Beet Salad is the perfect side dish. It is elegant and delicious without being labor intensive or difficult to make. Your guests will love this simple salad.
This beet salad is one that I have been eating for absolutely ages. It is so simple to throw together, but is incredibly satisfying. The flavors of the beets, arugula, cheese, nuts, and balsamic dressing marry together in the most magical way.
Beet Salad Ingredients
Here are the ingredients that make up this bold and flavorful beet salad. For the full recipe including all measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Roasted beets: Roasted beets are the star of the show in this salad. Roasting brings out their natural sugars. We use a combination of red beets and golden beets.
- Arugula: This leafy green adds a peppery bite that balances the sweetness of the beets, making it the perfect light and fresh base for the salad. You could substitute a different leafy green like baby spinach or spring mix.
- Goat cheese: You can also substitute feta cheese or blue cheese for something bolder.
- Walnuts: Lightly toasted, these add texture and a nutty flavor that complements the sweet beets and creamy cheese.
- Balsamic dressing: This homemade vinaigrette ties everything together. Made with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey mustard, minced garlic, salt, sugar, and black pepper, it’s the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savory.
How to Make a Beet Salad
For the full recipe including all measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step 1: Prepare the Beets
Scrub and wash the beets. Cut off the greens and the root at the bottom. Wrap them in aluminum foil and place them on a rimmed baking sheet for roasting.
Step 2: Roast the Beets
Bake the beets for one hour. Check their tenderness and doneness by piercing them with a toothpick. Allow them to cool for a little bit in their foil and then peel off the skin and cut them into wedges.
Step 2: Toast the Walnuts
While the beets are cooling, place the walnuts on a baking dish. Toast for five minutes in the oven, tossing once in the middle.
Step 3: Make the Dressing
Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing until well combined.
Step 4: Put the Salad Together
Combine the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl and toss gently to combine. Enjoy!
Roasting Beets
Roasting beets gives them such a nice flavor that you don’t get from boiling them. Additionally, you don’t lose any of the nutrients to the water like you do when you boil them. You can do this the night before, so they are cooled and ready to go into the salad. I roast beets before I use them in all my recipes from pickled beets, to harvard beets, to my beet hummus!
How To Roast Beets
Variations
- Change out the nuts. You could use so many different types of nuts in this salad from pistachios to toasted pine nuts. You could even take things up a notch by adding some candied pecans.
- Add in some fresh herbs. Especially in the summer I love to add fresh herbs like basil, mint, parsley, and cilantro to salads. This is what I do in the simplified verse of this salad – my easy beet salad.
- Pair it with some protein. This would be a great salad to add some chicken or salmon to.
Storing and Making Ahead
If you want to prepare this roasted beet salad ahead of time, I recommend roasting your beets, toasting the walnuts, and mixing up the dressing the night before, storing them each in their own airtight container in the refrigerator. Don’t put the salad together until you are ready to serve.
If you make this easy beet salad recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear what you think! I love reading your comments.
Beet Salad
Ingredients
Beet Salad
- 5 beets
- 5 cups arugula
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 1/2 cup walnuts
Balsamic Dressing
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey mustard
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Scrub and wash the beets. Cut off the greens and the root at the bottom. Wrap them in aluminum foil for roasting.5 beets
- Bake the beets for one hour. Insert a toothpick to test doneness. The toothpick should be able to easily slide into the beet. Remove from the oven, let stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the foil, and then peel off the skin. Slice the beets.
- While the beets are cooling, place the walnuts on a baking dish. Toast for 5 minutes, tossing once in the middle.1/2 cup walnuts
- Combine the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl and toss gently to combine.5 cups arugula, 4 ounces goat cheese
Salad Dressing
- Whisk together all the ingredients until well combined.1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey mustard, 1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
LEAVE A COMMENT