Salad with Beets and Feta (with Dijon vinaigrette)
Posted: 07/17/2015
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Salad with beets and feta, topped with crunchy almonds and tangy Dijon vinaigrette – aka your lunch today. You’ll love the the combination of salty feta and earthy beets.
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Most of it can be prepped ahead, so the salad is very easy to make.
How long it takes: 5 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: small jar or bowl, whisk
Servings: 1 (but it’s easy to make as many as you like)
Table of Contents
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My first taste of this salad was at my mom’s house.
The almonds she used? My olive oil roasted almonds.
The beets she used? She used my method of roasting beets.
The dressing was a twist on the dressing I used on my asparagus ribbon salad.
Now, I’m certainly not taking credit for this salad! It’s the ultimate compliment that my mom makes my recipes and I am definitely giving her credit for this delicious salad. I love the combination of the earthy greens and beets with the salty feta and crunchy almonds. It’s dreamy.
Maybe someday E will move past sticking Veggie Straws in her blueberries and into more complicated recipe development. I love the creativity she already shows, and I really hope she develops the love of cooking that my mom and I share.
About this Salad
This salad may seem complicated at first glance but the beauty of it is that most of it can be made in advance.
I’ve been trying to do more meal prep on the weekends (I always go in spurts with that), and one of the things I’ve been doing is roasting beets. They take forever to cook but they’re very hands-off. I love these beet bruschetta with orange tarragon goat cheese or this farro salad with chicken, beets, and red wine vinaigrette.
Lately, I’ve been making air fryer beets. Cube the beets (you don’t even have to peel them), toss them in a bit of oil, salt, and pepper, and air fry them. They take about 25 minutes, depending on how large you cubed them. They are chewy and totally delicious. They are great on this salad.
The almonds roast really quickly and will keep for weeks in the fridge. I’ve also been known to keep a jar of homemade salad dressing, like this white wine vinaigrette, in the refrigerator but even if you don’t do that, this salad is crazy easy to throw together.
As always, look for the printable recipe card at the end of this post. It has complete instructions, measurements, and nutrition information.
what You’ll Need
- Beets: Figure on one roasted beet per serving. Beets vary widely in size so use your own judgment. Golden beets are really good on this salad, too. If beets really aren’t your thing, try substituting roasted radishes or roasted carrots. Different, but still delicious. If you really want to speed things up, use canned beets (regular, not pickled).
- Mixed Greens: Pretty much anything goes when it comes to greens. Use your favorite. I like spring greens but baby spinach is super good, too.
- Roasted Almonds: Again, use whatever kind of nuts or seeds you prefer or happen to have in the house. I love the almonds as a snack so I almost always have them in the house.
- Feta Cheese: Use full fat for best flavor. Looking for alternatives? Try goat cheese, blue cheese, or gorgonzola.
- Vinaigrette Dressing: The dressing is a simple recipe with Olive Oil, White Balsamic Vinegar, Dijon Mustard, Honey, Salt and Pepper. I like to make a big batch in a jar and keep it in the fridge for more salads.
FAQs
Can you eat beets raw in a salad?
Raw beets can be grated and added to salads. I really prefer to roast them first mainly because I think they are sweeter and taste better when cooked.
Do you need to peel beets before cooking?
Beets are so much easier to peel after you cook them. The skins slide off easily, much like peaches or tomatoes. Cool the beets until you can handle them and then rub the skins right off. Give them a quick rinse if necessary to remove any shreds of skin.
How do you eat canned beets?
Plain canned beets, not pickled, are fine for this salad but after you’ve tried roasting your own, I think you’ll agree that canned beets aren’t quite as flavorful. For more ways (10!) to use canned beets, check out this post by Just Beet It.
Make-Ahead Ideas
Roast the beets and refrigerate in a tightly covered container for three to five days. They can be frozen for up to a year. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
Roasted almonds will keep in the fridge for up to a month in a jar or airtight container.
The vinaigrette can be made a couple of days in advance. If the olive oil congeals, let the dressing sit on the counter for ten minutes or so to warm up. Shake well before using.
Want More Dressing?
I’ve done the math for you. To make four servings, here’s what you’ll need: 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar, 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1½ teaspoons honey, salt and pepper to taste.
More Salad Recipes
Don’t you just love a salad for lunch? Here are a few more goodies for you:
- Mediterranean Green Bean Salad
- Panzanella Salad Recipe – perfect summer salad!
- Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Blackberries & Candied Pepitas
- Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Arugula & Sweet Potato
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Grapes & Parmesan
- Shrimp Salad with Mango and Avocado
- Grilled Vegetable Salad with Goat Cheese
- Steak Salad with Orange-Honey Dressing
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
serving
Salad with beets and feta, topped with roasted almonds and Dijon vinaigrette – aka, your lunch today. You’ll love the the combination of the salty feta and the earthy beets.
Ingredients
Salad:
- 1 cup spring mix greens (any type of greens can be used)
- 1 tablespoon roasted almonds
- ⅛ cup crumbled feta
- 1 small roasted beet
Dressing:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- On a plate, pile greens. Top with chopped almonds, crumbled feta, and sliced beets.
- In a small bowl or a jar, whisk dressing ingredients together.
- Pour dressing ingredients over salad and serve immediately.
Notes
- Make Ahead: Roast the beets and almonds in advance. Dressing can be made up to a week in advance. Shake well before using.
- If desired, substitute a bottled vinaigrette of your choice.
- Air fryer beets or canned beets (not pickled) can be substituted for roasted beets.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1salad, Calories: 192kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 299mg, Potassium: 423mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 562IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 139mg, Iron: 1mg
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Candace says
I made so many substitutes in this recipe based on what was in my cupboard. I used canned beets instead of roasted, toasted walnuts instead of pecans, julienned romaine instead of spring mix. This is such a good ‘starter recipe’ – it was wonderful!
Rachel Gurk says
So glad you liked the recipe! You’re right, it’s a great base recipe and easy to adapt to your needs! Thanks for leaving a comment!
Scott W says
My ex used to make this salad and I always loved it. I’ve been looking for a recipe because I never knew what was in the vinaigrette. My absolute favorite!
Thank you so much.
Rachel Gurk says
So glad you were able to find it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Renee E says
This was so delicious! I didn’t roast beets as I just bought the packaged ones at Costco to make it easier but still was so good!
Rachel Gurk says
Smart shortcut! I love it!
Michele Golden says
This was amazing! So easy to make but tasted like a fancy restaurant salad. Will make again and again and again,
Rachel Gurk says
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Penny says
I roasted some fresh beets from the garden and threw in a few fresh blueberries and toasted walnuts. So good!
Rachel Gurk says
I’m so glad you liked this salad! I love your additions!
Sam says
Not a huge fan of almonds, so I threw in pine nuts and peanuts – worked well for me! I really loved your dijon vinaigrette, I made a bunch extra to use throughout the week. Thanks for sharing!
Rachel Gurk says
Sounds great! That’s one of my favorite dressing recipes, too!
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog says
This looks so delicious! I love the flavor combination of the beets and feta in this salad!
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
This salad is gorgeous, Rachel! I love roasted beets!
Aggie | Aggie's Kitchen says
I really do wish this was for my lunch today! Beautiful salad Rachel!