Stuff a crispy sandwich roll with quick-pickled beets, hard-boiled eggs, whipped feta spread, arugula and briny capers for a savory and satisfying lunch.
Servings: 4
Serving size: 1 sandwich (240 grams)
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw beets, leaves removed (about 2 medium beets)
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) olive oil
- 2 cups (240 milliliters) apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 10 whole peppercorns
- 3 cloves
- 8 allspice berries
- ½ cup feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 4 crusty sandwich rolls
- 1 cup arugula
- 4 large eggs, hard-boiled and thinly sliced
- 4 teaspoons capers
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Scrub beets under running water, then rub with olive oil and wrap in foil. Place in oven and roast until tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and let rest until beets are cool to the touch. Gently rub with a paper towel to remove skin, then slice into thin pieces.
- Place vinegar, sugar, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cloves and allspice berries in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in beets, then remove from heat. Let cool, then transfer to a bowl and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Beets can be made up to two weeks in advance, covered and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- In the base of a food processor, place feta, cream cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Process until creamy and smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in chives and set aside.
- Slice sandwich rolls in half and spread 1 tablespoon whipped cheese mixture on each half. Layer each with 1 sliced hardboiled egg, ¼ cup arugula, 1 teaspoon capers and 3 to 4 sliced beets. Garnish with pepper, if desired. Serve immediately. Leftover whipped feta can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Nutrition per serving: CALORIES 321; TOTAL FAT 13g; SAT. FAT 6g; CHOL. 186mg; SODIUM N/A; CARB. N/A; FIBER 3g; SUGARS N/A; PROTEIN 17g; POTASSIUM 420mg; PHOSPHORUS 254mg
Note: Nutrition information for cracked-wheat hamburger bun used for crusty sandwich roll. Nutrition information for sodium, carbohydrates and sugars not available due to multiple factors affecting sugar and sodium absorption during the pickling process.
Alexandra Caspero, MA, RD, CLT, is a registered dietitian and nutrition expert with a passion for health and wellness. Alex is a nationally recognized nutritionist and appears regularly on TV, print and social media. She was most recently featured in Runner's World, Men's Health, Fitness, Shape Magazine & Vogue. As the campus dietitian, director of wellness and adjunct instructor at University of the Pacific, Alex teaches what she preaches. Through innovative programs and services, Alex inspires students to become their healthiest selves. Her blog, DelishKnowledge, focuses on making whole-food eating deliciously simple. Alex also dishes out delicious tips to her thousands of social media followers.