Vibrant radicchio salad topped with roasted beets and garlic, candied walnuts, and creamy, lemony cashew ricotta dressing. An elegant, colorful side dish perfect for the holidays and beyond! Ready in 30 minutes!
Heat oven to 425 degrees F (218 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add cashews to a small bowl and cover with very hot water. Soak for 10 minutes.
Add sliced beets and chopped garlic to the prepared baking pan and toss in a bit of oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 10-15 minutes, or until the beets are caramelized and the garlic is golden brown (being careful not to burn).
In the meantime, add walnuts to a skillet (we prefer cast iron) and heat over medium heat to toast for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, being careful not to burn. Then add maple syrup, coconut sugar, salt, and cinnamon and toss to combine. Turn off heat and allow to cool in the pan.
In the meantime, prepare dressing. Drain cashews and add to a small blender (we use this small spice grinder that also has a cup for blending small-batch sauces) along with other dressing ingredients.
Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more garlic for zing, lemon for acidity, salt to taste, or nutritional yeast for cheesiness. It should be zingy, salty, and lemony with a bit of cheesiness. It needs to be quite flavorful, so don’t be shy!
Add radicchio to a serving bowl or platter and toss with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Then add cashew dressing and toss to coat.
Top with roasted beets, garlic, and candied walnuts. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve.
Best when fresh. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. It’s best if the candied walnuts are stored separately (2-3 weeks at room temperature). Not freezer friendly.
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Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with avocado oil and without optional ingredients. *Prep time does not reflect additional prepping that takes place while roasting beets and cooking walnuts. It all happens in about 30 minutes. *Recipe adapted from my dear friend, Barrett. *Cashew ricotta adapted from Simple Veganista.