Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese Recipe
Roasting the beets whole and wrapped in foil steams them gently in their own juices, concentrating their sweetness far more than boiling does while also making the skins slip off effortlessly once they're cool.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 90 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 medium beets, tops trimmed
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 5 oz arugula
- 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
Need different units or a different yield? Try our Conversion Calculator →
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Wrap each beet individually in foil and place on a sheet pan.
- 2Roast for 45-60 minutes, until a knife slides easily into the center of the largest beet.
- 3Unwrap and let the beets cool until just warm, then rub off the skins with a paper towel and cut into wedges.
- 4Whisk together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, mustard, honey, and salt in a small bowl.
- 5Toss the beet wedges with a spoonful of the dressing while still warm so they absorb it.
- 6Arrange the arugula on a platter, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and a little more dressing, then top with the dressed beets, goat cheese, and walnuts.
Tips & variations
- Mix in golden beets along with red for a more colorful salad, just roast and peel them separately to keep the red from bleeding.
- Swap walnuts for pistachios or pecans, and goat cheese for feta or blue cheese, all work well with beets.
- Add sliced orange segments for a citrus variation that plays well with the earthy sweetness of the beets.
Storage & reheating
Store roasted, undressed beets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Assemble the salad just before serving, since dressed greens wilt and beet juice will bleed into the cheese if it sits too long.
Nutrition
A fiber-rich, vegetable-forward salad with moderate fat and protein from the goat cheese and walnuts.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- Wear kitchen gloves when peeling and cutting beets if you'd rather not have stained fingers for the next day.
- Dress the beets separately from the greens and while they're still warm, they soak up far more flavor than they will once fully cooled.
FAQ
Can I roast beets without wrapping them in foil?
Yes, tossed with a little oil on a covered sheet pan they'll roast fine, they just won't steam quite as gently and may take slightly longer to become fully tender.
How do I keep beet juice from staining everything?
Wear gloves when handling peeled beets and use a cutting board you don't mind staining, or line it with parchment. A little lemon juice and water helps get stains off hands afterward.
Can I make this salad ahead of time?
Roast and peel the beets up to 5 days ahead and refrigerate them whole or cut. Wait to dress the greens and assemble the full salad until right before serving.
