Roasted Beet Salad with Feta & Walnuts
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A healthy roasted beet salad with feta and roasted walnuts, drizzled with a homemade vinaigrette. The beets are the star of the show!
If you want another easy salad for the week, add Apple Walnut Salad to your list.
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below. Jump to the recipe card if you wish!
Aaah, salad. Is it dinner? Is it a side? Yes. Yes, to both.
This particular beet salad is one of my favorites. The flavor combination alone is something I really enjoy, and I look forward to making any time I see beets in the store. Beets are available all year round, but at their best June through October. I like to use the smaller, baby beets, but all beets are good when roasted!!
Beets turn sweet when you roast them, so combined with the salty feta, and the bite of the vinaigrette, we have ourselves a heck of a treat!
Looking for more salad? Try this yummy Grilled Vegetable Salad. Prep this one ahead too!
Why you’ll love this
- Simple ingredients. Nothing you can’t pronounce, and absolutely nothing you can’t find at the grocery store.
- Make ahead. Prep the beets on the weekend, and assemble the salad on a manic Monday night!
What do roasted beets taste like?
Well, before they’re roasted, they have an earthy, bitter flavor. After cooking? Sweet and almost like candy!
Step-by-step photos and tips and tricks are below. Jump to the full recipe card instead
Key Recipe Ingredients
Note: This highlights some ingredients. Full list is in the recipe card.
How to make this recipe
This is a step-by-step photo guide. Full ingredients and instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
JumpCook the Beets
Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a small baking dish or baking sheet with heavy aluminum foil. This will make cleanup easier!
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Place beet rounds into prepared baking pan and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper.
Place in oven and bake until cooked through, about 30 to 45 minutes.
When beets are done, remove from oven and cool completely, before setting in the fridge to chill.
Make the vinaigrette
Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. While constantly whisking, slowly drizzle in olive oil, so the dressing emulsifies.
Taste dressing and add more salt, pepper, garlic etc until you LOVE it.
Assembly
In a large bowl, add the salad mix and tomatoes. Drizzle the dressing over it and toss to combine.
Arrange on a platter or bowl, put the beets on top, and sprinkle with feta cheese and walnuts.
Kylee’s Notes
You can use a mix of red and golden beets. They will add slightly different flavors, but very pretty colors!
You could use goat cheese instead of feta if you prefer.
Make a balsamic vinaigrette instead. Replace the white wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar. Add a little maple syrup or honey if you like your dressing sweet.
You can roast the beets whole. Wrap the beets in foil, and cook as directed and maybe add 15 minutes to cooking time. Remove from the oven and when they’re cool enough to handle, slice them (and chill them).
Candied walnuts are a GREAT addition to this salad. Try this Candied Nuts Recipe
What to do with leftovers
Store the components for the salad separately in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Assemble before serving.
More recipes to love
Some of my favorite Salad Recipes:
- Kale Salad. Simple ingredients and simple instructions (including how to massage kale) make this Kale Salad Recipe an absolute keeper!
- Arugula Salad. Peppery arugula mixed with bright tomatoes, parmesan, and dressed with fresh lemon vinaigrette. Perfection!
- Southwest Chicken Salad. With enough protein to make this a wonderful main dish, this is a salad you’ll make over and over!
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Roasted Beet Salad with Feta and Walnuts
Ingredients
- 4-6 small fresh beets peeled and sliced into 1/4 – 1/3in rounds
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 5 ounces baby arugula
- 1/2 cup feta crumbled
- 1/4 cup roasted walnuts chopped
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes yellow and red
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced or 1/2 tsp dried
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F and line a small baking dish or baking sheet (with a lip) with heavy foil – this will make cleanup easier!
- Place 4-6 small fresh beets rounds into prepared baking pan and toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil and salt and pepper
- Place in oven and bake until cooked through, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper and whisk to combine – while continually whisking, slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil to combine and emulsify.
- Taste dressing and adjust seasoning to your liking.
- When beets are done, remove from oven and cool completely before placing in the fridge to chill.
- In a large bowl, combine the 5 ounces baby arugula and 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes. Drizzle the dressing over it and toss.
- Once beets are cooled, arrange the salad mix on the platter, put the beets on top, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup feta and 1/4 cup roasted walnuts.
Notes
- You can use a mix of red and golden beets. They will add slightly different flavors, but very pretty colors!
- You could use goat cheese instead of feta if you prefer.
- Make a balsamic vinaigrette instead. Replace the white wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar. Add a little maple syrup or honey if you like your dressing sweet.
- You can roast the beets whole. Wrap the beets in foil, and cook as directed and maybe add 15 minutes to cooking time. Remove from the oven and when they’re cool enough to handle, slice them (and chill them).
Would you like to save this recipe?
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Make sure to follow @kyleecooks on Instagram for more and tag me #kyleecooks so I can see!Update: This was originally posted in August of 2014, and has been updated to improve reader experience with new photos.
About Kylee Ayotte
I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee
You’ve incorporated so many of my favorite things into this salad. The feta is what really pushes it over the top!
Beets and goat cheese are such a perfect pairing. Add walnuts and we’re really in food heaven. I am a lazy ass and always buy ready roasted beets instead of roasting them myself and seeing how simple it is I feel ashamed. I definitely have to start roasting my own beets next time! No excuses!
This is surely healthy and the best way to enjoy Beet Salad. Delicious flavors and the dressing to the salad is super tempting too.
Are salads a meal?!! Of course they are. I mean, my boys would object but I could eat salad this great a few nights of the week for sure beets and feta are one of my favourite flavour combinations.
Great salad Kylee, Love beets!