Fairy Tale Winter Salad with Sauerkraut, Roasted Beetroot, and Spelt - photo 1
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Fairy Tale Winter Salad with Sauerkraut, Roasted Beetroot, and Spelt

Salads Regional Cuisine of Poland 20 min Easy 22 wyświetleń ~27.50 PLN - (0)
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Description

A colorful winter salad that combines traditional Polish ingredients: sauerkraut, roasted beets, sweet apple, and hearty spelt groats. The dish has a contrast of textures (crunchy cabbage, soft beet, creamy cheese) and a balanced sweet-sour-spicy flavor thanks to a honey-mustard dressing based on buttermilk and rapeseed oil. This salad is filling enough to serve as a light meal on its own or as a side dish to roasted duck or cutlets; it's great for winter gatherings and family tables — it looks stunning with its vibrant colors and is easy to prepare.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (17)

Servings:
4
  • Sauerkraut 300 g
  • Beets (raw) 450 g
  • Carrot 2.5 szt. (~200 g)
  • Apple 1.1 szt. (~200 g)
  • Red onion 100 g
  • Barley groats 200 g
  • Buttermilk 200 g
  • Rapeseed oil 30 g
  • Mustard 20 g
  • Honey 20 ml
  • Cottage cheese 200 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.1 szczypt (~3 g)
  • Black pepper 2 szczypty (~1 g)
  • Marjoram 2 g
  • Parsley 0.5 pęczek (~15 g)
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Walnuts 50 g
  • Pestki słonecznika 30 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~27.50 PLN (6.88 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Roasting beets

1

Preheat the oven to 200°C (top-bottom). Wash the beets with a brush under running water, remove any bumps, and trim the ends. Do not peel. Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil or place in a covered baking dish. Bake for 45-60 minutes depending on size (medium beet 150g: about 45 minutes). You can check with a fork — the beet is soft when the fork easily goes into the center.

Use a large baking tray or a baking dish. If you want to speed things up, you can cook the beets in salted water for 30-40 minutes (but roasting brings out the sweetness). After roasting, let the beets cool before peeling, otherwise they will burn your hands.

Preparing the groats

2

Rinse the pearl barley in a sieve under cold water. Transfer to a pot, add water in a ratio of about 1:2.5 (200 g of barley to 500 ml of water). Add 2 g of salt (about 2 pinches). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat, cover with a lid, and cook for 25-30 minutes until the barley is soft but firm. After cooking, let it sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Ingredients: barley groats, Salt
Use a medium pot with a lid. Do not lift the lid too often — losing steam prolongs cooking. If the groats absorb the water but remain hard, add 2-3 tablespoons of boiling water and finish cooking.

Preparation of raw vegetables

3

Wash the carrot and apple under running water. Peel the carrot if the skin is tough, then grate it on a coarse grater into a bowl. Cut the apple into half-moons or grate it on a coarse grater (do not peel if the skin is thin). Peel the red onion and slice it into very thin half-moons — if you want to soften its sharpness, soak the slices in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain.

Ingredients: Carrot, Apple, Red onion
Use a grater for the carrot and apple, and a good sharp knife or mandoline for the onion (be careful with your fingers). Gently mix the grated ingredients with your fingers or a spoon to maintain their crunchiness.

Preparing the cabbage

4

If the sauerkraut is very sour, place it in a strainer and rinse it briefly under cold water, then squeeze it thoroughly with your hands or a cloth. If the sauerkraut is moderately sour, use it without rinsing — it will retain more probiotics. Chop or finely dice the cabbage if it is too thick.

Ingredients: Sauerkraut
Use a large bowl for squeezing and mixing. Do not rinse the cabbage excessively — you will wash away the flavors. Squeeze well so the salad does not become watery.

Sauce

5

In a small bowl, pour in the buttermilk (200 ml), add the mustard (20 g), honey (20 g), rapeseed oil (30 g), and salt (3 g), pepper (1 g), and marjoram (2 g). Use a whisk or fork and vigorously mix until you achieve a smooth, uniform emulsion-like sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning — if it's too sour, add a teaspoon of honey; if it's too sweet, a pinch of salt or more mustard.

Ingredients: Buttermilk, Mustard, Honey, Rapeseed oil, Salt, Black pepper, Marjoram
Use a small bowl and a whisk or fork. Slowly add the oil while mixing to prevent the sauce from separating. If you want a thicker sauce, use less buttermilk or add a tablespoon of thick yogurt.

Cooling and peeling the beets

6

When the beets have cooled enough to touch (about 10-15 minutes after taking them out of the oven), rub the skin with gloves or a paper towel — it should come off easily. Use a knife to cut the beets into cubes about 1–1.5 cm or into thin slices according to your preference.

Use gloves or paper when peeling — beets stain your hands. When cutting beets, use a separate cutting board from the one for raw vegetables to avoid color contamination.

Mixing and folding the salad

7

In a large bowl, combine: drained sauerkraut (300 g), grated carrot (200 g), chopped apple (200 g), thinly sliced onion (100 g), chopped beets (450 g), and cooled pearl barley (200 g). Add crumbled cottage cheese (200 g). Gradually drizzle in the prepared dressing — add about 2/3 of the dressing, gently mix with a large spoon until the ingredients are combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Ingredients: Sauerkraut, Carrot, Apple, Red onion, barley groats, Cottage cheese, Buttermilk
Use a large wooden spoon for mixing to avoid mashing the beets and cheese. Stir from the bottom up with a spatula to evenly distribute the sauce with the buckwheat and cabbage.

Finishing and decoration

8

Transfer the salad to a serving platter or divide it onto plates. Sprinkle with chopped parsley (15 g). If using, add walnuts (50 g) and/or sunflower seeds (30 g) for a crunchy touch — you can toast them in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes until golden and let them cool before sprinkling.

Ingredients: Parsley, Pestki słonecznika
Use a small pan to toast the nuts/seeds and a wooden spoon for mixing. Additionally, you can add more cottage cheese or a few leaves of fresh lamb's lettuce for decoration.

Serving

9

Serve immediately or let sit for 10–15 minutes for the flavors to meld — the cabbage and dressing will take on a milder taste. The salad pairs well with a slice of cool whole grain bread or as a side to roasted meat.

If you plan to transport the salad, keep the dressing separate and mix just before serving to avoid softening the ingredients.

Fun Fact

💡

Pearl barley is a traditional product made from barley, popular in Polish cuisine, valued for its heartiness and nutty flavor. Sauerkraut was an important winter source of vitamin C in Polish households.

Best for

obiad przyjęcie rodzinne zimowe święta

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve in a wide bowl to showcase the colorful layers. A lightly acidic white wine (e.g., riesling) or kefir/buttermilk pairs well with the salad as a drink. For children, you can reduce the amount of onion and mustard in the dressing.

🥡 Storage

Store in the refrigerator in a closed container for up to 2 days. The dressing can be prepared separately and added just before serving, which will keep the ingredients crunchy. After freezing, the ingredients (especially cottage cheese and buttermilk) lose their texture — freezing is not recommended.

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