Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic

This beet salad recipe is a stunning fall or winter side dish! Goat cheese, apples, and arugula fill it with a delightful mix of textures and flavors.

I love all the colors in this roasted beet salad recipe. The vibrant greens, the red and golden beets, the pale pink shallot, and the dots of white cheese. This kind of colorful salad is exactly what I like to serve at a dinner party or holiday meal. It adds some needed freshness to a spread of, say, stuffing and mashed potatoes, and it looks so striking, but it’s delightfully simple to make. You can even prep the components a day or two in advance!

Beet Salad Recipe Ingredients

To make this beet salad recipe, you can use any variety of beets. Red beets, golden beets, or pink Chioggia beets would all work well. Use a mix of colors if you can, but if red beets are all that’s available, don’t worry. The salad will still look beautiful and taste great.

And tip: if the beets’ tops are still attached, don’t toss them! Instead, save them to make this yummy sautéed beet greens recipe. Waste not, want not!

Here’s what else you’ll need to make this beet salad recipe:

• Granny Smith apple – It adds crunch and sweet-tart flavor. A ripe pear would work nicely here too.
• Fresh greens – I like to use arugula or spring mix to create the salad’s fresh base. A sprinkle of microgreens is a nice touch too.
• Soft goat cheese – A perfect partner for roasted beets! Its funky flavor and creamy texture pair wonderfully with the sweet, earthy root veggies.
• Toasted walnuts – For extra earthiness, richness, and crunch.
• Thinly sliced shallot – For sharp depth of flavor.
• Balsamic vinaigrette – I make my own with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a little maple syrup, garlic, and mustard. Its sweet, tangy flavor really brings the salad together.
• And flaky sea salt and fresh black pepper – To make all the flavors pop! I love the delicate crunch that the flaky salt adds to this beet salad, but if you can’t find it, regular sea salt would be fine too.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Roasted Beet Salad Serving Suggestions

This beet and goat cheese salad is a perfect side dish for any fall or winter meal. You could enjoy it for lunch with a bowl of potato leek or butternut squash soup or serve it for dinner with pasta, risotto, pizza, or polenta. It would also be a great addition to a holiday spread. Serve it for Thanksgiving with classic dishes like green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, and mashed potatoes, or pair it with lasagna or baked ziti for another holiday meal.

To get ahead, you can cook the beets and make the dressing up to two days in advance and store them in the fridge. Just before serving, assemble the salad with the roasted beets, goat cheese, apple, walnuts, shallot, and greens. Drizzle on the dressing, and serve!

More Favorite Salad Recipes

If you love this roasted beet salad recipe, try one of these fresh salads next:

• Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
• Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
• Butternut Squash Salad
• Avocado Salad
• Green Bean Salad
• Pear Salad with Balsamic and Walnuts
• Kale Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing
• Or any of these 51 Best Salad Recipes!

Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 medium beets
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 2 cups salad greens, arugula or spring mix
• ½ shallot, thinly sliced
• ½ green apple, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup toasted walnuts
• 2 ounces goat cheese, torn
• Microgreens, optional
• Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Flaky sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Wrap each beet in a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle generously with olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper. Place the beets on a baking sheet and roast for 40 to 90 minutes, or until soft and fork-tender. The time will depend on the size and freshness of the beets. Remove the beets from the oven, remove the foil, and set aside to cool. When they are cool to the touch, peel the skins. I like to hold them under running water and slide the skins off with my hands.
• Let the beets cool and chill them in the fridge until ready to use.
• Slice the beets into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Assemble the salad with the greens, shallots, apples, beets, walnuts, cheese, and microgreens, if using. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette. Season with flaky sea salt and pepper and serve.

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