Baby Beets with Labneh – Simple Beetroot Salad Recipe
Who doesn’t love a 5 ingredient, 10-minute side dish with no cooking required? Earthy baby beets on creamy labneh with nutty sprinkles of dukkah. Delicious!
Why You’ll Love Baby Beets with Labneh
This baby beet salad recipe is one of the most effortless beetroot salad recipes you will ever make — and one of the most impressive.
Sweet, earthy baby beets sit on a bed of creamy labneh, finished with fragrant dill, crunchy dukkah, and a generous drizzle of good olive oil.
It is a simple beetroot salad that looks like it came straight out of a restaurant kitchen, yet it is ready in under 10 minutes with zero cooking required.
What makes this beet salad recipe so special is the combination of flavours and textures that somehow feel both effortless and considered. The baby beets are tender and earthy with a natural sweetness.
The labneh is cool, tangy, and incredibly creamy.
The dukkah brings a nutty, spiced crunch, and the dill lifts everything with its fresh, citrusy fragrance. Eat it all together and every single bite is a flavour party.
This is the kind of side dish that looks like you spent a lot more time on it than you actually did.
Whether you are pulling together a weeknight dinner or setting the table for guests, this beetroot salad recipe earns its place every single time.
What Is Labneh?
Labneh, also known as labne or labna, is a type of strained yoghurt commonly consumed in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines.
Labneh is made by draining the whey from yoghurt, which leaves behind a thick, concentrated cheese.
The process of making labneh involves allowing the yoghurt to strain through a cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve, which allows the whey (the liquid part of the yoghurt) to drain away.
This straining process can take several hours or even overnight, depending on the desired consistency. The longer it strains, the thicker the labneh becomes.
Labneh has a rich and creamy texture similar to soft cheese or cream cheese, and it has a slightly tart and tangy flavour.
A no-cook beet salad recipe using pre-cooked vacuum-packed baby beets on creamy labneh. Topped with dukkah, dill, and olive oil. Ready in 10 minutes. Gluten free and vegetarian.
Recipe Overview
Flavour/Texture: For such a no fuss side dish, these baby beets sure pack a punch. The baby beets are sweet and earthy, while the labneh is ever so creamy and slightly sour. A nice counterbalance of flavour.
The dill brings citrus, grassy finishes and is ever so fresh and fragrant, while the dukkah brings a nutty crunch and provides the saltiness the side dish needs. Eat it all together and you have a party in your mouth!
Ease: Crazy easy. No cooking is required with these fabulous pre-cooked vacuum packed baby beets. Just place them on the labneh on a plate and sprinkle some olive oil, dill and dukkah.
Time: Less than 10 minutes. But still gorgeous enough for a fancy dinner or a midweek meal.
Ingredients
These are the ingredients you need for baby beets with labneh:
Labneh: Labneh is easy enough to find nowadays without having to make it yourself at home.
There is plenty of variety to choose from, but for this baby beet side dish, it’s best to use plain labneh as we add a lot of flavour to it. Labneh can come as one large cheese or is commonly found as labneh balls.
Baby beets: You’ll be able to find vacuum packed baby beets in the cold section of the vegetable area in your supermarket. If not, you can just get fresh beets and make them yourself. Don’t get canned beets as they tend to have a tinny taste.
These pre-packaged baby beets are typically organic cooked beets that are non-GMO. Yet another reason to love them!
Dill: Chop up some fresh dill but don’t overdo it as it will overpower the flavours of the dish.
Dukkah: This recipe uses the traditional dukkah of just cashews, sesame seeds, cumin, cilantro, oregano, garlic, pepper, chives, basil, and salt. You can make it yourself if you prefer, but I just bought it from my local deli—plenty of different combinations for you to choose from.
Olive oil: Good quality olive oil for this kind of side dish is crucial. Drizzled over the labneh, it gives extra creaminess and silkiness to the dish, not to mention the freshness of good olive oil.
Pre-cooked baby beets, labneh, fresh dill, dukkah, and good quality olive oil — just five ingredients for a stunning, flavour-packed beetroot salad.
Variations and Substitutions
Labneh: If you love the idea of this baby beet side dish but can’t find labneh, there are some substitutes you can use. You can try Greek yoghurt, cream cheese, sour cream, mascarpone cheese or ricotta cheese. They won’t have the same tang but will still deliver creaminess.
Dill: If dill is too strong for you or if you’re simply not a fan, chervil or parsley would make a great alternative. Some fresh herbs would definitely enhance the dish.
Dukkah: Dukkah can be made at home, especially if you have all the ingredients. Alternatively, you can just sprinkle some finely chopped nuts and seeds of your choice.
Za’atar can also be used if you love all the herbs and spices, especially Za’atar with sumac, as it would go really well with the baby beets. For something less crunchy but still flavoursome, sprinkle some Ras el Hanout. This Moroccan spice blend is quite strong, so just a pinch would suffice.
Fresh beets instead of vacuum-packed: Roast or boil whole beets, peel once cooled, and slice. Red, golden, or striped Chioggia beets all work in this recipe.
Add protein: Crumble feta over the top for extra saltiness, or add a soft-boiled egg for a more substantial dish.
Vegan option: Using unflavoured vegan yoghurt, you can make a vegan version of labneh. Strain it overnight through a cheesecloth for a thicker consistency.
Instructions
Step by step instructions for how to make baby beets with labneh:
Finely chop fresh dill. Tear the labneh roughly and place it in a circle in the middle of the plate.
