Beet Goat Cheese Salad (Printable Version)

Sweet roasted beets paired with creamy goat cheese and walnuts atop fresh mixed greens.

# Ingredient List:

→ Salad

01 - 3 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
02 - 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
03 - 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
04 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, or spring mix)

→ Dressing

05 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
07 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1 tsp honey
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F.
02 - Wrap each beet in aluminum foil and arrange on a baking sheet. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until tender. Allow to cool slightly, then peel and cut into wedges or cubes.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - Place mixed salad greens in a large bowl or platter. Arrange roasted beets on top, then sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese and chopped walnuts.
05 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently or serve as a composed salad.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The earthiness of roasted beets plays beautifully against creamy, tangy goat cheese in ways that feel elegant without trying.
  • It comes together in under an hour and actually tastes better when you make it during the golden hour—there's something about prepping this while the light is soft that makes the colors pop.
  • Toasted walnuts add the kind of crunch that makes your teeth happy, and the whole thing keeps beautifully in the fridge for a light lunch the next day.
02 -
  • The beets will stain your cutting board and your fingers a shocking magenta if you don't wear gloves or accept that your hands will look vaguely vampiric for a few hours afterward.
  • If you dress the entire salad and then let it sit, the greens will wilt and the beet color will bleed into everything; restraint in dressing timing is the secret to keeping this salad looking like it came from a restaurant.
03 -
  • Make the dressing up to three days ahead and store it in a jar in the fridge—it actually tastes better as the flavors have time to get to know each other.
  • If your goat cheese is cold and stubborn, crumble it while it's still cool and let it warm on the salad for a minute or two, which gives it a creamier texture than room-temperature cheese sometimes does.
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