Wow! This Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Toasted Walnuts sure is delicious, nutritious, and so easy to make!
A few weeks ago, I made a pretty bold statement on Twitter…
I’ve decided pretty much everything tastes better with toasted nuts? Who agrees?
I’m sure more important and controversial statements have been made before, but, everyone who responded backagreed with me (and trust me when I say this never happens rarely happens in my household of 4 super agumentative opinionated people), so I was pretty excited to say the least!
I even got a message from California Walnuts asking me if I would like a bag of nuts to snack on.
Quick side note: Did you know that approximately 90% of the walnuts grown in the US are grown in California?
Um, yes, please!!!
Disclosure: I was given free samples of walnuts from California Walnuts, but I was not compensated to write this post. I just happen to love walnuts!
So, those walnuts, plus my love for roasted beets and goat cheese, led me to create this sweet and savory roasted beet salad with goat cheese, inspired by a similar one I fell in love with at Sammy’s in San Diego.
How Do You Make a Beet Salad?
The ingredient list is simple, and once you roast the beets, everything else comes together very quickly.
- Roast the beets in the oven with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. You can meal prep and pre-roast them ahead of time, and store the roasted beets in the fridge for up to 3 days before making the salad. If you’re pressed for time, you can use pre-cooked beets, like the ones in the produce section at Trader Joes.
- Make a simple salad dressing to go on top of your roasted beet salad. This one is my go-to, and can also be made ahead of time.
- When it’s time to assemble your salad, toast the walnuts (optional, but adds delicious flavor), slice the beets, and place them on top of your favorite leafy greens. Sprinkle on crumbled goat cheese and walnuts, and drizzle on the dressing.
- It’s time to eat your yummy roasted beet salad with goat cheese and walnuts!
Before I share this yummy roasted beet salad with goat cheese with you, let’s do a quick dive into the health benefits of beets.¹
- Key nutrients in beets include vitamins A & K, folate, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
- Beets may help your cardiovascular health due to their high nitrate content. Dietary nitrate, found in fruits and vegetables, may help lower blood pressure.
- Beet juice is particularly high in nitrate, and is used by athletes to help improve exercise performance. Research suggests the ingestion of beet juice can help increase blood flow to muscles, and increase the amount of time one can exercise before becoming exhausted.
And, we should probably have a quick chat about the health benefits of walnuts too. Don’t you think?!
- Walnuts contain more alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3 essential fatty acid, than any other nut.² Other key nutrients in walnuts include protein, fiber, magnesium, and phosphorus.
- These nutrients help make walnuts a nutritional superstar which may protect against heart disease and cancer. In addition, walnuts, along with other nuts, are part of a brain healthy MIND Diet and may boost cognitive function by helping to protect brain cells.
- Recent studies suggest walnuts may have a positive impact on the microbiome by increasing the amount of beneficial bacteria in the gut.³
- In addition, walnuts contain melatonin, an antioxidant with sleep regulating properties, so the next time you find yourself tossing and turning, you may wish to nosh on a handful of walnuts instead of counting sheep!
- My friends at California Walnuts have a wonderful website dedicated to all things walnuts, including nutrition info, research studies, and lots of delicious walnut recipes. Be sure and check it out!
What should I serve with this yummy Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese & Toasted Walnuts?
- The recipe below makes a generous serving for two people to enjoy as a vegetarian main dish for lunch or dinner, but you could also serve smaller portions as a side dish with this Sticky Sesame Salmon, or a roast chicken.
- If you serve the beet salad as an entree, my Pao de Quejo, aka “Best Gluten Free Rolls Ever”, would be super tasty on the side.
Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese & Toasted Walnuts
Ingredients
- 4 small to medium beets
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling on beets
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 3 cups watercress or seasonal greens of choice
- 2 ounces goat cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim the greens and hard ends off beets and place them on a baking sheet or roasting pan lined with aluminum foil. Drizzle a little olive oil over the beets and sprinkle them with salt and pepper, then fold the aluminum foil around and over the beets to cover them. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until you can easily cut through the beets.
- Prepare the dressing while the beets are roasting by combining the olive oil, golden balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Set dressing aside.
- Once beets are done roasting, allow them to cool for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the nuts in the 400 degree oven for 5 minutes, and divide the greens between 2 salad plates. Lightly chop nuts after toasting and set aside.
- When beets are cool enough to handle. remove the skin, and slice in to circles, ~1/8 inch thick. Divide the beets in half and arrange them in an overlapping circle on top of the greens, then divide the nuts between the two plates, and place them in the middle of the beets. Divide goat cheese in half and crumble over the greens, beets, and walnuts, then drizzle the dressing over the salads and serve.
Notes
- You can meal prep and pre-roast the beets them ahead of time, and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days before making the salad. If you're pressed for time, you can use pre-cooked beets, like the ones in the produce section at Trader Joes.
