A couple of posts ago I wrote about reuniting with my childhood friend Danielle, from a large Moroccan family, who had grown up to become a caterer.
At the time of the reunion I had been fantasizing about a Moroccan lima bean dish that I had spied at a restaurant but didn’t order for some reason, and Danielle was kind enough to help me identify and recreate it.
Sensing that I had tapped a culinary jackpot, I asked her for some more recipes, and went home from our reunion brunch with an entire Moroccan dinner menu scribbled on a napkin.
This simple beet salad was part of that jackpot payout. Served warm, it’s a perfect combination of earthy, sweet, tangy, tart, and spicy. And it’s sooo pretty.
One of the main ingredients in the harissa dressing, harissa, is a North African staple—a hot chili paste whose main ingredients are a variety of chilis, garlic, and spices that vary by household and region.
It’s easy to find if you have access to a good international market, and can also be purchased online.
More Jewish recipes you’ll love
Warm Moroccan Beet Salad with Harissa Dressing
This simple, beautiful, warm Moroccan beet salad is a perfect combination of earthy, sweet, tangy, tart, and spicy.
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds beets
- 1/4 cup Harissa Dressing
- ⅓ cup chopped green onions
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 475°F.
- Scrub beets and wrap in aluminum foil. Bake until tender and easily pierced with a knife, about 75 minutes or more, depending on their size.
- Remove from oven and set aside to cool just enough to handle. The skins should slip off pretty easily—but if they don't, use a sharp knife or vegetable peeler to remove skin.
- Slice beets into bite-sized cubes.
- In a small bowl or a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the vinegar, harissa (or alternate mixture), cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Add olive oil and mix well.
- Taste, and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Toss beets, green onions, and red onion with dressing, to taste. (You might wind up with some dressing left over.)
- Serve warm.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 151Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 0mgSodium 285mgCarbohydrates 20gFiber 4gSugar 14gProtein 3g
Nutrient values are estimates only. Variations may occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.
Jewish Recipes
Jewish recipes are the heart of every Jewish holiday celebration. There’s a special dish (or five!) for every occasion, from the high holidays to Shabbat dinners! Here are my favorite Jewish recipes for the holidays or any day.
Brisket with Apricots, Prunes, and North African Spices
Brisket is braised in a mixture of red wine, beef broth, dried fruit, and North African spices for a Mediterranean take on the traditional Jewish holiday dish. This recipe was adapted from a recipe by Jayne Cohen in Bon Appetit.
Potato Latkes
You can make a gluten-free version by substituting gluten-free brown rice flour for the flour. You can also jazz up the recipe by adding thinly sliced scallions or substituting sweet potatoes, parsnips, or apples for some (or all) of the potatoes. This recipe serves about 4 people and is easily doubled or tripled.
Instant Pot Applesauce
This Instant Pot applesauce is super quick and easy to make. It's delicious on top of crispy potato latkes--or just eat it plain!
Instant Pot Falafel
Crispy, golden brown patties are tender and moist on the inside. They're seasoned just right with cumin, coriander, cayenne, and fresh parsley.
Instant Pot Hummus
This Instant Pot hummus from scratch starts with dried chickpeas and takes less than an hour to make—and that's start to finish time. There's no need to soak the beans. The result is lush, rich, creamy, and full of flavor.
Israeli Couscous Salad with Pomegranate Seed, Pistachios, and Hummus Vinaigrette
This is a great way to use up leftover cooked couscous. The dressing can be whisked together in a bowl, but is especially easy to make in a food processor—chop the parsley leaves in the processor first, then add the other ingredients and process until smooth.
Lamb Kofta Kebabs
Ground lamb is mixed with lots of fresh herbs, aromatics, and spices and then grilled on skewers. I like to serve these with pita bread, hummus, tzatziki, harissa or chermoula, and a salad of romaine, cucumbers, and tomatoes with lemon dressing. Brown basmati rice is a great accompaniment as well.
Homemade Pita Bread
Pita bread is surprisingly easy to make and watching the rounds puff up in the oven is so, so satisfying. Use them for sandwiches or cut them into triangles and use them to scoop savory Middle Eastern dips like my Instant Pot Hummus, baba ganoush, or tzatziki.
Whipped Feta Spread with Garlic and Fresh Dill
Whipped Feta Spread is a great addition to a mezze appetizer platter. It's a tangy, salty, creamy dip with a punch of garlic and fresh dill. Scoop it up with pita chips or raw veggies.
Easy Homemade Jelly Donuts or Sufganiyot
Sufganiyot are traditional Israeli jelly donuts often eaten during Hanukkah, along with other fried foods. Because, of course, fried foods celebrate the miracle of the oil! This recipe makes a simple, lightly sweetened fried dough that can be filled with jelly or the fillling of your choice and dusted with powdered sugar.
Grandma Fran's Vegetarian Chopped Liver
Made of mostly walnuts, butter, and onions, this chopped liver is just as good as the original, but meat free!
Harissa Chicken
This deliciously spicy sheet pan chicken takes just a few minutes to prep. The recipe was inspired by one in Dinner: Changing the Game, by Melissa Clark.
Israeli Salad with Egg and Feta Cheese
Israeli Salad, distinguished by finely diced tomatoes and cucumbers, is described (by Wikipedia) as "the most well-known national dish of Israel." Variations on the theme are limitless. Our version includes hard boiled eggs and feta cheese.
Matzoh Fattoush or Bread Salad for Passover
This bright, fresh, kosher for Passover salad—a take on the popular Middle Eastern bread salad called fattoush—gives the plain crackers new life. Spiced, baked matzo “chips” replace the usual flat bread, but other than that, this hearty salad packs all the fresh herby, tangy, spicy flavor you expect from fattoush.
OMG! I just saw this! I know you’ve sent me some recent posts, but I haven’t been on fb long enough to read through them. It seems like I’m on for 30 seconds, & I have to run off! I LOVE that you have this recipe on here. It’s so yummy & the warm beets suck up all the flavor from the onion, harissa, & spices. Can’t wait to read more.. Let’s plan a cooking play date SOON! Call me or email when u can..
xoxo D
Yes, let’s cook together soon! I’ll definitely be bringing my camera.