Russian Beet Salad with Feta

Recipe by Babaganosh

A classic Russian appetizer, this version of the creamy Beet Salad has feta cheese and chopped toasted walnuts for extra flavor and crunch.

Ingredients

• 1 lb beets ((about 4 small ones))
• ¼ cup toasted chopped walnuts ((optional, for crunch))
• ¼ cup feta cheese (, crumbled)
• 1 garlic clove (, minced)
• 1 scallion (chopped)
• salt to taste ((about 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon is a good start))
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Method

1. Peel the beets. Chop them in half if they're small, or into quarters if they're larger. Try to make all the pieces roughly the same size and thickness. Add 1/2 cup water to the Instant Pot. Add the steamer basket to the Instant Pot, and place the beets on top. Cover with the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes (or follow your pressure cooker's recipe booklet). Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a manual release. Carefully remove the beets from the Instant Pot and rinse them under cold water to get them to cool while you work on step 2. You can boil or roast beets instead of using the Instant Pot (read the post above to get the cooking times). 
2. Toast the walnuts, if using. In a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients (1/4 cup feta cheese, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 chopped scallion, about 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and the toasted walnuts).  
3. Grate the beets. Add them to the bowl and mix well. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator and serve chilled. Garnish with additional feta cheese, scallions, and/or chopped walnuts.  

View the recipe instructions at Babaganosh