Beet Salad with Arugula and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Name: Beet Salad with Arugula and Balsamic Vinaigrette
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 6 medium (2 lbs beets); 5 oz 6 cups baby arugula (rinsed and spun dry); 4 oz or 1/2 cup feta cheese (diced or crumbled); 1/2 cup pecans (toasted); 1/2 cup dried cranberries; 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar; 1 Tbsp dijon mustard (we love Grey Poupon brand); 1 garlic clove (pressed or finely minced); 1/4 tsp salt; 1/8 tsp black pepper

5 from 154 votes
226 comments

This beet salad recipe tastes fancy but is SO EASY. A show-stopping and flavorful beet salad with arugula with balsamic vinaigrette. It’s gluten free, vegetarian and perfect for entertaining. With make-ahead option! | natashaskitchen.com

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This beet salad with arugula tastes fancy but is SO EASY to make. It reminds me of the beet salad at the Cheesecake Factory.This is a show-stopping and flavorful salad that is impressive for entertaining or a wonderful meal in.

My friend Nataliya B shared the idea for this salad with me and it was an instant hit! We brought this to my sister’s house for dinner and it disappeared quickly with wonderful reviews from everyone. The balsamic vinaigrette will win you over. We use this same dressing on our chopped chicken salad and everywhere we can!

Make-Ahead Tip: Yes, you can absolutely pre-cook the beets up to 3 days in advance, cover and refrigerate them until ready to use. And yes, you can make the beets in an Instant Pot!!

P.S. We’ve included our Amazon affiliate links below for the tools we used to make this recipe.

Ingredients for Beet Salad with Arugula:

6 medium (2 lbs) beets
5 oz (6 cups) baby arugula, rinsed and spun dry
4 oz or 1/2 cup feta cheese, diced or crumbled**
1/2 cup pecans, toasted
1/2 cup dried cranberries

**We found the organic Feta in our local Boise Costco. It comes in a block so we diced it up and we loved the hearty bites of feta here. Everything about this beet salad is good – rich in flavor and super healthy.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp dijon mustard (we love Grey Poupon brand)
1 garlic clove, pressed or finely minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

How to Cook Beets in Instant Pot:

You can get the full tutorial on How to Cook Beets in the Instant Pot.

1. 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.

2. Place basket insert into instant pot and add 1 cup water. Arrange the beets in a single layer over the insert.

3. Lock the lid and make sure the valve on the lid is pointed at the “Sealing” position. Press the “Pressure Cook” button and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. (If you have smaller beets, it might take just 10 min to cook. Larger beets, however, will take 20 to 30 minutes to cook.)

4. When the beets are finished cooking, immediately release the pressure by turning the venting knob to venting position. Unlock the lid. Use a sharp knife to poke the beets. If the knife pierces the flesh without too much resistance, they’re done. If the beets still seem a little too hard, cook them under high pressure for 2 to 5 more minutes.

How to Make Beet Salad with Arugula:

1. If you don’t have an instant pot yet: Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line the bottom of a medium rimmed baking sheet with foil. Wrap each beat in a sheet of foil, wrapping tightly to seal and arrange the beets on the lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour or until largest beet is easily pierced. Remove from oven, unwrap and allow them to cool to room temperature then peel the skins (see Pro Tip Below) and slice into halves and then wedges.

Two photos with beets on a cooking tray, in one beets are wrapped in foil in other unwrapped

Pro Tip: Peeling cooked beets is easy with a pair of gloves to keep your hands clean. They peel right off. I also slice off the root end to discard any part of the beet that was touching foil.

A close up of cooked beet begin held with gloved hands

2. Toast 1/2 cup pecans on a dry skillet, tossing frequently until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

3. Transfer the arugula to a large mixing bowl then add remaining salad ingredients: sliced beets, 1/2 cup feta cheese, 1/2 cup toasted pecans and 1/2 cup dried cranberries.

How To Make Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1. In a mason jar, combine all dressing ingredients (1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbsp dijon mustard, 1 pressed garlic clove, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper) and shake well to combine and add to the salad to taste. If not serving salad right away, shake the dressing again just before drizzling over the salad.

I usually have a bit of salad dressing left over (about 1/4) with this salad (which is reflected in the nutrition label). Leftover dressing is a good problem to have!

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If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

So much amazing flavor – This makes for an excellent party salad – a keeper for sure!

Are you convinced yet? Now go forth and make this beet and arugula salad then let me know how much you loved it :).

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.