- The salad dressing can also be made ahead of time.
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission if you purchase any of these products, at no additional cost to you. I only share products I personally use or recommend. Your purchases help support the cost of running The Spicy RD blog. Thank you so much!
Let’s Chat!
Are you a fan of beets? (I personally never liked them as a kid, but LOVE them now!) Anything else you would add to this roasted beet salad???
33 comments
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Oh just look at that, so pretty, full of bold colors, flavors and balanced so well. I will have a large plateful please x
One large plateful coming your way Deena!!! xoxo
I agree, I’ll top almost anything with nuts or cheese for that matter.
Oh, my goodness Kate~Thanks so much for the lovely comment-makes my day 🙂 Would love your carrot soup recipe BTW~sounds fabulous with toasted macadamia nuts on top!!!
This salad looks amazing! I have serious nut love. Love nuts {and seeds} on just about everything. They are so good for you too! This past week, I toasted some macadamia nuts to top my carrot soup. WOW…they were so much tastier toasted up….who knew?
Love your photography EA….beautiful. YOU are an inspiration!
Where do I begin? I love walnuts, goat cheese, and beets. This can’t get any better. I have roasted beets in my fridge already. I bought a bunch last week and didn’t use, so I roasted them in the oven and I’m adding them to salad or eating them alone. I don’t usually toast nuts but I should!
Yes, yes, yes Nour…You must toast your nuts for sure!! I think this salad would be great w/ a few of your gorgeous persimmons on top as well!
I’ve noticed that beet salads are often on the menu at our local restaurants and I often order them. This salad looks just like them. Beautiful!
Thanks Kristi! Market Restaurant in San Diego is where I tried my first beet salad, and I have been in love w/ beets ever since!
lovely salad and I look forward to seeing the completed gingerbread house
Thanks Rebecca! Will post photos of the gingerbread house when it is done for sure We just need to get some more frosting first, since the kids keep “tasting” it 🙂
I have been obsessing on beets lately! I hadn’t had them in years, then had a similar salad at Paon in Carlsbad and now I simply can’t get enough. So glad I popped over here (saw your comment on G+), and I just clicked on the farm link… they have a CSA delivery dropoff less than 2 miles from me. I think I might give it a try!
Awesome recipe, and wonderful photos too!
Thanks so much and so glad you popped over here too Kim 🙂 Joining a CSA has been on my list to do/check out for awhile. Let me know if you join one-I’d love to hear all about it!
This salad looks just delicious! And so pretty! 🙂
I only tried beets on salads until recently and fell in love! They at such a burst of flavor. 🙂
Thanks so much Kristen! I was quite late to the beet love scene too 🙂
I 110% agree with you! A toasted nut on anything takes it up 3 notches!!! My fav? Walnuts and pistachios to nibble and pecans to cook with. Love your beet salad, especially with the addition of the golden, it make a very festive dish! I LOVE beets, LOVE them! I have never bought watercress, isn’t that odd? I need to give it a whirl. Thanks for yet, ANOTHER amazing post. Happy work week!!
Thanks Teri! The watercress was a spur of the moment decision. I usually make this w/ arugula, but there was none to be found and the watercress looked so crisp and pretty, so I decided to use it. It adds a nice peppery kick just like arugula and it’s loaded w/ nutrients so a perfect “win, win” 🙂
I love beet salad, especially with toasted walnuts. This salad is already on my Christmas menu. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to get my beets at a Farmer’s market. They are long gone in Illinois.
Sending lots of #nutlove your way.
Sorry to hear you can’t find any beets in your Farmer’s Market right now 🙁 Lot’s of #beetlove going your way too!
This looks so good and fresh, wish I had some right now. I love beets and don’t make them enough!!
This recipe is singing to me!! I love beet salads!!! Thank you for not posting a cookie recipe. 🙂
This is absolutely gorgeous! Would you believe I’ve never had beets? They’re one of my husband’s favorite veggies, though, so I really should give them a try. 🙂
Thanks Kiersten 🙂 Do you know I hated beets as a kid & didn’t start liking them until a few years ago??? Definitely give this a try. I think you and your hubby will both love it!
Oh this sounds so amazing!! One thing I really miss on my low fodmaps diet is beets. I didn’t realize how much I loved them until I had to give them up 🙁 I do LOVE goat cheese and walnuts though, so this salad could easily be modified. Walnuts are my favorite. Thank you California!!
Sorry you can’t enjoy beets anymore Gina 🙁 But, you are so right…pretty much any roasted veggie would be delicious with this!
I adore beets! The combo of this salad is just beautiful.
Thanks so much Angie 🙂
How GORGEOUS are those beets? One of the best veggie combos around (along with the roasting & toasting of course) beets + walnuts + goat cheese.
Thanks Deanna, and I completely agree…beets + goat cheese + walnuts = amazing!!