Beet Salad

This roasted beet salad is so easy to prepare. It is earthy, bright, and filled with complimenting flavors and textures!

While this dish makes an amazing summer salad, because beets and oranges are often harvested in the winter, it can be enjoyed year round! Try pairing this salad with one of these delicious soups: Asparagus Soup, Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup, or Chicken Gnocchi Soup.

A Marriage of Flavors

Beets are some of my most favorite root vegetables. They have a delicious earthy taste and a bit of sweetness. They pair well with bright acidic fruit and creamy cheese. 

This beet salad is fresh and flavorful. It is a bright salad, perfect for a summer day. The creamy saltiness of the cheese adds a smoothness which contrasts the crunchy nuts. Each ingredient pairs together for the perfect bite.

While this beet salad is formed around a bed of greens, it could also be made as a simple salad of just beets, orange slices, chees and nuts covered in this rich vinaigrette.

Arugula could also be incorporated for a bit of pepperiness and spice. Either way, it is a delicious salad!

Preparing the Ingredients

BEETS. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Using a large piece of aluminum foil wrap the beats, whole, with foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. When the beets have finished baking let them cool a bit and use a paper towel to rub off the skin. Cut the beats into cubes.

WALNUTS. As the beets are baking you can prep the other ingredients. Place a skillet over medium heat and add the chopped walnuts. Cook them until warm. Just as they are beginning to toast add the maple syrup. Stir until the walnuts are evenly toasted.

Remove them from the heat and set them aside to cool.

DRESSING. To make the dressing add the orange juice concentrate, vinegar, and olive oil to a small bowl and mix together. Set aside.

Assemble the Salad

GREENS. Place a helping of salad greens onto 4 individual plates.

TOPPINGS. Sprinkle the candied walnuts over the greens. Add the cubed beets, orange pieces, and goat cheese to each salad plate.

DRESSING. Drizzle the salads with the dressing. Enjoy!

recipe Tips

Keep these tips in mind when making this recipe…

• Beets will stain things like hands and countertops, so prepare with care. Consider wearing gloves and using a large cutting board.
• Golden beets may also be used to get a similar taste but avoid the bright color.
• If you don’t have access to fresh beets, or the time to cook them, you can easily use canned beets.
• To cook beets in the instant pot: scrub the beets to remove any excess dirt, pour about 1 cup of water into the instant pot then place the trivet in it. Place about 6 beets on top of it and cook on high pressure for 28 minutes. Use quick release after the time is up. Let them cool, then peel them, then slice them!

Store + Freeze

This salad should last up to 3 days STORED in the refrigerator, without salad dressing. The beets will end up coloring the lettuce and any cheese you add in.

You can FREEZE your cooked beets to have on hand and use throughout the year even when they’re not in season. Spread out on a cookie sheet, this way they don’t clump up when you’re freezing them. Then after they are solidified you can place them into a freezer safe bag.

To make this ahead of time you can pre-cook the beets and store them in the fridge and then assemble the salad at a later time.

Try serving this salad with:

• Rotisserie chicken
• Oven roasted turkey
• Parmesan chicken risotto
• Instant pot pot roast