Roasted Beet and Walnut Salad (Printable)

Sweet beets, walnuts, and goat cheese with tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
02 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (e.g., arugula, spinach, baby kale)

→ Nuts & Cheese

03 - 2/3 cup walnut halves
04 - 3.5 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

→ Dressing

05 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1.5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
07 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1 tsp honey
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap each beet individually in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 35–40 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool slightly, then peel and cut into wedges.
02 - While beets are roasting, place walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 3–4 minutes until fragrant, then set aside to cool.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - Place the mixed salad greens in a large bowl and toss with half of the prepared vinaigrette. Arrange roasted beet wedges over the greens.
05 - Sprinkle the salad with toasted walnuts and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The beets and walnuts create this magical contrast between buttery and earthy that somehow tastes more complicated than it actually is.
  • It comes together in under an hour, yet feels elegant enough to serve when people are coming over.
  • Everything can be prepped ahead, leaving you just to toss and serve when hunger strikes.
02 -
  • Don't skip the toasting of walnuts; raw ones taste flat in comparison, and those few minutes genuinely change the dish.
  • If your beets are particularly large, add five minutes to the roasting time—they should be fork-tender, not just soft on the outside.
  • Make the vinaigrette first so the flavors have time to marry together before you dress everything.
03 -
  • Roast your beets the day before and keep them in the fridge; you'll have half the work on serving day.
  • Don't dress the greens until right before serving, or they'll wilt and lose their crisp texture.
  • Taste the vinaigrette before you dress anything and adjust seasoning boldly—it should taste almost aggressively balanced on its own.

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