Save to Pinterest This salad features tender roasted beets paired with creamy goat cheese and crunchy toasted pecans. Mixed greens add freshness while a tangy vinaigrette ties the flavors together. Quick roasting and toasting elevate natural sweetness and textures. Perfect for a light lunch or elegant starter, this dish balances earthy, nutty, and tangy notes for a refreshing, satisfying bite that’s both colorful and nutritious.
The first time I made this salad, my hands ended up stained bright pink for two days. My friend laughed when she saw me, said I looked like Id been painting rather than cooking. But that first bite of sweet roasted beets against tangy goat cheese made every stained fingertip worth it.
Last summer I served this at a dinner party and watched my beet hating brother go back for thirds. He kept asking what I did differently from the beets he hated as a kid. I told him the secret was patience and high heat.
Ingredients
- 4 medium beets: Roasting transforms these from earthy roots into candy sweet gems that are nothing like boiled beets
- 4 cups mixed salad greens: Arugula adds peppery bite while spinach brings tenderness use what looks fresh
- 100 g goat cheese: Room temperature cheese crumbles better and melds beautifully with warm beets
- 1/2 cup pecans: Toasting them yourself makes a huge difference in flavor you will never go back to raw
- 3 tbsp olive oil: Extra virgin really matters here since it is one of the main flavors
- 1.5 tbsp balsamic vinegar: Adds that perfect acidic balance to cut through the rich cheese
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard: The emulsifier that makes your dressing creamy instead of separated
- 1 tsp honey: Just enough to bridge the gap between savory beets and sharp cheese
- Salt and pepper: Be generous beets need salt to pop and pepper adds a little warmth
Instructions
- Get your oven hot:
- Preheat to 400°F and move your oven rack to the middle position while you prep.
- Wrap those beets:
- Individually wrap each beet in foil like a little present then place on a baking sheet.
- Roast until tender:
- Cook for 40 to 45 minutes until a knife slides in easily like butter.
- Let them cool slightly:
- Wait until you can handle them then rub off the skins with paper towels.
- Toast your pecans:
- Toss them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant and watch closely.
- Whisk the dressing:
- Combine oil vinegar mustard honey salt and pepper until it thickens slightly.
- Assemble your masterpiece:
- Layer greens then beets then goat cheese then pecans and finish with that dressing.
Save to Pinterest This salad showed up on my table every Sunday for three months straight. My partner started requesting it specifically and that is when I knew it was a keeper.
Make It Your Own
Orange segments add this bright pop of acid that plays so nicely with the earthy beets. I have also added thin ribbons of raw red onion when I wanted more bite.
Wine Pairing Magic
A crisp Sauvignon Blanc cuts through the rich goat cheese perfectly. If you prefer red reach for something light like Pinot Noir so it does not overpower the delicate flavors.
Serving Success
Use a large platter instead of individual plates and let everyone see how gorgeous it looks. The colors alone get people excited before they even take a bite.
- Toast extra pecans and keep them in a jar for sudden salad cravings
- Roast double the beets and keep them in the fridge for quick weekday meals
- Set out the dressing on the side so guests can add their own amount
Save to Pinterest Somehow this salad manages to feel fancy and comforting all at once. It is the dish I make when I want to eat something beautiful without spending hours in the kitchen.
