Fall Salad with Beets, Goat Cheese and Toasted Walnuts
Roasted beet slices over mixed greens with crumbled goat cheese, toasted walnuts and a balsamic vinaigrette. Slicing the beet before it goes in the oven cuts the roasting to under half an hour and skips peeling a hot beet altogether, which is the part that usually keeps people from making beet salad at home.
Servings: 4
Calories: 180kcal
Ingredients
- 1 large beetroot about 6 oz / 170 g, washed and trimmed
- 4 cups mixed salad greens about 3 oz / 85 g, such as arugula, spinach or kale
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese 2 oz / 60 g
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped 1 oz / 30 g
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette 30 ml, homemade or store-bought
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided 15 ml
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh dill or mint optional
- Pomegranate seeds optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the beetroot into rounds about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick, spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer and drizzle with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender.
- While the beets roast, toast the chopped walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. Tip onto a plate to cool.
- Whisk the balsamic vinaigrette with the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and adjust to taste.
- Pile the greens into a wide bowl or onto a platter. Scatter over the roasted beets, then the goat cheese, then the cooled walnuts. Add herbs and pomegranate seeds if using.
- Drizzle with the vinaigrette just before serving. Toss gently, or serve undressed with the vinaigrette alongside.
Notes
Make ahead: roast the beets and toast the walnuts up to 2 days in advance and store separately in the fridge. Dress only at the table, since dressed greens wilt within the hour.
Staining: oil the hand holding the beet and leave the knife hand dry, and rinse any stains in cold water rather than hot.
Substitutions: feta in place of goat cheese for a saltier, firmer crumble. Vacuum-packed cooked beets skip the oven and cut the recipe to about 10 minutes, though they won't have the caramelized edge.
Calorie estimate is for the base recipe with all the dressing used. Optional garnishes will change it.