Roasted Beet Goat Cheese Salad (Printable)

Sweet roasted beets paired with creamy goat cheese, crisp greens, and a tangy dressing for a fresh, wholesome salad.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beets

01 - 4 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/4 tsp kosher salt
04 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Salad

05 - 5 oz mixed salad greens (e.g., arugula, spinach, baby kale)
06 - 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
07 - 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
08 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

09 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
11 - 1 tsp honey
12 - 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
13 - Salt and pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
03 - Place wrapped beets on a baking sheet and roast for 40–50 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
04 - Unwrap and let beets cool slightly. Peel off skins, then cut beets into wedges or cubes.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
06 - In a large mixing bowl, combine salad greens, roasted beets, sliced red onion, and half the walnuts or pecans.
07 - Drizzle with dressing and toss gently to coat.
08 - Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates. Top with crumbled goat cheese and remaining nuts. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of warm roasted beets and cool creamy cheese creates this incredible temperature contrast that makes each bite exciting
  • It looks impressive on a plate but comes together with barely any active cooking time
  • You can roast the beets up to three days ahead and assemble the salad in minutes when ready to serve
02 -
  • Wear gloves when peeling red beets unless you want stained hands for a couple of days, which I learned the messy way
  • The beets continue to steam in their foil, so let them cool at least 15 minutes or they will be impossible to handle
  • Add the goat cheese at the very last minute because it can melt slightly from the warm beets
03 -
  • Use a vegetable peeler to slice the beets into thin ribbons instead of cubes for an elegant restaurant style presentation
  • Let the dressed salad sit for 5 minutes before serving so the flavors can meld together

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