Colorful roasted beets layered over fresh baby greens with creamy goat cheese, red onions, walnuts and a sweet and tangy balsamic vinaigrette. With a little advance prep, this stunning Beet Salad is ready to serve in about 10 minutes!
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If we go out to eat and the restaurant has beet salad on the menu, I can pretty much guarantee that we’ll order it. Both my husband and I are crazy for roasted beets. So much, in fact, that it wasn’t very long into our relationship before I learned how to roast beets at home.
This lovely Beet Salad is one of my favorite ways to make use of them. It’s easy enough to make anytime but the presentation is so pretty that it is very well suited for a holiday menu. I think it’s got Christmas written all over it!
Ingredient Notes
- Salad greens: I love a combination of mixed baby greens with baby arugula for this salad. The peppery arugula balances the sweetness of the beets and the vinaigrette. This is not a greens heavy salad – they just provide a nice bed for the other ingredients. It’s a really nice touch to garnish the salad with some microgreens.
- Beets: Homemade roasted beets really shine in this salad. Fresh beets are in stores from late spring through early winter. For pretty color contrast, use both red beets and golden beets, if you can find them. If you use store-bought cooked beets, avoid pickled or canned beets. Instead, check the produce section for packaged, refrigerated beets for the best texture and flavor.
- Goat cheese: Bagged, crumbled goat cheese works but for the creamiest, yummiest texture, I recommend purchasing a small log of goat cheese and crumbling it yourself.
- For the rest: Thinly sliced red onion and chopped walnuts.
- Balsamic vinaigrette: The flavors in this salad pair perfectly with my Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette. It consists of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper.
This is my base roasted beet salad recipe and it includes our favorite flavors. Be sure to check out my suggestions for variations below to make it your own.
Advance Prep
Use my easy recipe to make a batch of roasted beets. You’ll also need to shake up a batch of Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette. Both of these tasks can be done a day or two in advance.
How to Make Beet Salad
- Layer the mixed baby greens and arugula over a large platter.
- Layer the remaining ingredients over the greens, grouping the beets by color in sections over the top. Drizzle with a little of the vinaigrette and sprinkle with microgreens. Serve the salad with the remaining vinaigrette on the side.
Beet Salad Variations
Sweet and Spicy: Top the salad with my Easy Glazed Nuts or spicy roasted almonds for a sweet-and-savory crunch. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the vinaigrette for a bit of heat.
Mediterranean Flavors: Swap the goat cheese for crumbed feta cheese and add some pretty tangerine slices.
Autumn Flavors: Add Roasted Butternut Squash or Roasted Sweet Potatoes, and sprinkle dried cranberries over the top for a seasonal twist. This combination is delicious with my Apple Cider Vinaigrette.
Grain Bowl: Turn the salad into a hearty meal by adding cooked quinoa, farro, or couscous. The grains pair perfectly with the roasted beets and creamy goat cheese.
Vegan-Friendly: Skip the goat cheese and use a creamy vegan alternative or avocado slices. For a vegan version of the Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette, swap the honey for maple syrup
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Beet Salad
Ingredients
- 5 cups salad greens, I use half baby arugula and half mixed baby greens
- 1 recipe Roasted Beets, red and gold, sliced ¼ -inch thick
- ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- ⅓ cup walnuts, chopped
- ¼ cup microgreens, optional
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette, or as needed, divided
Instructions
- Scatter the salad greens over a platter. Top with the beets, onion, goat cheese, and walnuts. Garnish with some microgreens, if using, and season with a little freshly ground black pepper.
- Drizzle with about ¼ cup of the Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette and serve with additional dressing on the side.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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