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
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
This was delicious! I cooked the beets in the instant pot like you suggested. I will forever prepare them this way from now on. They were perfect. I used a mix of romaine and arugula because I didn’t have enough arugula. I also used Goat cheese since that is what I had. And I used apple cider vinegar instead of balsamic because again that is what I had. We made it a meal and topped it with grilled chicken thighs. My husband loved it also. So hearty with all the yummy nuts and beets and that sweet bit from the crasins! So good! Thank you Natasha!
That’s great, Claudia! Thank you for sharing.
Excellent and easy to make. I’ve added quinoa and served it as a main meal. Highly recommend it.
Thank you for your great comments and feedback!
This salad turned out amazing, and was a huge crowd pleaser. I layered it in a 9×13 pan so that it was evenly layered and the presentation was great. I made ONE change to the dressing, I added 1 TBSP of maple syrup for a little sweetness. It was perfect!! I’m sure it would’ve been great without, but I wanted a little bit more flavour.
Thank you for the feedback, Megan! I’m so glad it was amazing.
I love this salad. So yummy and so easy to make 😊my hubby says it’s his favourite salad I’ve ever made!
I’m so glad to hear that, Olga. Thank you for your good comments and review!
Hi Natasha, do you have a southern recipe for Collard Greens? Would love to see it on your website. =)
Hi Daria, not at the moment but thanks for the idea and suggestion!
Can I use Raw shredded beets instead of cooking them? Also spring mix for lettuce and goat cheese?
Hi Kandu! Roasting the beets tenderizes them and also intensifies the flavor and brings out the natural sweetness of the beet. If you prefer them raw, you can experiment with it.
Other lettuce/greens can be used for this and you can change up the cheese if you’d like, goat cheese works great.
I mix raw beets for crunch with pickled beets in a jar. Throw in some apple too. I am very popular when I take this salad to gatherings. 😋
I used goat cheese instead of feta but then followed everything else and I got a bravo from the hubby :). I think this is going to be a routine salad going forward. This came out so fantastic! really appreciate this new recipe to our family!
Great to hear that your family enjoyed this salad!
Is there a big difference between canned/fresh beets? If so, how do they differ? Thank you.
Hi DB! We refer to use fresh beets and then roast. They taste better in my opinion and I’ve noticed they don’t bleed quite as much as canned.
I have made beet salads before and I find that they stain all the other vegetables red. How can I prevent this from happening in the recipe??
Hi Irene! Are you using fresh beets and making them per the instructions or canned beets? Ours bled a bit but it didn’t make the salad red. I noticed if people used canned beets they have a lot more water and makes it really red.
This salad recipe is definitely a must-try! It is flavorful, bright and delicious! I use goat cheese and it turned out so great. I am filled!
I’m so glad you loved it, Sha!
this salad was the best appetizer for our families dinner and I cannot thank you enough for sharing this amazing recipe
You’re very welcome, Jess! I’m glad you loved it.
I have recently discovered that I love beets!! Especially, in salads like this! The balsamic vinaigrette adds so much flavor!
They pair so well! Thank you for sharing.
Followed the recipe exactly as written and the salad, as well as the dressing, were both outstanding!! I will be making this at least once a week!! So delicious!! (Insert Chef’s kiss here!)
Thanks so much for your freat feedback. Great to hear that this is going to be your new go-to recipe!
I made this salat today and we love it. The only difference i made was I boiled red beets and added a little bit honey in the dressing. Tasteful and refreshing!!
Great to hear that you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha! How can I not make the beets bleed all over the greens and the feta? I mixed it all and it made me salad red😆
Hi Marie, are you using fresh beets and baked per the instructions or canned beets? Ours bled a bit but it didn’t make the salad red. I noticed if people used canned beets they have a lot more water and make it really red.
We loved this salad, one of many I tried & enjoyed. I served it with Cajun scallops, pared perfectly!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Cindy!
This is one of my favorite salads, I use gorgonzola for my cheese. Anyone that lives near Trader Joe’s they do sell roasted beets in the produce area, they come in a box but are vacuumed packed.
Thank you for sharing, Tracy! 🙂
I buy those all the time! So easy and delish in all kinds of salads, but I look forward to trying this recipe.
I sent the link for his salad to my sister-in-law and said let’s get the family together for dinner. We did. I made your chicken tetrazzini and she made this salad. We had many more things others brought but oh my goodness this salad and the tetrazzini were both a huge hit! Just love your recipes. Thank you!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Cris!
The salad was amazing and this is now my favorite way to make beets as a side dish. Even people who said they didn’t like beets loved how these were
Thank you for the feedback! I’m happy to hear that.
Can you use Burrata cheese on this salad?
Instead of feta?
Thank you.
Hi Sandy! I think that would be fine.