From Market to Table: A Winter Salad in Portugal
I walked along the ocean after lunch with a dear friend, the sun on my face, a cool breeze threading through my hair, the sound of life all around me. Waves crashing in wide, steady rhythms. The high-pitched giggles of children chasing one another across the sand.
One thing I love most about Portugal is the color. The sky feels bluer here. The buildings are washed in soft pastels, topped with terra-cotta tiled roofs. Palm fronds sway overhead, all green and movement.
On weekends, I wander through the mercado, not just to shop, but to look, smell, and touch. To feel inspired. I ask myself, What do I want to bring home with me today?
This week, I turned a corner and stopped short at a crate of enormous, ruby red beets, still dusted with the soil they had been pulled from only hours earlier. This is what I want to see — not pristine, sanitized vegetables, but food that still remembers the earth. I knew immediately what I wanted to make.
Next came the oranges. In a market this big, there are dozens of choices, so I picked the ones that felt heavy in my hands, with skins that had a little give and a fragrant aroma. While waiting to pay the farmer, I spotted a bundle of mint and a small head of radicchio — bitter, bright, perfect.
Food is beautiful to me. Produce, especially, feels like art. These simple ingredients are a humble masterpiece in the making. A salad may not sound like much, but what nature offers us is astonishing: the soil, the seed, the leaves and blossoms, the sun that warms them, the rain that nourishes them. This is such an honest form of creation.
Oddly enough, I’m not a perfectionist in the kitchen. I love the irregular edges, the small messes, the way a dish carries the quiet evidence of care. That patina is where the passion and respect for the art live.
And this salad, roasted beets with fresh orange, radicchio, mint, and pistachio dukkah, is exactly that kind of food. Simple. Imperfect. Gorgeous.
Why This Roasted Beet, Orange and Mint Salad Is So Good for You
Beets
Beets support circulation and blood flow thanks to their natural nitrates. They’re rich in folate, potassium, and antioxidants that help manage inflammation and oxidative stress.
Oranges
Fresh oranges provide vitamin C, hydration, and natural sweetness that brightens the earthy depth of beets while supporting immune health through the winter months.
Radicchio
That gentle bitterness does more than balance flavor. Bitter greens stimulate digestion, support liver function, and help your body absorb nutrients from the rest of the meal.
Mint
Cooling and calming, mint keeps this salad feeling light while offering subtle digestive support.
Pistachios & Seeds
They bring healthy fats, plant protein, minerals like magnesium and zinc — plus the crunch that turns a simple salad into something you crave.
Olive Oil & Citrus Vinaigrette
This fresh dressing helps your body absorb fat-soluble nutrients from the vegetables, turning a beautiful plate into a deeply nourishing one.
Roasted Beet, Orange and Mint Salad
Ingredients
- 3 medium beets peeled and cut into wedges
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
Pistachio Dukkah
- ¼ cup pistachios
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- pinch chili flakes
- pinch salt
Orange-Maple Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- Zest from ½ orange
- 1½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoon grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
- pinch salt and black pepper
Salad Assembly
- 2 oranges peeled and sliced or segmented
- 1 small head radicchio torn into bite-size pieces
- ½ cup fresh mint torn
Optional
- 2 Medjool dates thinly slivered
- Crumbled goat cheese
Instructions
Roast the Beets
- Toss beets with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 200°C / 400°F for 20-30 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized.
Make the Pistachio Dukkah
- Toast pistachios, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and chili flakes together in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until fragrant. Cool slightly, then crush and season with salt.
Make the Dressing
- Whisk olive oil, orange juice, zest, vinegar, maple syrup, grain mustard, shallot, salt and pepper until emulsified.
Assemble
- Spread radicchio on a platter or plate. Nestle warm beets, orange sections, and mint through the leaves. Drizzle with vinaigrette, scatter with pistachio dukkah, mint, and optional dates and goat cheese.
Nutrition
You may also like:
Kale, Purple Cabbage and Curried Pineapple Salad
Honey Miso Salmon on Greens
Macho Salad with Cornbread Croutons
Discover more from A Nourished Life by Eva Marie
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