Recipe: Roasted Beet Salad With Bacon, Figs and Walnuts

If you’re looking for a new autumn salad, try this one from our functional medicine experts. It’s full of flavor — roasted beets, fresh figs and chopped walnuts — nestled on a bed of arugula. It’s great on its own for lunch or paired with roasted chicken for dinner.

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Ingredients

Salad ingredients
2 large beets
½ tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 cup fresh figs, sliced
½ cup walnuts chopped
5 slices bacon (nitrite/nitrate-free)
14 ounces arugula

Dressing ingredients
½ tbsp bacon drippings
2 tbsp Champagne vinegar (white wine vinegar is fine, too)
½ cup walnut oil
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Rinse beets, and pat dry. With a sharp knife, cut each beet into bite-sized cubes. Toss with ½ tablespoon olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper. Place in an oven-safe dish and cover with foil. Roast for 45 minutes, or when fork-tender.
Meanwhile, place figs and walnuts in a bowl and set aside.
Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Reserve a small spoonful of the drippings and set aside to cool. Drain bacon on a couple of layers of paper towels when finished cooking.
When bacon is cool to the touch, chop into bite-sized pieces and add to the fig and walnut mixture. Toss with arugula.
Make dressing. Mix reserved drippings, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper until combined.
Add beets to the mixture and toss to combine. Stream in dressing and toss to combine.
Serve immediately. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.