Roasted Beet Goat Cheese Salad (Printable)
Earthy roasted beets paired with creamy goat cheese, crunchy nuts, and fresh greens in a tangy dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed (approx. 1.1 lbs)
02 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, baby kale)
→ Cheese & Nuts
03 - 3.5 oz soft goat cheese, crumbled
04 - 1/3 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
→ Dressing
05 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
06 - 1.5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
07 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish (optional)
10 - 2 tbsp fresh chives or parsley, chopped
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil and arrange on a baking sheet. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserts easily into the beet.
02 - Remove beets from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then peel and cut into wedges or 0.4-inch cubes.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - Arrange mixed greens on a serving platter or individual plates. Layer roasted beet pieces, crumbled goat cheese, and toasted nuts over the greens.
05 - Drizzle the prepared vinaigrette over the salad. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The beets get so naturally sweet and tender that you won't miss richness—the goat cheese just echoes that creamy luxury.
- It comes together faster than you'd expect, especially if you roast the beets ahead of time on a lazy weekend.
- This is the kind of salad that looks restaurant-quality but asks almost nothing of you in terms of technique.
02 -
- Don't skip wrapping the beets in foil—it's the difference between beets that steam themselves into tenderness and ones that dry out.
- Peeling roasted beets is easiest when they're still slightly warm, and running water over them as you rub makes the skin slip away effortlessly.
- The dressing needs the mustard to emulsify properly; without it, the oil and vinegar separate, and you lose that creamy, cohesive texture.
03 -
- Roast your beets a day or two ahead; they actually taste better with a night to develop flavor, and assembly becomes a five-minute task.
- Warm beets still holding a little of their heat will slightly soften the goat cheese at the edges, creating pockets of creamy richness you don't get with cold beets.