| Food style by: Florentina | Food Photo by: MihaMatei.com |
Add On Ideas:
- balsamic roasted figs
- candied walnuts or pecans
- sliced green apples
- roasted tomatoes
- goat cheese & pomegranate seeds
- toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds
- dried cranberries & goji berries
- arugula leaves
- toasted hemp seeds (<–amazon affiliate)
- add a couple of tablespoon of poppy seeds to the dressing
Note worthy: If you can’t find the Blood Orange Olive Oil in your local grocery store, you can order it here from amazon (affiliate)
The best fall inspired salad recipe highlighting autumn produce like roasted butternut squash, beets and brussel sprouts on a bed of heirloom black rice dressed in a citrusy blood orange vinaigrette.
- 1 butternut squash - medium size
- 1 lb brussel sprouts
- 1 orange -zested
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp blood orange olive oil
- 2 tsp lemon juice + more to taste
- 2 tsp sea salt + more to taste
- 2 red beets -medium
- 3 sprigs fresh basil
- 2 tbsp edible flowers (optional for garnish)
- 2.5 oz honey goat cheese -optional
- 1.5 c black rice
- 2.5 c water
- 1 leaf bay
- 2 strips orange peel
- 1 pinch sea salt
- Preheat your oven to 400”F with a large cast iron skillet on the bottom rack.
Rinse and scrub the beets well and wrap them loosely in aluminum foil, making sure to leave a little opening for the steam to escape. Place them on a rimmed tray in the preheated oven for 45 mins to 1 hour until softened.
- When cool enough to handle peel the skin off of the beets and cut them into small squares. Set aside until ready to use.
Peel the butternut squash and discard the seeds. Cut it in into 1 inch cubes and transfer to a large baking sheet. Drizzle with a lug of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Spread them on the baking sheets preferably without touching each other.
Roast them in the preheated oven for about 35 to 45 minutes until soft and starts to caramelize around the edges.
Meanwhile rinse and dry the brussel sprouts and trim the ends. Half them lengthwise and transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with a lug of olive oil and a good pinch of sea salt. Toss to coat and carefully transfer them to the preheated cast iron skillet you have in the oven. Do your best to have them cut side down for a nice golden brown sear. After about 15 minutes in the oven give them a gentle toss so they brown all over. Cook another 10 minutes or so until done to your liking.
Combine the black rice, water, orange peel, sea salt and bay leaf in a pot. Bring to a simmer and cover with a tight lid. Cook for 30 minutes until all water has been absorbed. Remove from heat and allow it to sit covered for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked rice to a mixing bowl and discard the bay and orange peel. Drizzle with a lug of the blood orange olive oil and fluff with a fork.
Transfer the rice to a serving tray and top with the roasted butternut squash, red beets and brussel sprouts.
In a small jar combine 3 tbsp of blood orange olive oil, the lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt. Shake to combine, taste and adjust seasonings with more lemon or salt until you are happy.
Drizzle the blood orange vinaigrette all over the salad. Garnish with the fresh basil and edible flowers and serve warm with creamy goat cheese on top.
You’ll Also Love:
Sweet Potato Rounds with Goat Cheese & Balsamic Glaze
Brussel Sprout Chips
Roasted Pepper Salad
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
November 8, 2015 at 10:10 pmAs I’m waiting for the dog’s surgery to finish, I thought I’d visit my favorite blogs to distract me from worrying. These roasted vegetables did the trick!! You beauty – they’re gorgeous!
Florentina
November 9, 2015 at 9:31 pmThanks Maureen, you are just so sweet. How is Charlie doing ? He’s such a cute fluffy booboolici xo’s
J at Bless Her Heart Y'all
November 9, 2015 at 6:36 amWhat a beautiful and colorful fall vegetable dish! This looks and sounds delicious! I can not wait to hear more about sweet Nala!
Florentina
November 9, 2015 at 9:29 pmOh boy, I can’t wait to get a full hour to go through photos and write captions. So far Nala’s been to Costco and Trader Joe’s , all in one day, what can i say this is L.A. and we love it teeheehee
Birgitta Durell
November 9, 2015 at 2:01 pmThis will defiantly be tomorrows dinner!
Florentina
November 9, 2015 at 9:27 pmYes it has to be !
Birgitta Durell
November 9, 2015 at 2:05 pmwhoops did a small mistake in my spelling -definitely…….
Florentina
November 9, 2015 at 9:27 pmhaha no worries, I bet you could find some in my post too 😉
homemadefoodjunkie
November 10, 2015 at 9:16 pmCongratulations on your new baby! We have a bouncing puppy too. Chaos! but so much fun now that he’s better. Enjoy your new baby! I LOVE this side dish. It includes some of my very favorite ingredients! I am a fan of black rice and squash. I love how you put this recipe together and the photography is stunning!
