Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic

This roasted Beet Salad with arugula and balsamic vinaigrette is the perfect salad for Fall or Winter. It is the perfect blend of fresh arugula with sweet roasted beets, crunchy pecans, and creamy cheese. (P.S. You can use goat cheese or feta!) You’ll want the balsamic vinaigrette on all of your Autumn salads!

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The BEST Beet Salad

This is the salad I make most often in Fall, espeically for parties and gatherings. It looks elegant, but it’s super simple to put together.

My friend Nataliya from church shared the idea for this beet salad with arugula with me and it was an instant hit! It tastes fancy, but wait until you see how EASY it is to make, especially if you make Instant Pot Beets and even cook them ahead. This show-stopping salad really is the best beet salad recipe!

We brought this to my sister’s house for dinner, and it disappeared quickly with rave reviews from everyone. The balsamic vinaigrette will totally win you over. I also use it on my Pear Salad, Autumn Chicken Salad, and Cobb Salad, which are reader favorites.

Roasted Beet Salad Ingredients

Everything about this beet salad is good, and it’s customizable (see variations below).

• Beets – the stars of this salad, you will need 6 medium red or golden beets or a combination of the two. You can use pre-cooked, store-bought beets (I’ve done it in a time crunch), but roasting your own beets will yield the sweetest, tastiest results.
• Baby arugula – rinsed and spun dry. You can also use mixed greens, baby spinach, green or red leaf lettuce.
• Feta cheese (or Goat Cheese)- use crumbled cheese or dice up a block yourself. You could substitute with gorgonzola cheese or shredded parmesan.
• Pecans – toasted for extra flavor. You could sub with walnuts, toasted pine nuts, almond slivers, Candied Pecans, pistachio
• Dried cranberries – add a sweet and tangy layer of flavor, but you could sub with pomegranate arils.
• Balsamic Vinaigrette – extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper

How to Cook Beets for Salad

Wash and trim the beets so that the stems are about ½-inch long and the roots are no more than about 2 inches long. You can pre-cook beets for beet salad up to 3 days in advance, cover, and refrigerate them until ready to use.

• Oven-Roasted Beets: If you don’t have an Instant Pot yet, don’t fret. Preheat your oven to 400°F. and line the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Tightly wrap each beet in aluminum foil to seal and arrange the beets on the baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour or until the largest beet is easily pierced. Unwrap the beets.
• Instant Pot Beets: Cooking beets in your Instant Pot is the quickest and easiest way to cook tender beets. If you have one, follow the steps on my Instant Pot Beets tutorial.

How to Make Roasted Beet Salad

• Cool and Prepare Beets – No matter how you cook the beets, allow them to cool to room temperature, and then trim the roots and peel the skins- they should peel right off, super easy. Slice them into wedges.
• Toast Pecans – In a dry skillet, toss frequently until golden and fragrant.
• Combine Ingredients – Rinse and dry your arugula and transfer to a large salad bowl. Add the sliced beets, and sprinkle the cheese, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries on top.
• Balsamic Vinaigrette – Make and drizzle over the top just before serving. Toss to combine.

How to Make Balsamic Vinaigrette

• In a mason jar, combine extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic clove, salt, and pepper.
• Seal with the lid and shake well to combine. I use about 3/4 of this recipe for this beet salad. Leftover dressing for your next salad is never a bad thing.

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

• Prep-Ahead: You can roast the beets and make the dressing up to 3 days ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator. Shake the dressing just before serving.
• Assemble ahead: The salad can be assembled a day in advance, but store the cheese separately so it doesn’t discolor. Store the dressing separately and add just before serving.
• Storing Leftovers: Once the dressing is added, it’s best to enjoy the salad the same day it is tossed. You can refrigerate leftovers for a day, but the greens will wilt.

How to Make Roasted Beet Salad

Once your beets are roasted and your dressing is made, you’re nearly there! Toast the pecans on a dry skillet until fragrant and golden. Add arugula to a shallow serving bowl, top with sliced roasted beets, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, and goat cheese. Drizzle with the dressing to serve and enjoy!

Roasted Beet Salad Serving Ideas

This stunning salad is hearty and satisfying enough to be a meal on its own, or it makes the perfect side dish. Pair it with:

• Pan-Seared Salmon
• Risotto
• Roasted Pork Tenderloin
• French Onion Soup
• Pan-Seared Steak
• Roast Turkey
• Pot Roast
• Prime Rib
• Baked Chicken Breast

The arugula’s peppery flavor is a nice contrast to the sweetness of the beets. Tossed in the best balsamic vinaigrette, this salad is not only delicious, but it hits so many textures with the crunch of the toasted pecans and the creaminess of the cheese. This Roasted Beet Salad shows up at every holiday buffet in our family, and it always disappears fast.

More Fall Salad Recipes

If you love this Beet Salad recipe, then you won’t want to miss these amazing Autumn salad recipes.

• Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
• Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
• Winter Fruit Salad
• Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
• Broccoli Apple Salad
• Kale Apple Salad
• Persimmon Salad
• Green Goddess Salad
• Korean Carrot Salad