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!
If you like robust salads, this roasted red Beet Salad is going to be a Fall favorite for you- it’s loaded with healthy and flavorful ingredients. This is our go-to balsamic vinaigrette – it’s drizzled over our Autumn Chopped Salad and Cobb Salad, which are reader favorites.
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Roasted Beet Salad Recipe
My friend Nataliya 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. 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. You will love that this salad is:
- Easy to make – especially if you make Instant Pot Beets and even cook them ahead.
- Colorful– the gorgeous Fall color palette adds festive beauty to your table
- Customizableable– you’re in control of what goes into your salad to meet your taste and dietary needs
- Good for you – Packed with essential nutrients
Ingredients for Beet Salad
Everything about this beet salad is good – rich in flavor and super healthy thanks to the fresh ingredients.
- Beets – the stars of this salad, you will need 6 medium red or golden beets or a combination of the two
- Baby arugula – rinsed and spun dry
- Feta cheese (or Goat Cheese)- use crumbled cheese or dice up a block yourself
- Pecans – toasted
- Dried cranberries – add a sweet and tangy layer of flavor
Ingredients for Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Extra virgin olive oil – a flavorful base for your dressing
- Balsamic vinegar – its well-rounded sweet flavor pairs perfectly with leafy salad greens
- Dijon mustard – we use Grey Poupon brand
- Garlic – 1 clove, pressed or finely minced
- Salt and pepper – to taste
Variations and Substitutions
This salad is totally customizable to your taste. I love the bright colors of the red beets, but you can add gold beets or sliced apple, add red onion or shallots, or even use different lettuce varieties. You can also change up the cheese and nuts.
Cheese Options:
- Goat cheese (our recent favorite!)
- Gorgonzola cheese
- Grated parmesan
Nut Option:
- Walnuts
- Toasted pine nuts
- Almond slivers
- Candied pecans
- Pistachios
Greens Options:
- Mixed greens
- Baby spinach
- Red leaf lettuce
How to Cook Beets
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.
- Instant Pot Method: 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.
- 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.
Pro Tip:
You can pre-cook beets up to 3 days in advance, cover, and refrigerate them until ready to use.
How to Make 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 feta cheese, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries on top.
- Balsamic Vinaigrette – Make and drizzle over the top just before serving. Toss to combine.
Pro Tip:
Be sure to wear gloves when working with beets. The juices are bright red and stain everything, including your hands. Now you can make all of your favorite beet recipes (including Borscht) without staining your hands.
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 salad. Leftover dressing to use on your next salad is never a bad thing.
Salad Serving Tip:
To ensure the salad doesn’t get soggy or wilted, drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette over your salad just before serving. You can toss to combine or serve without tossing, just be sure to evenly drizzle and set a pair of tongs next to the salad along with the the extra dressing. The salad is prettier if it’s not tossed.
Common Questions
Make-Ahead
- Assemble ahead – With the exception of adding the dressing, you can fully assemble this salad ahead of time. Just save the jarred dressing on the side until just before serving so your greens do not get soggy. This also makes it easy to store leftover salad and dressing.
- Pre-cook beets – You can roast the beets up to 3 days ahead of time. Allow them to cool before storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Store any leftovers in a container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
What to Serve With Beet Salad
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:
The arugula’s peppery taste provides a fresh 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 Fall salad recipes.
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Winter Fruit Salad
- Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
- Broccoli Apple Salad
- Kale Salad
Beet Salad with Arugula and Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Beet Salad with Arugula 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
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
Instructions
How to Make Beet Salad with Arugula:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line the bottom of a medium-rimmed baking sheet with foil. Wrap each beet tightly in a sheet of foil and arrange a lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until the largest beet is easily pierced. Unwrap beets and cool to room temperature then peel the skins and slice into halves and then wedges.
- Toast 1/2 cup pecans on a dry skillet, tossing frequently until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Transfer the arugula to a large mixing bowl then add the remaining salad ingredients: sliced beets, feta cheese, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries.
