Roasted Beet Goat Cheese Salad (Printable Version)
A colorful mix of roasted beets, creamy goat cheese, and toasted walnuts on fresh greens.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
02 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, baby lettuces)
→ Dairy
03 - 3.5 oz goat cheese, crumbled
→ Nuts
04 - 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
→ Dressing
05 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
06 - 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
07 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1 tsp honey
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap each beet individually in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 40–50 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork. Allow to cool, peel, and cut into wedges.
02 - In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast walnuts for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Arrange mixed greens on a platter or divide among serving plates. Top with roasted beet wedges, crumbled goat cheese, and toasted walnuts.
05 - Drizzle dressing over salad just before serving.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The beets turn sweet and jammy with roasting, and somehow that warmth against cool goat cheese just works.
- It looks impressive enough to serve to guests but honest enough to eat alone on a Tuesday night.
- Crunchy walnuts give you something satisfying every bite, and the whole thing comes together faster than you'd think.
02 -
- Beets stain everything—wear an apron you don't mind if it gets marked, and cool them before peeling or your hands look like you've been painting.
- The dressing should taste a little sharp and bold on its own because the greens and cheese mellow it out once everything sits together.
03 -
- Buy beets with their greens still attached if you can; they're fresher and often cheaper, plus you can sauté the greens separately the next day.
- If your goat cheese is very cold and firm, crumble it over the warm beets so it softens into creamy pockets rather than hard bits.