Balsamic Roasted Beet Salad

Looking for a delicious and healthy salad recipe? Check out this balsamic roasted beet salad with goat cheese and walnuts!

Are you looking to elevate your salad game in a delicious way? Look no further than this scrumptiously savoury balsamic-roasted beet salad!

Not only is this salad incredibly flavourful, but with the addition of creamy goat cheese and crunchy walnuts, it has the perfect balance of textures.

We’ve made sure to provide plenty of instructions and notes for creating this delightful dish so that even novice home cooks can experience its bold flavour profile.

So if you’re ready to take a culinary journey through an extraordinary symphony of flavours, come along as we show you how easy and delectable making roasted beet salad at home can be!

Why You Will LOVE This Roasted Beet Salad

• Complex flavours and textures.
• High in fiber
• Easy to make
• Adaptable to suit your specific tastes.
• Can be made ahead of time.
• Can be served warm or cold.
• Vibrant, colourful, beautiful salad.

Other Methods for Roasting Whole Beets

Ultimately, for this salad, I think roasting them whole results in the best texture and flavour for salad. There are other methods for cooking beets that will also work for the salad if you want some alternate methods.

Instant pot – The instant pot is a super easy way to cook fresh beets, and faster than in the oven.

Foil – Wrap your beets in foil and place them on a baking sheet then roast them in the oven.

Steaming – Place your beets in a steamer basket and steam until tender.

Boiling – Boil the beets in a pot of salted water until they are tender.

Grilling – Slice the beets into thick slices before grilling. Grill until tender and lightly charred.

No matter which method you choose, roasting beets is an easy and delicious way to enjoy them in salads or as a side dish.

How to Choose Fresh Beets

Beets are available all year, even here in Canada. You can find them at farmer’s markets and grocery stores. When picking out fresh beets you will want to keep these tips in mind:

• Their peak season is June through October which is when you will find the best ones.
• You will want to look for beets with their greens still attached, bright green, and no signs of wilting.
• Look for unblemished, firm beets.
• Make sure the beets are heavy for their size.
• The smaller ones tend to be sweeter and more tender.

These tips will ensure you get the freshest and tastiest beets to use in your recipes! Hope you found this helpful.

Should you Peel Beets Before Roasting? 

Whether you should peel beets before roasting them depends on the type of beet you are using. If you are using baby beets, which tend to have thinner skins, it is recommended that you peel them before roasting in order to reduce their cooking time.

For larger beets, however, it is not necessary to peel them before roasting. The skins will soften during roasting, making them easy to peel off afterwards.

Whichever type of beet you are using, it is important to wash and dry them thoroughly before roasting. This will remove any dirt and debris from the surface of the beets.

For the best flavour and texture, roasting beets whole with their skins on is generally recommended. The skin will help to keep the beets moist while they cook, resulting in a delicious end result.

How to Cook Beets Without the Mess

• Using golden beets is the best way to avoid staining or making a mess with red beet juice.
• Wear an apron to peel and slice your beets.
• Peel your roasted beets while they are still warm, the skins will almost slip off.
• Peel your beets directly in your sink for easy cleaning.
• Line your cutting board with parchment paper to prevent staining it.
• Wash your hands and any utensils you used to handle the beets as soon as you are done.
• To avoid staining your hands when handling beets, wear gloves while you are peeling and slicing them.
• If you do get beet stains on your hands, rub lemon juice or baking soda onto the stained area to help lighten the stain.

Tips for Making the BEST Roasted Beet Salad

• Make sure you toast your walnuts before adding to the salad. It’s easy to do! Just toss them in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for just a few minutes.
• Don’t bother wasting your time with peeling the beets before roasting, after roasting make sure you peel them while still warm, but cool enough to touch.
• Do not toss your greens with the dressing until just before serving so they don’t wilt.
• Prep ahead of time. You can roast your beets and make your dressing 2-3 days ahead of time.
• Do not skip on marinating the beets for 20 minutes before assembling the salad.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

You can prep everything a few days ahead of time and store all the components separately. When ready to serve you should allow the beets to marinate for 20 minutes before tossing in the remaining ingredients.

If you think you will have leftovers, do not toss the arugula with the rest of the ingredients. Keep it separate and then store any leftovers separately.

You can store the assembled salad in the refrigerator but I would not store it longer than a day as the arugula will wilt. If stored separately, the salad should be good for 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Roasted whole beets can be frozen for up to 3 months when stored in freezer safe airtight bags.

About the Ingredients for Roasted Beet Salad

Beets – I used red beets, but you can use golden beets if you prefer. Do not peel the beets before roasting. Just wash, dry, rub in oil and roast. Once roasted, the peels just slip off easily.

Oil – You want to use a neutral flavoured oil for roasting the beets, and extra virgin olive oil for the dressing. Flaxseed oil, avocado oil, safflower oil etc.. are all good substitute for the dressing if needed.

Arugula – I really like arugla here, it has a slight peppery flavour that works well with the sweetness of the beets. You can use spinach or any other salad greens instead if you prefer, but Arugula is really the best option.

Walnuts – Walnuts provide a nutty crunch in contrast to the creamy goat cheese and soft texture of the beets. You can substitute with other nuts or seeds such as sunflower seeds, almonds, or pistachios.

Goat cheese – Creamy goat cheese really makes this salad. If you must, you can substitute with feta instead.

Vinegar – Balsamic vinegar is the base for this dressing. You can substitute with red wine vinegar if needed but you may need to adjust the flavour with more honey.

Honey – Honey adds just a touch of sweetness to the dressing to balance out the acidic flavour of the vinaigrette.

Mustard – Use a good smooth dijon mustard here.

Looking for More Salad Recipes?

This delicious kale and Brussels sprout salad recipe is perfect for a healthy side dish or light lunch that is perfect for any occasion!

A summer salad recipe perfect for any occasion, this strawberry spinach salad is easy to make and features a strawberry poppy seed dressing.

A beautiful salad that’s perfect for fall, this Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Salad recipe features candied pecans and feta cheese.

How to Make Balsamic Roasted Beet Salad

Yields: 6 Servings | Prep time: 15 Minutes | Cook time: 1 Hour

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs (6-8 medium) beets, trimmed and scrubbed
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cups Arugula, washed and dried
• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbles

Balsamic dressing:

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Rub each beet with olive oil and place in a roasting pan.

Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes to an hour, or until beets are fork-tender.

While beets are roasting, whisk together the dressing ingredients in your serving bowl. Set aside.

Let beets cool, then peel and cut into 1/4 inch slices. Add to the serving bowl and toss to coat with the dressing. Allow beets to marinate for 20-30 minutes at room temperature.

Place the remaining salad ingredients in the bowl and toss to coat.

Serve and enjoy!