Roasted Beet Salad With Walnuts, Goat Cheese And Honey Balsamic Dressing Recipe

I just put together a Roasted Beet Goat Cheese Walnut Salad that steals the show at any table and will make your dinner guests ask for seconds.

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A photo of Roasted Beet Salad With Walnuts, Goat Cheese And Honey Balsamic Dressing Recipe

I can’t get over how loud and honest this Roasted Beet Goat Cheese Walnut Salad is. I adore the clash of earthy beets and tangy goat cheese, that chew of walnuts, the whole thing sings.

I make it when I want something that looks like effort without pretending I planned ahead. It’s messy in the best way.

But it’s not fussy. Beet Salad Recipes like this make me happy to eat salad for dinner.

I bring it to parties and nobody acts like it’s just a side. It steals the show, every single time.

Seriously. I crave it too often.

Ingredients

Ingredients photo for Roasted Beet Salad With Walnuts, Goat Cheese And Honey Balsamic Dressing Recipe

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  • Beets: earthy-sweet base that’s tender and a little rustic.
  • Olive oil: adds silky richness and helps everything brown nicely.
  • Salt and pepper: simple seasoning that makes the beet flavor pop.
  • Mixed greens: peppery, fresh backdrop that keeps the salad lively.
  • Walnuts: crunchy, toasty bite and a bit of healthy fat.
  • Goat cheese: tangy creaminess that makes each bite feel indulgent.
  • Honey: mellow sweetness that balances the beets’ earthiness.
  • Balsamic vinegar: tangy-sweet acidity that ties the salad together.
  • Dijon mustard: a little zing and helps the dressing stick.
  • Extra virgin olive oil: smooth mouthfeel and glossy dressing finish.
  • Shallot: sharp, oniony note that’s subtle and grown-up.
  • Lemon juice: brightens the dressing, keeps things from tasting heavy.

Ingredient Quantities

  • 3 medium beets (about 1 pound), tops trimmed, scrubbed and wrapped in foil

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 4 ounces mixed salad greens or baby arugula (about 4 cups loosely packed)

  • 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped and toasted

  • 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (for dressing)

  • 1 small shallot, finely minced (or 2 tablespoons red onion), optional

  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional, to brighten dressing)

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Scrub beet tops, trim roots and greens, rub beets with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then wrap each beet tightly in foil.

2. Roast beets directly on a rimmed baking sheet for 45 to 60 minutes, until a paring knife slides in easily. Bigger beets take longer, smaller less.

3. While beets roast, toast the walnuts: heat a dry skillet over medium, add chopped walnuts and stir constantly 3 to 5 minutes until fragrant and slightly browned. Watch them close, they burn fast. Set aside.

4. Make the dressing: whisk together honey, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced shallot or red onion if using, and lemon juice if using. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil until emulsified; season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. When beets are cool enough to touch, unwrap and slip off the skins using your fingers or a paper towel (they should rub right off). Slice or cut into wedges about 1/2 inch thick.

6. Toss the mixed greens or baby arugula with about half the dressing to lightly coat. You can add more later, you dont want soggy leaves.

7. Arrange dressed greens on a platter or individual plates, top with beet slices, then sprinkle the toasted walnuts over the top.

8. Crumble goat cheese evenly over the salad, scatter any remaining walnuts, and drizzle remaining dressing over everything. Taste and add extra salt, pepper or a tiny splash of lemon if it needs brightness.

9. Let salad sit 5 minutes so flavors meld, then serve. Leftovers keep well for a day but add goat cheese just before eating if you want it freshest.

Equipment Needed

1. Rimmed baking sheet
2. Aluminum foil
3. Chef’s knife
4. Cutting board
5. Paring knife or vegetable peeler (for testing doneness and trimming)
6. Large mixing bowl (for tossing greens)
7. Small bowl and whisk (for dressing)
8. Dry skillet (for toasting walnuts)
9. Tongs or salad servers
10. Measuring spoons and measuring cup

FAQ

A: Pierce the biggest beet with a paring knife or skewer. If it slides in easily, theyre done. Small beets take about 45 minutes at 400 F, bigger ones up to an hour. Let them rest wrapped in the foil for 10 minutes before peeling, it makes the skins slip off easier.

A: Yes. Pre-cooked vacuum packed beets work fine, just slice and warm quickly in a pan or serve cold. Canned beets are softer and usually sweeter, rinse them to remove packing liquid. Roasting gives more caramelized flavor though, so the salad wont be exactly the same.

A: Toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes, shaking the pan often. Watch closely, cause nuts can go from golden to burnt fast. Or toast in a 350 F oven for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring once. Cool them before chopping so they dont go soggy in the salad.

A: Soft goat cheese is fine, it crumbles into creamy little pockets. To make neater crumbles, chill the log for 10 to 15 minutes before crumbling. If you want firmer bites, roll small spoonfuls into chilled balls.

A: Absolutely. Whisk the vinegar, mustard, honey, shallot and lemon together, then slowly stream in the 1/4 cup olive oil. Store in a jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. Shake well before using since the oil will separate. If it gets too thick, let it sit at room temp for a bit or add a teaspoon or two of warm water.