Florentina
November 11, 2015 at 10:51 pmThank you so much! How old is your puppy ? I’m finally getting some pics together and can’t wait to post them. We love her so 🙂
Sarah
November 11, 2015 at 2:55 amI like the way you think – goats cheese sprinkled over this would be pure heaven!
Florentina
November 11, 2015 at 10:51 pmhaha you know what I’m saying ? 😉
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours
November 11, 2015 at 3:41 amLovely winter salad recipe – I always try to eat a rainbow of veggies everyday. Nicely robust to use as a packed lunch too.
Florentina
November 11, 2015 at 10:52 pmYes Helen, if the colors match, the recipe is gonna be a hit ! ha!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
November 11, 2015 at 7:57 amOh man, the colours and flavours in this dish just make my belly sing.
Florentina
November 11, 2015 at 10:53 pmMe too, i love this fall/wintery salad, makes me happy !
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
November 11, 2015 at 9:21 amAbsolutely beautiful salad. It is almost like a stained glass window!! It teases the eyes but I bet it satisfies the tummy completely!! Thank you for sharing.
Florentina
November 11, 2015 at 10:53 pmAh i love your comparison, thank you Marisa, hope you give it a go !
Kelly Hutchinson
November 11, 2015 at 4:14 pmThis is such a gorgeous dish! Now, I do not like beets, so I would leave those out, but this looks amazing.
Florentina
November 11, 2015 at 10:54 pmLeave out the beets, load up on goat cheese 😉
Katalina @ Peas & Peonies
November 11, 2015 at 9:12 pmOMG Florentina, this salad looks stunning, the colors are gorgeous and that blvd orange vinegar sounds to die for!
Florentina
November 11, 2015 at 10:55 pmKatalina, you must try the blood orange olive oil, I even use it as a moisturizer on my face. One of my favorite things on the Planet !
Platter Talk
November 12, 2015 at 1:30 pmHoly fall! This savory collection of autumn’s bounty has all the right components for a perfect side or main dish. Thanks so much for this beautiful post!
Florentina
November 12, 2015 at 7:06 pmWhy thank you ! I’m pretty in love with this fall show over here, I really didn’t have to do much 🙂
Claudia | Gourmet Project
November 13, 2015 at 9:34 amincredible how colorful you made it, looks like a ray of sunny summer into an autumn kitchen. nice!!!!!
Florentina
November 17, 2015 at 12:54 pmthanks Claudia, nature sure is beautiful, i just helped capture that beauty 🙂
Neli @ Delicious Meets Healthy
November 13, 2015 at 12:00 pmWhat a gorgeous fall dish. I love the pop of color and all the flavors! Stunning, perfect for any holiday table!
Florentina
November 17, 2015 at 12:53 pmThanks Neli, this is happening for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, right in the center of the table.
Lisa
November 22, 2015 at 7:33 pmWhere, oh where can I find blood orange olive oil??? I’m in rural Pennsylvania and we have virgin and extra virgin olive oil… I can’t wait to make this!
Florentina
November 24, 2015 at 2:04 pmHi Lisa, I bet you can do a google search and order it online or even amazon. I usually find it at Whole Foods but honestly you could infuse some olive oil overnight with orange peels as well. Beats not using it at all.
Tanya
October 9, 2016 at 7:24 pmHi! I made this for dinner and I’m excited to try it! I used brown rice because that’s what I had, but I went on a hunt for the blood orange olive oil. 🙂 I haven’t read all the comments but the recipe didn’t say what to do with the orange zest and it was a little confusing how the veggies were supposed to be cooked (one at a time or at the same time/successively). I ended up putting the beets in first and putting a pan on another rack for the other veggies. I cooked the squash for 20 minutes and then added the Brussels sprouts so those cooked well on the same pan.
Thanks!
Clare
October 15, 2016 at 12:07 pmWhen and where does the orange zest get used? The peel goes with the rice but I’m not sure where the zest gets used.
Florentina
October 15, 2016 at 1:52 pmHi Clare, you can just mix the orange zest with the black rice or sprinkle over the top of the salad before serving. Enjoy! ~ Florentina
Jae
October 27, 2016 at 7:44 pmThis was awesome! I didn’t have blood orange olive oil but I did have a blood orange! I added blood orange zest to the rice. Also, zest and juice to the the vinaigrette. Loved it.
Katy
March 29, 2018 at 3:15 pmCan you substitute anything for the black rice?
Florentina
April 6, 2018 at 5:57 pmSure, brown rice, farro or even wild rice.
Beth Lair
August 31, 2018 at 3:12 pmWow, this looks so amazingly great! I just put the ingredients on my shopping list and will make it ASAP! I can’t wait to bring it to work for a healthy lunch! Thank you!