How To Make Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- In a small mason jar, combine all dressing ingredients and shake well to combine. Drizzle over salad to taste. If not serving salad right away, shake the dressing again just before drizzling over the salad.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
This salad is delicious!!!! The combination of arugula and beets is very yummy 😋 We loooooved it! Thanks Natasha for sharing!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Elena!
I just put my beets into the SolarOven and then went inside to look for a recipe: this is the one!
I hope you love it!
Hello, how far ahead can i mix this all together, or should i wait until last minute, I’m attending a family reunion and not sure about this, should i bring dressing and mix there, don;t want to compromise the arugula ??
Hi Debbie, you could assemble this salad completely and then add the dressing just before serving. That is how we often bring it to gatherings with dressing in a mason jar on the side so we can shake up the dressing just before serving.
I’m curious if the 308 calorie count is for a side dish serving or a main dish serving? I am eager to try this recipe.
Hi Sue, it is for 6 side salads. Keep in mind, if you don’t use all of the dressing, the calorie count is lower.
I love your recipes!!!! Thanks so much for sharing the love of food!!
I love salads and want to make this one but I really don’t care for beets. I have tried them on several occasions. They are to earthy tasting for me. What can I substitute for this???
Hi Terri, you might try some fruit instead like apple or pear. I think both would work well in this salad. I’d toss in some craisins with the fruit, but not necessary.
My family loves this recipe. It’s a regular on our dinner table. I cook a big batch of beets ahead of time and make extra dressing so it takes just a minute to throw together at dinner time. The recipe is bookmarked so I have it when the dressing runs out. Thanks for sharing it!
I’m so happy you found a favorite on our blog Margaret! Thank you for that great review!
HI!
I would love to make this recipe for a party of 42 people.. therefore how many beets should I make in order to make enough? It is for a side dish…
Thankyou:)
Hi Cristina, if you scroll to our printable recipe on this post where it sways serving you can change that number up to 20 serving as a side. I would take a look at that and then double everything for 40 people. I hope that helps!
Has anyone tried raw beets?
Way too much work.
Hi Simi, It’s definitely worth the effort and you can buy pre-cooked whole beats (organic at one sat Costco) and then it’s the easiest salad!
Absolutely wonderful! I substituted feta for goat cheese, and walnuts for pumpkin seeds due to allergies. But, it was an amazing salad! I made it for a potluck and everyone loved it! Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Kiran!
This was an absolute delicious side dish! So easy to prepare. Later in the day I had it with chicken in top and it was a perfect dinner. Great recipe! Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Jill!
Did not have any fresh beets but had a can of whole baby beets. The salad was just as delicious without roasted beets.
Love it either way!!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Bernice!
Turned out great! I grew my own beets but had never cooked with beets and wasn’t sure how to use them. This worked great and the instant pot was such a great idea. The beets were a bit past their prime and has some tough roots, but they were delicious, and the skin came off pretty easily using tongs while it was still in the instant pot after cooking. I didn’t have feta cheese or balsamic vinegar but it was still really tasty and felt very fancy and like a great use of my homegrown beets!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe Beth!
Can you use pickled beets in this recipe instead of fresh?
Hi Nancy, pickled beets will give you a completely different flavor profile.
Can you steam the beets?
Hi Mary! I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Great recipe!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Salut je désire voir des recettes en Français s.v.p.
Hi Pierre! Although I would love to understand and know the French language I won’t be able to translate them accurately. We do recommend using translate apps to help with that. 🙂
So good! I ate a huge bowl! Lol
I substituted pecans for walnuts because that’s all I had. In additions to the vinaigrette I added half a shallot as well as a squirt of honey! I’m going to have it again tomorrow for lunch!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Made this salad for the New Year party and it was a big hit! Very delicious and super easy to make. Thank you Natasha!
You’re so welcome, Yuliya! Happy New Year!
Love this recipe so refreshing thanku
You’re so welcome! I’m happy you enjoyed that!
Do the beets need to be poked by a fork before placing in the oven? (Like potatoes) I have never cooked beets in the oven before.
Thank you!
Hi Barbara, We didn’t do that. You can if you’d like but I don’t think its necessary.