Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts Goat Cheese and Honey Balsamic Dressing
This gorgeous showstopping Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts, Goat Cheese and Honey Balsamic Dressing is perfect for any occasion! Once the beets are roasted (which you can do well ahead of time), the salad comes together quickly. Sit back and enjoy the accolades from your guests!
“We eat a LOT of salads at our house but this one is always at the top of our list! …The dressing is always in the fridge!”
Why This Recipe is a Keeper:
Here’s a super simple, showstopping salad with beets recipe that’s perfect for any occasion! Serve as part of a holiday buffet and your guests will ooh and aah!
Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts, Goat Cheese and Honey Balsamic Dressing is perfect any time you’re entertaining, need something to take to a get-together or want to up your side salad game for a dinner at home.
This dressing is our go-to salad dressing and we always have some in our refrigerator. It’s sooo good!
Best of all, if you don’t want to go through the trouble of roasting the beets, cooked unflavored beets are now readily available in the produce department. Yay for when you need something impressive but are short on time.
How to Make Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts, Goat Cheese and Honey – Balsamic Dressing:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this salad with beets recipe along with how to prep. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Beets: I prefer to roast my own beets because I feel the flavor is superior. However, packaged, unflavored roasted beets available in the produce department can be used in a pinch. Use small to medium beets and a variety of colors if available.
- Walnuts: Do toast the walnuts if you have time. Toasting adds another layer of flavor.
- Goat Cheese: Because a log of goat cheese is difficult to crumble, I like to use pre-crumbled goat cheese in the plastic container because it’s easy to sprinkle over the salad.
- Arugula: Arugula has a lightly bitter, peppery flavor. If you’re not a fan of arugula, you can use mixed baby greens or baby spinach.
- Balsamic Vinegar: We love the Kirkland brand from Costco but as long as you’re using a good balsamic vinegar from Modena, Italy, you’re in good shape.
- Oils: I combine canola oil and extra-virgin olive oil. Just using canola oil is a bit too light while only EVOO will be too heavy. You can also use vegetable or grapeseed oil in place of the canola.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients for the beet salad recipe.
- Trim the tops from the beets and scrub them well. (Save those tops for a salad or a quick saute!)
- Place in a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil then pour a little water in the bottom of the pan.
- Cover with foil and roast for at least 45 minutes to an hour. Depending upon their size, they may take longer.
- The beets are cooked when you can easily pierce them with a paring knife.
- Let cool and peel.
- While the beets are roasting, whisk together the honey balsamic dressing. The recipe makes more than you’ll need for the salad but you’ll love having extra for another salad. Refrigerate the dressing until needed.
- MAKE AHEAD: Beets can be roasted and peeled 2-3 days in advance. Refrigerate until needed. Dressing can be combined 3-4 days in advance and refrigerated but will keep for up to a week.
- Combine the beets and red onion with some of the dressing and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. You don’t have to do this, but letting the onion sit in the dressing will soften it up and take away some of the bite.
- Assemble the beet salad recipe:
- Place the fresh arugula on a platter.
- Top with the marinated beets and onion followed by the walnuts and goat cheese.
- Drizzle with additional dressing.
That’s it! Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts, Goat Cheese and Honey Balsamic Dressing is super elegant and perfect for your next dinner party, holiday dinner or special dinner at home!
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- Toasting nuts can be tricky because they burn quickly so keep an eye on them. Toast on parchment paper in a 350-degree oven for 5-7 minutes if chopped and 7-10 minutes if whole. This can also be done in a nonstick skillet on the stovetop. It’s direct heat so won’t take as long. When you can smell the toasted nuts, they’re probably done!
- I always have disposable gloves in my kitchen for handling things like chicken or hot chiles so wearing them while peeling and slicing the beets will keep the color off your hands.
- Eco-friendly alternatives to gloves is to use a cut lemon rubbed over your hands or baking soda and water as suggested by Sunset Magazine.
- To get the stain off your cutting board, sprinkle a little coarse salt over the stain and rub with a lemon half.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes, absolutely. Be sure to purchase the ones that are plain and not flavored.
Yes! Roast the beets up to three days ahead and refrigerate peeled or unpeeled. The dressing will keep for 5-7 days in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, just toss the beets and onions with some of the dressing and let stand as directed.
If you do not like arugula, use mixed baby greens or baby spinach.
Make it a meal with:
- Deviled Crab-Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms
- Braised Beef Short Ribs with Cauliflower Leek Puree
- Asparagus Cordon Bleu
- Chocolate Avocado Mousse
For more delicious beet and beet salad recipes, be sure to try my:
- Massaged Kale Beet and Blueberry Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing
- Quick Pickled Beets with Dill
- Roasted Hasselback Beets with Dill Dressing
- Roasted Beets with Shallots, Red Wine Glaze, Gorgonzola and Walnuts
Be sure to check out all my salad recipes at Side Dish Salad Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen. Get more great beet salad recipes at 25 Best Beet Salad Recipes.
Join the FROM A CHEF’S KITCHEN MAILING LIST to get all the latest posts and more!
Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts Goat Cheese and Honey Balsamic Dressing
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Ingredients
Salad
- 3 bunches small to medium beets - 8-10 beets, tops trimmed and scrubbed -OR- 3 small packages cooked beets, sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 small red onion - thinly sliced vertically
- Baby salad greens - such as spinach, mixed greens or arugula
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts - toasted if desired
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
Honey Balsamic Dressing
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey - or to taste
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic - minced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
Salad
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Rub the outside of each beet with some of the olive oil then place beets in a roasting pan.
- Pour 1/2 cup of water into roasting pan. Cover with foil. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until beets can be easily pierced with a knife. Let cool, peel and slice.
- In a bowl, combine sliced, cooled beets and red onion. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of the dressing and toss to coat. (Reserve remaining dressing for another purpose or pass separately.) Let stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes so the beets absorb some of the dressing and the onions soften up slightly.
- Place greens on a platter.
- Top with beet/onion combination, then sprinkle walnuts and goat cheese over the top. Serve immediately.
Honey Balsamic Dressing
- While the beets are roasting, whisk together ingredients for the dressing. Refrigerate until needed.
Notes
- May use purchased roasted plain (unflavored) beets.
- Use mixed baby greens or baby spinach instead of arugula.
- Use feta in place of goat cheese.
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
I made this last night for company and it was a hit! I will definitely be making this again!
Hi, Janell, Thanks so very much and so happy everyone enjoyed!
My favorite salad!
Hi, Susan, Thanks so very much and so happy you love this salad!
I just made this tonight….OMG, this was awesome. The dressing really made it. Also, the addition on the red onion is a must. I breaded my goat cheese in egg and the panko and placed them in the air fryer…I love fried goat cheese, but really, it was just as good in the air fryer. Definitely a go-to recipe. Thank you.
Hi, Lori, Thanks so very much and so happy you love this recipe! LOVE that you fried the goat cheese–super idea! Thanks again!
I had this salad at a conference in Chicago recently. It was delicious and I knew when I got home, I’d have to replicate it. This was the closest version! So fresh and the flavors are on point! Thanks for sharing!!
Hi, Angela, Thanks so much and so happy you enjoyed and this was able to come so close to the salad you enjoyed. Thanks again!