Ultimate Beet Salad with Goat Cheese (Printable)

Roasted beets with goat cheese, walnuts, and fresh greens in a tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beets

01 - 4 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed

→ Salad Base

02 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, baby spinach, or mesclun)
03 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
05 - 1/3 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
06 - 1/4 cup fresh herbs (parsley, dill, or chives), chopped

→ Vinaigrette

07 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 teaspoon honey
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 40–50 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Let cool, then peel and cut into wedges or bite-sized cubes.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - In a large bowl, combine the salad greens, red onion, and half of the fresh herbs. Drizzle with about two-thirds of the vinaigrette and toss gently to coat.
05 - Arrange the roasted beet pieces over the greens. Top with crumbled goat cheese and toasted walnuts. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.
06 - Garnish with the remaining herbs and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The roasted beets become candy-sweet with this preparation method
  • The creamy goat cheese against warm beets creates the most perfect temperature contrast
  • It looks like something from a fancy restaurant but takes almost no active cooking time
02 -
  • Let those roasted beets cool just enough to handle but still stay warm
  • The foil wrapping traps steam which is essential for that tender, almost-pudding texture
  • Goat cheese absorbs vinaigrette flavor beautifully when added while beets are still slightly warm
03 -
  • Use gloves when peeling roasted beets unless you want pink-stained hands for days
  • Invest in good quality balsamic vinegar since the flavor really comes through here
  • Try adding fresh mint to the herb mix for a surprising and delightful twist

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