Jewish · Authentic-ish Jewish
Beetroot and Walnut Salad
146 kcal a serving, against 369 for the traditional version. That is 223 kcal off, or 60%, with 3.9g of protein. Serves 4. 45 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Cooked beetroot, peeled and grated or diced, mixed through with a generous amount of full-fat mayonnaise, chopped toasted walnuts, sometimes a few sprigs of dill, salt and pepper. The salad's cold, creamy, heavy and pink from the beetroot juices mingling with all that mayo. It usually sits next to the gefilte fish at every family event from cradle to grave.
What changed, and what each change costs
Mayonnaise for a vinaigrette of apple cider vinegar and walnut oil
Most of the calories and all the thickness come from the mayonnaise. Swap it for a vinaigrette and you keep the tang, lose nearly all the fat, and let the beetroot taste like beetroot. Walnut oil gives a nod to the original's nuts without going overboard.
What it costs you. You lose every bit of creaminess. This isn't that cold, clinging Russian salad, it's sharper, almost bracing. If you want the pink, clingy texture, you'll miss the mayo every time.
Halved the walnuts
A smaller handful still gives crunch, but doesn't swallow up your fat allowance for the week. Toasting them brings out enough flavour that you won't notice the missing half unless you're counting.
What it costs you. Less crunch, more restraint. Anyone rolling in walnuts on a weekday is either rich or lying.
Upped the dill and added fresh parsley
Herbs help distract from the dressing that isn't there, and make it taste fresh rather than like something left over from a wedding buffet.
What it costs you. A bit greener in taste. Your uncle will complain, but he'll still eat it.
Extra vinegar in the dressing, salt slightly up
You need more acidity, since there's nothing fatty to round things off. Raise the salt a whisker to stop it tasting thin.
What it costs you. A sharper hit - wakes you up rather than putting you to sleep. This one might make you reach for another mouthful just to check what's going on.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 369 | 146 |
| Protein | 5.1g | 3.9g |
| Fat | 32.5g | 7.3g |
| Saturated fat | 4.5g | 0.8g |
| Carbohydrate | 17g | 18.9g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 1.4g | 2.6g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Jewish prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. nuts, sulphites.
The method is in the book
This one is not a close contest: the original is glossier, richer and makes eating beetroot feel like you're doing something decadent (against all odds). You can't fake the creamy texture with vinegar and a drop of oil. But this version is bright, lively and won't send you for a nap after three bites. It's beetroot for grown-ups - sharp, herby, and surprisingly moreish if you can get past the lack of pink goo. Serve it next to smoked fish or chopped liver, and see who complains the loudest.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Jewish, along with 52 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.