Cyril Lignac's Vibrant Beet Salad: A Nutritious, Flavor-Packed Summer Recipe

Soft and sweet beets are the ultimate vegetable for sunny summer days. Versatile enough for raw salads, chilled veloutés, quick pickles, or pan-roasting, this ruby-red root vegetable excels whether enjoyed raw or cooked. Renowned French chef Cyril Lignac highlights their impressive nutritional profile—rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—making them ideal as temperatures rise. Many encounter beets through pre-cooked versions, which can surprise with their earthy depth. Fortunately, Lignac's expert recipe transforms them into a standout dish.

Chef Cyril Lignac's Pro Tips for Perfectly Cooked Beets

Recently on RTL radio, celebrity chef Cyril Lignac shared his foolproof method for cooking beets. Opt for small raw beets, then cook them en papillote (foil-wrapped) for tender results and effortless peeling. Trim the tops, place on aluminum foil, season with salt, sugar, and pepper, add a splash of water, seal tightly, and bake at 190°C for 1 hour.

Cyril Lignac's Beet Salad Recipe

For 4 servings, you'll need:

• 4 medium-sized beets
• 1 glass of water
• Aluminum or parchment paper
• 2 Greek yogurts
• 1/2 lemon
• A few mint leaves
• Coriander
• A few peanuts or pecans
• Olive oil
• White balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. honey
• Sugar
• Salt and pepper
• 4 slices of white bread

Step-by-step preparation:

1. On a cutting board, remove the tops from the beets.
2. Lay each beet on a sheet of aluminum foil, add a pinch of salt, sugar, and a little pepper. Add a little water and close the aluminum foil in foil.
3. Bake in the oven at 190°C for 1 hour.
4. While cooking, wash and chop the mint, coriander, and peanuts, then pour them into a container. Add the Greek yogurts and lemon juice. Mix then reserve in the fridge.
5. Once the beets are cooked, let them cool by opening the foil and then peel them. With this type of cooking, the skin should come off easily.
6. Cut the beets into small pieces. Reserve.
7. In a bowl, prepare the vinaigrette by mixing the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and honey.
8. In a dish, place the beets, season them with the vinaigrette. Lay the yogurt sauce on top and a slice of toasted bread at the last moment. Enjoy!

Also read:

Guacamole by Cyril Lignac: an easy-to-make and very tasty recipe ("It's spicy and fresh as we like it!")

Cyril Lignac's pasta salad: an easy to make and very tasty recipe ("With the pesto rosso sauce, it’s a delight!")

Brioche by Cyril Lignac: a very easy recipe to make ("It's ultra soft and stringy, a treat!")