’s market didn’t let me down! There was a vendor selling micro-greens and pea shoots – all organic. Packed with Vitamins A, C, folic acid, and very low in calories, pea shoots taste very fresh and green, with a distinct green pea flavor.
This is a photo from our garden earlier in the summer. The beets were doing well and produced until I pulled them all up yesterday.
With the temperatures dipping into the 40’s, I thought these had probably grown as big as they will get.
Pea shoots are very tender and light but have lots of flavor.
This salad is actually loaded with flavor from the cilantro, mint, avocado and red onion.
The red onions are marinated in a mixture of olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt, pepper, super fine sugar and hot sauce.
The beets are sliced paper thin then blanched in boiling water for just a few minutes.
The beets are then added to the vinegar mixture and set aside while preparing the greens and herbs.
Served with sliced avocado and green peas this is a filling and delicious meatless Monday meal. I loved the bite of the onions, the creaminess of the avocado and the fresh taste of the peas and pea shoots. This is a wonderful and deliciously interesting salad.
Beet, Avocado and Pea Salad
Ingredients
- 4 small or 2 medium beets, peeled and sliced paper-thin
- ½ small red onion, sliced thin
- 1 ½ tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon superfine sugar
- 2 teaspoons Cholula Hot Sauce
- 1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced thin
- ⅓ cup cilantro leaves
- a few mint leaves
- ⅓ cup pea shoots
- ½ cup frozen peas, blanched quickly and rinsed in cold water
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine the olive oil, sherry vinegar, hot sauce, salt, pepper and sugar. Add the sliced onions and toss to coat. Set aside while preparing the beets.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the beets and blanch for 3 to 5 minutes or until semi-cooked. Drain and rinse under cold water. Pat dry and add to the marinating onions. The onions should marinate for at least 15 minutes overall - but 30 minutes is better.
- To serve spread half the beet mixture on a large plate or platter. Top with the avocado, cilantro, mint, pea shoots and peas. Add the remaining beet mixture on top. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
I stopped in the post office the other day and found they offered Celebrity Chef forever stamps. Maybe Ottolenghi will have his face on a stamp one day! Isn’t that so cool! I can’t wait to try another recipe. Happy Monday! Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great week.
Tricia
Orna @ OrnaBakes
Hi Tricia,
Your salad looks gorgeous! I got Plenty More as a gift, and I too have been poring over it, dying to make EVERYTHING! I made the pomegranate and tomato salad last week when I had my in-laws over for dinner and it was a huge hit. (yay) I’m having the in-laws again this Friday, together with my hubby’s whole family, so really want to make something different and yummy! I’m thinking of making this beet, avocado and pea salad as a starter. What do you think? The only thing is I’d like to make as much of it ahead as possible. Why oh why don’t all chefs include make-ahead instructions? I’m thinking I’ll at least blanch the beets the day before or maybe even pickle them. What do you think? Was it a big/messy job? I always seem to bite off more than I can chew! Oh, and I’m thinking I’ll make the Orzo with Eggplant, Mozzarella and Oregano (have you made it?) with Fabio Viviani’s Drunken Chicken (with white wine, lemon and garlic). Thanks for taking the time to share – I so appreciate the effort.
Warmly,
Orna
Tricia Buice
Hi Orna! I am so happy to hear from you. I loved this salad and do think making the beets ahead is a great idea. The pea shoots are very tender and best added at the last minute. I think it would deb a great starter. Pickled beets are a favorite at our house so they would deb good too. I have not made the Orzo with eggplant but need to take another look! Make ahead food is always great when entertaining so I really hope this works out great for you. Simple fresh foods are always terrific so no need to get too fancy! Enjoy and thanks so much for stopping by!
sue/the view from great island
So stunning, Tricia! I swear, all of his recipes are incredibly photogenic, I can’t wait to try this one!
Tricia Buice
I can’t wait to see what you make next! Such a fun chef indeed.
2 Sisters Recipes...by Anna and Liz
Tricia this salad looks delicious and love the ingredients in the dressing- the mint, cilantro and hot sauce- wow so interesting, in deed! We’ll certainly take your word for it! Love the stamps you found. Sweet!
Have a great week! xoxo Anna and Liz
Tricia Buice
Thanks so much!
Monica
Every component of this looks incredible, Tricia! I mean, it truly looks great, but I have a feeling the flavors… from the pea shoots to the avocado, beets, and onions…must taste sensational. It’s amazing how this man can make us swoon over vegetables, and you have done his recipe justice and then some.
Tricia Buice
Isn’t that the truth Monica – swoon is just what happens when I look at his recipes. Thanks!
Kitchen Belleicious
this looks just absolutely wonderful.I love the bright red beets against the green peas and avocado. All the texture and flavors blend perfectly together.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Jessica – the salad really works together well.
tanna
Love beets. And, the combination of avocado, cilantro and mint has to be one of the best in the world, IMHO. 😉 I have never seen pea shoots; I’ll have to be on the lookout. blessings ~ tanna
Tricia Buice
It is an interesting and delicious combination Tanna. Thanks!
Angie@Angie's Recipes
I had a simple beet salad yesterday for the lunch. I love the combination of flavours of your salad and the plating is just so beautiful!
Tricia Buice
I bet your salad was beautiful Angie – they always are an inspiration!
Betty
Such beautiful colors in this salad! Beets are my favorite. 🙂
Tricia Buice
Hey Betty – I love beets too – was thinking about them at breakfast this morning. Hope school is going great
cheri
Hi Tricia, best cookbook yet, I’ve been on such a salad kick lately. Your salad is gorgeous, love all the color.
Tricia Buice
I agree Cheri – can’t wait to see what you make!
Becky Green
This IS a BEAUTIFUL salad Tricia! I agree with Chris, your beets look WONDERFUL! AND your stamps are super too! (I LOVE to find interesting stamps like these!) 😀 BLESSINGS!!!!!!!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Becky – hope you have a wonderful week.
Chris @ The Café Sucré Farine
Tricia, this salad looks like a beautiful piece of art work! I love everything about it. Those beets are gorgeous, how fun to have them growing right in your back yard.
Scott went shopping at Costco one day last week and came home with a surprise for me – Plenty More! I too, have been devouring it. So many wonderful recipes.
You’re so lucky to find pea shoots – it’s funny, as big as Raleigh’s gotten, I’ve yet to find micro greens. Even our Whole Foods doesn’t carry them. We’re definitely behind the times. 🙂
Tricia Buice
It was so much fun to make Chris. That means a lot coming from the salad queen!