Easy Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Salad
An easy beet and goat cheese salad recipe that’s perfect for a dinner party. You’ll love the earthy sweetness of the beets balanced by the tang of creamy goat cheese. Crunchy nuts and a light vinaigrette complement the other ingredients.
This salad course adds freshness and a wonderful combination of flavors and textures. It’s easy to prepare ahead and keep covered in the fridge until ready to serve.
I like to make this for a Greek themed dinner party, a fall dinner party, or holiday menus. Beets are available year round making this a great go-to for hosting.
Ingredient Notes
Salad Greens. Start with a ready-to-eat bagged salad mix. In this case I like to use the Spring Mix because it’s colorful and varies in textures.
Beets. Roasted beets are the star and the flavor can’t be beat, but if you want to make this last minute you could use canned beets cut into bite-size strips – but only in a pinch!
Goat cheese. This is a classic pairing with beets so I don’t recommend a substitute. Purchase a small log and crumble it yourself for best flavor.
Nuts. I love using walnuts (halves or chopped) here, but pistachios is my preferred second choice. Pecans are also good. Lightly toast the walnuts or pecans to bring out their flavor and crunch; no need to do that with pistachios as they’re already roasted.
Helpful Tips
- I recommend peeling the beets before cooking them. Just cut the thin layer of “skin” off, similar to peeling carrots or potatoes. Be aware they may tint your hands slightly purple for a short time; use a pair of thin kitchen gloves if you want to avoid that.
- Roast the beets up to a day ahead to save time later. Store covered in the fridge.
- Toast the nuts up to a few days ahead and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Cook them in the oven at 375 degrees for about 5-7 minutes to brings out the flavor and aroma.
- Make the dressing up to a day ahead and store in the fridge; give it a good shake or whisk before using.
- Make-Ahead: You can prep the salad on a platter or in a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for a couple of hours before dinner or lunch. Take it out about 30 minutes before eating to take the chill off, and hold the dressing until ready to eat.
More Easy Salads
Here are more of our favorite green salads to serve guests at your dinner party. They taste great and make a pretty presentation too.
- Spinach and arugula salad with tomatoes
- Butternut Squash & baby kale salad
- Roasted grape salad
- Fig Salad recipe
Let me know how you enjoy this roasted beet and goat cheese salad.
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Easy Beet & Goat Cheese Salad recipe
An easy salad for the beginner hostess. This beet and goat cheese salad uses fresh roasted beets plus ready-to-eat salad greens for a quick and simple recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 Package of Salad Greens (I use Spring Mix)
- 2-3 Beets
- 1 (3-oz.) log Goat Cheese, crumbled
- ⅓ to ½ cup chopped Walnuts, lightly toasted
Dressing
- 3 Tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º F.
- Wash and peel beets and cut them into ½-inch cubes.
- Place the beets on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Bake beets for 20-30 minutes, until soft when you puncture with a fork. Let cool completely before using.
- Layer greens on a serving platter or bowl. Add beets, goat cheese, and sprinkle with walnuts.
- To make dressing, whisk vinegar and mustard together while slowly pouring in olive oil. OR put everything into a lidded jar and shake vigorously until combined.
- Drizzle with dressing and serve.
Notes
Use bottled balsamic vinaigrette dressing as a shortcut.