A: Dress the greens right before serving. Assemble beets, walnuts and goat cheese on a platter, keep the greens and dressing separate until the last minute. Also make the beets and dressing ahead, but let the beets come to room temperature so the greens dont wilt from heat.

Roasted Beet Salad With Walnuts, Goat Cheese And Honey Balsamic Dressing Recipe Substitutions and Variations

  • Beets: try roasted carrots or sweet potatoes instead, same roast time works and they give a similar sweet earthy vibe, but carrots are a bit firmer and sweet potatoes are creamier.
  • Goat cheese: swap with crumbled feta or ricotta salata for a tangy salty hit; feta is sharper, ricotta salata is milder and crumblier.
  • Walnuts: use toasted pecans or sliced almonds if you want a different crunch, pecans are richer, almonds are cleaner and nuttier.
  • Honey in the dressing: use pure maple syrup or agave nectar if you need a vegan option, both blend well with balsamic and mustard.

Pro Tips

1) Roast time varies a lot by beet size, so check early. Stick a paring knife in after 30 minutes; if it meets resistance, keep roasting. Also let them cool fully before peeling or you will lose a lot of juice and stain everything.

2) Toast walnuts in a dry pan, but don’t walk away. They go from perfect to burnt in seconds. Shake the pan or stir constantly and pull them off the heat a touch early — they’ll keep browning from residual heat.

3) Emulsify the dressing well before adding to greens. Whisk the oil in slowly, taste and then decide how much to use. Dress the leaves lightly at first so they don’t get soggy, you can always add more at the table.

4) Crumbled goat cheese is best added last. If you toss it with the hot beets or warm dressing it will melt and get runny. For better texture, chill the cheese briefly so it stays crumbly when you serve.

Roasted Beet Salad With Walnuts, Goat Cheese And Honey Balsamic Dressing Recipe

Roasted Beet Salad With Walnuts, Goat Cheese And Honey Balsamic Dressing Recipe

Recipe by Belinda Jay

0.0 from 0 votes

I just put together a Roasted Beet Goat Cheese Walnut Salad that steals the show at any table and will make your dinner guests ask for seconds.


Pin

Servings

4

servings

Calories

496

kcal

Equipment: 1. Rimmed baking sheet
2. Aluminum foil
3. Chef’s knife
4. Cutting board
5. Paring knife or vegetable peeler (for testing doneness and trimming)
6. Large mixing bowl (for tossing greens)
7. Small bowl and whisk (for dressing)
8. Dry skillet (for toasting walnuts)
9. Tongs or salad servers
10. Measuring spoons and measuring cup

Ingredients

  • 3 medium beets (about 1 pound), tops trimmed, scrubbed and wrapped in foil

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 4 ounces mixed salad greens or baby arugula (about 4 cups loosely packed)

  • 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped and toasted

  • 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (for dressing)

  • 1 small shallot, finely minced (or 2 tablespoons red onion), optional

  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional, to brighten dressing)

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Scrub beet tops, trim roots and greens, rub beets with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then wrap each beet tightly in foil.
  • Roast beets directly on a rimmed baking sheet for 45 to 60 minutes, until a paring knife slides in easily. Bigger beets take longer, smaller less.
  • While beets roast, toast the walnuts: heat a dry skillet over medium, add chopped walnuts and stir constantly 3 to 5 minutes until fragrant and slightly browned. Watch them close, they burn fast. Set aside.
  • Make the dressing: whisk together honey, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced shallot or red onion if using, and lemon juice if using. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil until emulsified; season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • When beets are cool enough to touch, unwrap and slip off the skins using your fingers or a paper towel (they should rub right off). Slice or cut into wedges about 1/2 inch thick.
  • Toss the mixed greens or baby arugula with about half the dressing to lightly coat. You can add more later, you dont want soggy leaves.
  • Arrange dressed greens on a platter or individual plates, top with beet slices, then sprinkle the toasted walnuts over the top.
  • Crumble goat cheese evenly over the salad, scatter any remaining walnuts, and drizzle remaining dressing over everything. Taste and add extra salt, pepper or a tiny splash of lemon if it needs brightness.
  • Let salad sit 5 minutes so flavors meld, then serve. Leftovers keep well for a day but add goat cheese just before eating if you want it freshest.

Notes

  • Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

  • Serving Size: 230g
  • Total number of serves: 4
  • Calories: 496kcal
  • Fat: 40.1g
  • Saturated Fat: 10g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Polyunsaturated: 9.6g
  • Monounsaturated: 19.5g
  • Cholesterol: 28mg
  • Sodium: 205mg
  • Potassium: 540mg
  • Carbohydrates: 26.8g
  • Fiber: 4.6g
  • Sugar: 19.5g
  • Protein: 10.7g
  • Vitamin A: 675IU
  • Vitamin C: 8.8mg
  • Calcium: 100mg
  • Iron: 1.8mg

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Belinda Jay

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