Roasted Beet Goat Cheese Salad (Printable)
Fresh roasted beets, crumbled goat cheese, and toasted walnuts on mixed greens with a tangy vinaigrette.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
02 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, or baby lettuces)
→ Dairy
03 - 3.5 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
→ Nuts
04 - 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
→ Dressing
05 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
06 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
07 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
08 - 1 teaspoon honey
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Allow to cool, then peel and cut into wedges.
02 - While beets roast, toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 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 salad greens on a serving platter or divide among plates. Top with roasted beet wedges, crumbled goat cheese, and toasted walnuts.
05 - Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad just before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It looks restaurant-worthy but takes less time than you'd think, making you feel like a genius when people ask for the recipe.
- The contrast of textures—crispy walnuts, silky cheese, tender beets—keeps every bite interesting without any complicated technique.
02 -
- Don't skip wrapping the beets individually in foil—it traps steam and ensures even, tender cooking that roasting unwrapped never achieves.
- Toast the walnuts on medium heat or they'll burn before you blink; low and slow is your friend here.
03 -
- Buy beets with their greens still attached if you can—they're fresher, and you can sauté those greens separately as a bonus side dish.
- If your goat cheese is very cold, let it sit on the counter for ten minutes before serving so it's creamy rather than crumbly.