Place the baby beets in the centre.
Sprinkle dukkah and drizzle some dill and olive oil on top.
Serve.
Chop the dill. Tear labneh onto a plate in a rough circle. Place baby beets in the centre. Drizzle with olive oil, scatter dukkah and dill on top. Serve immediately.
How to Make This Side Dish Perfectly [Expert Tips]
Good quality labneh: nothing quite beats good quality labneh. If you’re able to get them fresh from your local farmers market or Middle Eastern deli, that would be the first choice. The creaminess and tang are more pronounced — and in a five-ingredient dish, every element counts. Truly a cheese lover’s heaven!
Tear, don’t spread the labneh: Roughly torn pieces give a more rustic, restaurant-style look and create pockets for the beet juices to pool into. Spreading it flat loses that texture.
Don’t rinse the beets before plating: Vacuum-packed beets release a little of their natural juices, which bleeds beautifully into the labneh. It’s part of the visual drama of this dish.
Make it when it’s time to eat: As it only takes 10 minutes or less to make, get it ready just before you’re about to eat for maximum freshness and creaminess.
Too much dill: Dill is incredibly fragrant and using too much of it can overpower a dish. Use sparingly and follow the recipe amount.
Drizzle the olive oil on the labneh before adding the beets, not after. It creates a glossy base that carries the flavours of the dukkah and dill through every bite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Labneh is a type of soft cheese that is made from yoghurt.
The process of making labneh involves straining yoghurt to remove the whey, resulting in a thicker and creamier consistency similar to cream cheese in texture.
However, labneh is not technically a cheese because it does not undergo the same fermentation process as traditional cheeses.
Technically, cheese must be made from the curds of milk that have been pressed and aged, which labneh does not undergo.
Thinking of it much like cream cheese would help you make the distinction, and it is often used as a dip or spread. Particularly delicious with warm pita bread.
Yes, labneh should be refrigerated. Like other dairy products, labneh is perishable and needs to be stored properly to maintain its freshness and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
Refrigeration helps to slow down bacterial growth and extends the shelf life of labneh.
Labneh can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
If you want to store it for longer, you can cover it with olive oil.
This will help to preserve the labneh and extend its shelf life. Labneh stored in olive oil can last up to 6 months in the refrigerator.
Vacuum packed beets can last for a long time if they are stored properly. The shelf life of vacuum packed beets depends on a few factors, including the freshness of the beets when they were vacuum packed, the temperature at which they are stored, and the type of vacuum packing used. It can generally last 4 to 6 months if unopened.
Once the vacuum seal is opened or compromised, the beets should be refrigerated to maintain their freshness. Refrigerated vacuum-packed beets can typically last for about 1 to 2 weeks.
It’s not recommended. Canned beets often have a tinny aftertaste from the preserving liquid.
Vacuum-packed beets are pre-cooked, organic, and flavour-preserved — they’re the better choice for a simple beetroot salad where the beet is the star.
Tested by The Sidesmith Team — this baby beet salad recipe has been made and refined in our kitchen to make sure it delivers every time. We’re obsessed with sides that look impressive but take minimal effort, and this simple beetroot salad recipe is exactly that. Five ingredients, ten minutes, and a dish that earns its place on any table.
FEED YOUR FOMO! For more sides and salads, subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to get our latest updates.
Baby Beets with Labneh – Simple Beetroot Salad Recipe
Click on the toggle below for conversion to US Cooking Units.
Instructions
- Finely chop fresh dill.
- Tear the labneh roughly and place it in a circle in the middle of the plate.
- Place the baby beets in the centre.
- Sprinkle dukkah and drizzle some dill and olive oil on top.
- Serve.
Notes
- If you love the idea of this baby beet side dish but can’t find labneh, there are some substitutes you can use. You can try Greek yoghurt, cream cheese, sour cream, mascarpone cheese or ricotta cheese.
- If dill is too strong for you or if you’re simply not a fan, chervil or parsley would make a great alternative. Some fresh herbs would definitely enhance the dish.
- Dukkah can be made at home, especially if you have all the ingredients. Alternatively, you can just sprinkle some finely chopped nuts and seeds of your choice. Za’atar can also be used if you love all the herbs and spices, especially Za’atar with sumac as it would go really well with the baby beets. For something less crunchy but still flavoursome, it would be to sprinkle some Ras el Hanout. This Moroccan spice blend is quite strong so just a pinch would suffice.
- Using unflavoured vegan yoghurt, you can make a vegan version of labneh. Strain it overnight through a cheesecloth for a thicker consistency.
- Fresh beets instead of vacuum-packed. Roast or boil whole beets, peel once cooled, and slice. Red, golden, or striped Chioggia beets all work in this recipe.
- Add protein. Crumble feta over the top for extra saltiness, or add a soft-boiled egg for a more substantial dish.
Nutrition
*Disclaimer: Nutritional information provided is an estimate only and generated by an online calculator.
Hey there! We’re The Sidesmith!
Phenie
I tell the stories behind our recipes and capture the bits that make us human.
Sammy
I create delicious sides, often Asian-inspired. Easy for everyday meals or great for entertaining.
Amy
Love turning everyday salads and sides into fancy recipes jammed packed with flavour!
GRAB YOUR SUMMERTIME ECOOKBOOK NOW!
New Summertime Recipes
Be summer ready and get our new Summertime Sides & Salads eCookbook! These are all exclusive, never seen before recipes. They are all tried and tested with everyday easy to find ingredients and yet are restaurant quality in style. Get your copy today!