Beet Salad Recipe with Balsamic Dressing – WellPlated.com (2024)

This Beet Salad Recipe has tang, crunch, sweetness, and bite all in one. With roasted beets, peppery arugula, crunchy apple, creamy cheese, and a punchy balsamic dressing, this red beet salad truly has it all!

Why You’ll Love This Salad Recipe

• It’s Got it Goin’ On. Sweet and salty flavors, creamy and crunchy textures, freshness and pizzazz; this beet salad has a big-time satisfaction factor and is a pleasure to eat.
• Roasted Beets Are Deceivingly Simple. Rounds of perfecting the Roasted Beet Salad with Honey Orange Ricotta in my cookbook led me to an easy method of roasting and peeling beets; Roasted Beets have been on the menu a LOT. Once you try my method, you may find yourself roasting beets more often too.
• It’s Packed With Beneficial Nutrients. Like my Apple Walnut Salad and Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad, this beet salad recipe is made of nutrient-dense veggies, fruit, and nuts, making it both healthy and filling. Beets are rich in vitamins, fiber, and minerals.
• You Can Serve It for Anything. From casual weeknight dinners to elegant holiday meals, this beet salad (and Winter Salad) is always dressed to impress. This beet and goat cheese salad with balsamic dressing combines elegance, flavor, and texture into one delightful package.

How to Make This Beet Salad Recipe

The Ingredients

For the Salad

• Beets. Beets are an incredibly nutritious ingredient, meaning beet salads are good for you. They taste earthy with a hint of sweetness and are rich in vitamin C, fiber, and folate. Beet lovers rejoice with my Beet Hummus.
• Arugula. Peppery and fresh-tasting, arugula is a scrumptious base for this salad because it can stand up to the hearty beets. Plus, it’s packed with calcium, potassium, and folate.
• Apple. Crisp, juicy, and sweet. Apples are a fantastic pairing with beets! Pears are another excellent option.
• Pistachios. Pistachios add a wonderful salty and crunchy element to the salad. They also add protein to the salad.
• Goat Cheese. For creamy, cheesy deliciousness that instantly elevates this salad.
• Cranberries. A tart complement to the sweetness of the apple and beets. They also make this salad feel holiday-worthy.

For the Dressing

• Olive Oil. The base for our tangy, sweet dressing.
• Balsamic Vinegar. Adds a sweet, acidic complexity to the dressing. Plus, it pairs well with the beets.
• Dijon. For tanginess.
• Honey. The sweet counterpart to the more savory and tangy elements in the salad.
• Finishing Touches. A pinch of garlic, salt, and pepper completes the dressing.

The Directions

1. Roast the Beets. Bake at 400 degrees F for 50 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

2. Mix the Dressing. A liquid measuring cup works well for this.

3. Skin and Dice the Beets. Stir them with half of the dressing.

4. Toss. Add part of the other mix-ins.

5. Add Remaining Mix-Ins. ENJOY!

Meal Prep Tips

Bake, peel, and dice the beets up to 1 day in advance. Refrigerate them in an airtight storage container. Up to 2 days in advance, whisk the dressing ingredients together. Refrigerate the dressing in an airtight storage container. Assemble the salad as directed and drizzle on the dressing when you’re ready to serve.

What to Serve with a Beet Salad Recipe

• Pork. This beet salad would be the perfect side dish for Grilled Pork Tenderloin.
• Ham. When it comes to what protein to serve with beet salad, ham is a front-runner. Try this salad with Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup.
• Chicken. Chicken is another protein that pairs well with beet salad. Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu would be tasty with beet salad.
• Turkey. Serve beet salad with Roast Turkey or Spatchco*ck Turkey for a holiday feast.
• Salmon. Salmon goes well with beets. Try this salad with Pan Seared Salmon.
• Veggies. Other root vegetables like Roasted Sweet Potatoes are a scrumptious pairing with beets.
• Rice. Refreshing Lemon Rice is delicious with this salad (lemon juice tastes wonderful with beets).

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Roasting Is Worth It. While you can eat beets raw in a salad, I much prefer a roasted beet salad over a raw beet salad. Roasted beets are sweeter, making them more delicious (and palatable). Their fork-tender texture bulks up the salad and makes it particularly satisfying. It’s worth the extra step!
• No More Beet Stains. Beets are notorious for leaving a trail of stains wherever they go. To keep beets from staining your cutting board, lay a piece of parchment on top of it prior to slicing.
• Serve It Warm or Cold. Personally, I love to serve this salad when the beets are still slightly warm, but it also tastes fantastic both at room temperature and as a cold beet salad (great if you are prepping the beets ahead).