Beet and Goat Cheese Salad (Print)

Sweet roasted beets paired with creamy goat cheese, walnuts, and fresh greens, dressed in balsamic vinaigrette.

# Components:

→ Salad

01 - 3 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
02 - 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
03 - ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
04 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, spring mix)

→ Dressing

05 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
07 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1 tsp honey
09 - Salt, to taste
10 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Method:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Individually wrap each beet in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife. Allow to cool slightly, then peel and cut into wedges or cubes.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Arrange mixed greens in a large bowl or platter. Layer roasted beet pieces, crumbled goat cheese, and walnuts on top.
05 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently or serve as an elegant composed salad.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The beets taste like candy when they're roasted, sweet and tender without any bitterness.
  • Goat cheese melts slightly from the warm beets, creating little creamy pockets throughout the salad.
  • It's elegant enough to serve guests but takes barely an hour from start to table.
  • The whole thing comes together in one bowl, making cleanup almost painless.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad too far in advance or the greens will wilt into submission; dressing right before serving keeps everything crisp and alive.
  • Those beet greens that come attached? Don't throw them away—sauté them with garlic as a side dish and you've turned one ingredient into two courses.
03 -
  • Buy beets that are roughly the same size so they finish roasting at the same time; uneven beets mean some are powdery while others are underdone.
  • Make the dressing while the beets cool and let it sit a few minutes; the flavors marry and taste more polished than when freshly whisked.
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