Make the balsamic glaze by cooking down the balsamic vinegar together with a small amount of honey or brown sugar until the mixture reduces by about half.
For example, combine 1 cup of balsamic vinegar + ¼ cup of honey or brown sugar and cook it down.
Consistency should be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon but should not be overly thick.
Option 2. High-Quality Aged Balsamic Vinegar Made in Italy
Aged balsamic vinegar is often sold in specialized stores or sections of foreign foods at some grocery stores.
High-quality Italian-made aged balsamic vinegar is usually expensive but it does not need cooking down.
Just use it as is. And, you don’t need to use much.
Option 3. Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil.
Combine ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Whisk until emulsified.
Drizzle over the salad.
Note: For the salad dressing, use high-quality extra virgin olive oil that is labeled as to be used in salads and not for high heat cooking.
How to Make Winter Vegetable Salad
Making this salad involves basic steps, such as roasting the veggies, toasting the pecans, and tossing everything together with a simple balsamic glaze or dressing.
Roast Brussels Sprouts
Toss Brussels sprouts in olive oil and salt.
Roast in the preheated oven at 375 F for about 20 minutes.
Roast Butternut Squash
Use cubed butternut squash. For more details, see how to peel, seed, cube, and roast Butternut Squash.
Toss cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded) in olive oil and salt.
Roast in the preheated oven at 375 F for about 20 minutes.
Cook Beets
Boil fresh beets (with the peel on) in the water until they are soft. That usually means boiling the beets for about 20-30 minutes in boiling water.
Let them cool completely. Peel and dice into small cubes.
Toast Pecans
Toast pecans on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for about 5 or 10 minutes in the preheated oven at 350 F until they get darker in color.
Note: pecans burn really fast, so make sure to check the nuts after 5 minutes and frequently afterward.
Assembly
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