Beet salad with creamy goat cheese and crunchy pecans topped with a honey balsamic vinaigrette is a delicious side dish for any table.
Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Candied Pecans
I know beets can be polarizing – people seem to either love them or hate them. I, personally, am a fan. If you’re not sure about beets, this Beet and Goat Cheese salad with Candied Pecans over baby greens is a great place to start. Some people say beets taste like dirt but trust me – once you combine them with sweet, crunchy pecans and creamy goat cheese and then drizzle them with a sweet and tangy dressing, you’ll have a different opinion. We also love this raw beet salad, and for a main dish, try this Turmeric Braised Chicken with Golden Beets and Leeks. And see more salad recipes here.
How to Cook Beets
If you’ve never cooked beets before, you have a few options. Whichever method you choose, you’ll need to prep your beets for cooking. Just cut off any green tops and rinse under water.
- Boil: For this salad, I boiled my beets for 45-50 minutes until tender.
- Roasted: To oven roast, wrap the beets individually in foil and bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes.
- Instant Pot: Put the beets on top of the steam rack and pour in one cup of water. Cook on manual mode for 20-30 minutes for larger beets, quick release.
Cook times all depend on the size of the beets. To check that they’re done, pierce them with a knife or skewer. If it goes through easily, the beets are ready.
Once cool enough to handle, peel the skins off by rubbing a paper towel over them. Be careful – beets stain very easily! You may want to wear an apron while peeling and cutting beets.
Beet Salad Variations:
- If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, swap it with feta.
- If you can’t find candied pecans at the supermarket, you can make them at home.
- Use walnuts instead of pecans.
- Sub baby greens for arugula.
- Use a mix of red and golden beets to make the salad even more colorful.
More Salad Recipes You’ll Love:
- Raw Beet Salad
- Salmon Avocado Salad
- Salad with Berries and Pecans
- Food Cart-Style Chicken Salad with Halal White Sauce
- Golden Beet Salad
Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Candied Pecans
Ingredients
For the honey balsamic vinaigrette:
- 2 tbsp balsamic
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Make vinaigrette by whisking olive oil, balsamic and honey until smooth.
- In a large bowl toss greens with vinaigrette and mix well.
- Evenly divide greens between four bowls. Top each bowl with one beet, 1 oz goat cheese and pecans. (* You can buy cooked beets or cook them yourself. I boiled the beets in water until soft, but they can be roasted in the oven as well, see notes above.)
Last Step:
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