Now that the fresh sunkissed bounty of summer has given away to hearty fall root vegetables, it is time to get your roast on. Though roasting beets (like almost anything involving the oven) can be a slightly time-comsuming process, the end result is always more than worth the effort.

This is my personal favorite way to enjoy roasted beets, and I have to admit – I have not always been a beet person. It was this very recipe that won me over, and I have seen it work on many other skeptics. Give it a shot with the purple veggie shy people in your life!

Serves: 4-6 (as first course or side)
Prep time: 10 minutes day of, 1.5 hours day before (to cook beets)
Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients

• 8 medium beets (you can make this with pre-cooked, canned beets, but it will taste SO much better if you roast them yourself)
• 2 onions (red or sweet)
• feta
• mint
• apple cider vinegar
• dijon mustard
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Method
Evening before

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wrap each beet completely in aluminum foil.
3. Place beets directly on oven rack to cook.
4. Slice the onions into long slices and add to a pan with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil.
5. Stir the onions to coat.
6. Let the onions cook for thirty minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
7. After an hour, take one of the beets out of the oven and peel back the foil slightly (using tongs or oven mitts – not your hands).
8. Poke the beet with a fork – if it goes in easily, the beets are done. If not, let them cook for another 10-30 minutes, depending on tenderness of beets at test time. (i.e. practically unpierceable needs another half an hour).
9. When beets and onions have finished cooking, allow them to cool (removing beets from foil) and then store them in the refrigerator overnight.

Day of

1. Slice beets into eights by cutting them in half three times.
2. Add the onions and beets to a pan and heat over medium heat for two minutes.
3. In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoons olive oil, 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard, and a large dash of salt and pepper.
4. In a serving bowl, crumble feta and rip up mint leaves.
5. Add the warmed vegetables to the serving bowl.
6. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to coat.
7. Serve warm and enjoy!