Roasted Beet Goat Cheese Salad (Printable Version)
A fresh mix of roasted beets, creamy goat cheese, toasted walnuts, and tangy vinaigrette on greens.
# Ingredient List:
→ For the Salad
01 - 4 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
02 - 3.5 oz goat cheese, crumbled
03 - 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
04 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, or mesclun)
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
→ For the Vinaigrette
06 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
08 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
09 - 1 tsp honey
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 40-45 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
02 - Allow the beets to cool slightly, then peel and cut them into wedges or slices.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - In a large bowl, combine salad greens and red onion. Drizzle with half the vinaigrette and toss gently to coat.
05 - Arrange the greens on a serving platter. Top with roasted beets, crumbled goat cheese, and toasted walnuts. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the salad and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The warm beets against cool goat cheese creates this incredible temperature contrast that makes every bite interesting
- You can roast the beets ahead of time and assemble everything in under ten minutes when you're ready to serve
02 -
- Don't skip the foil wrapping or your beets will dry out in the oven instead of steaming in their own skins
- The salad needs to be assembled right before serving because the beets will bleed pink into everything if they sit too long
03 -
- Wear gloves when peeling the beets unless you want pink hands for two days, which I learned the hard way
- Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin ribbons of goat cheese over the top for the most elegant presentation