The winter months are great for beets, and this roasted beet salad makes great use of this great ingredient. The beets and goat cheese flavors compliment each other perfectly.
I think beet have always gotten a bad rap. This healthy recipe is a go-to for meal prep lunches. The beets are tender and their earthy flavors are a great treat. Additionally most of the work is done in the oven. All you need to do is assemble.Â
In this recipe
The thing with beets is they are horrible to skin. Well that is if you don’t have my secret weapon. By using it, you will save time and your fingers from turning a horrible shade of purple. Speaking of which it is good to wear gloves while working with beets. The secret weapon is a small stack of paper towels.Â
Once you have roasted the beets the skin gets very soft. There might be other recipes you see that suggest you use a knife to remove the skin. I use the paper towels. Just take one and gently rub the sides of the beet with the towel. You will see the skin slide right off and it take 15 seconds. After a couple of beets use a new paper towel.Â
When making a candied nut it is important to watch the sugar. In the oven it can scorch easily. You do not need to bake them for more than 5-6 minutes. While this recipe just uses cinnamon you are welcome to use any spices you like.Â
Mix it up
The best part about a salad is that you can do just that “mix it up”. There are so many great flavor combinations and ideas check out some of these for any that might spark your imagination.
- Swap out the apples for pears.Â
- Use pecans instead of walnuts.
- Exchange the balsamic vinegar with champagne vinegar.
Looking for other salad ideas?
Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Aluminum foil
- Mixing Bowl
- Apple corer
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 6 beets
- 4 cups salad greens
- ½ cup goat cheese crumbled
- 1 apple cored
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp salt kosher
- ½ tsp black pepper ground
Candied Walnuts
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt kosher
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp butter unsalted, melted
Instructions
Roasting the beets
- Preheat the oven to 400°F or gas mark 6.
- Wash the beets and cut the tops and root tips off of the beets. Wrap in foil and place on baking sheet. Bake for 50 minutes. A knife should be able to pass through easily when cooked. Let cool before handling.
Making the dressing
- While the beets are cooking using a whisk mix the honey, salt, pepper, and mustard until smooth. Add the balsamic vinegar and whisk until smooth. Finally add the oil and whisk until smooth and silky. Set aside.
Making the candied walnuts
- Reduce oven temp to 350°F or gas mark 4.
- Combine the melted sugar, cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar. Toss the walnuts in the sugar mixture until coated. Spread on a sheet pan lined with foil and bake for 5 min.
Assemble the salad
- Using a paper towel lightly scrub the beets and the skin will come off. Slice the the beets and set aside.
- Core and slice the apple and set aside.
- Add the arugula, apples, and beets to the bowl. Toss with some of the balsamic vinaigrette and top with the candied walnuts and goat cheese.
Nutrition
