Warm Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette and Pickled Beets
5 from 2 votes
That Vegan Nephew
This is a wonderful vegan warm spinach salad recipe for that special someone on Valentine's Day, or for anybody on any day of the year. The sweet bursts of fresh raspberries, pickled beets, tart vinaigrette, creamy vegan feta, and velvety spinach with the crunch of shaved almonds make this a dish that is truly hard to beet.
De-stem the beets, then bring them to boil in a large pot of water. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 35 - 45 minutes, until moderately tender when poked with a fork.
Wash the beets under cold water and then remove the outside layer of skin. After that, cut them in half, and slice the halves into half-circles, and then those into thirds (heart-shaped wedges).
Bring the wedges of beets to boil in the pickling liquid, remove from heat, and let the beets sit in liquid for 20 minutes.
To Make the Rainbow Carrot Bacon
Preheat the oven to 425°F, and peel long strips of rainbow carrots, tossing them in the marinade.
On a prepared baking sheet, lay the carrots out evenly, and bake for 18 - 22 minutes, turning once or twice halfway through the bake.
To Make the Raspberry Vinaigrette
In a skillet over medium heat with olive oil, sauté the garlic for about a minute, then add the red onion and sauté until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
Next, add the raspberries, olive oil, vinegars, and salt and pepper. Let the raspberries break down, and then add the shaved almonds and maple syrup.
To Assemble
Roughly tear the spinach (washed and dried) apart with your hands in as big a bowl as you can find. Then pour the warm raspberry vinaigrette over top. Toss the salad until the vinaigrette covers all the spinach. Top the warm spinach with rainbow carrot bacon, pickled beets, vegan feta (store-bought), and fresh raspberries.Enjoy this beautiful vegan warm spinach salad!