This cold red beet salad with carrots, mayo and cilantro is creamy, tangy, and surprisingly refreshing—perfect for summer BBQs, potlucks, or meal prep.
Red Beet Salad
I’ll be honest—beets have never been my go-to vegetable. But this creamy beet salad recipe completely changed my mind. Made with tender red beets, carrots, mayo, and lots of fresh cilantro, it’s bright, refreshing, and totally unexpected. It reminds me of a lighter potato salad, making it the perfect side dish for your next BBQ or summer potluck. This is the recipe that finally got me to love beets—and to my husband’s surprise, he went back for seconds! For another variation, try my Raw Beet Salad with Apples and Carrots.
Why This Beet Salad Works
If you’re skeptical about beets and mayonnaise, don’t just take my word for it. One reader said, “This is the strangest salad recipe, lol. BUT, it was so good that I ate the entire recipe myself!” Another commented, “I was stunned at how delicious this combination is.” Here are more reasons to try it:
- Make Ahead Friendly: It tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge.
- Summer BBQ staple – Cold, creamy, and vibrant on a hot day.
- Lighter than Potato Salad: While I love potato salad, this dish is excellent when I’m watching my carbs.
- Great for beet skeptics: The mayo and cilantro mellow out that strong “beet” flavor.
- Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, gluten-free, low-carb, vegetarian; vegan and dairy-free (if using vegan mayo)
What You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients for this creamy beet salad recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Red Beets: Cut off the stems and leaves, and wash the beets. Try to get beets about the same size, so they cook evenly.
- Carrots add flavor plus vitamin A and fiber.
- Fresh Cilantro balances the sharp onions and creamy mayo.
- Onions for crunch
- Light Mayo for creaminess.
- Salt and Black Pepper for seasoning
Beet Salad
Ingredients
- 4 large red beets, washed and stems cut off
- 2 cup carrots, peeled
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 2 tbsp diced onion
- ¼ cup light mayonnaise
- kosher salt, and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Boil beets in water until soft, about 50 minutes. Peel and cut into small ½" cubes.
- Add the carrots to the boiling water and cook 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain and cut into bite size cubes.
- Combine diced onion, carrots, beets, mayonnaise, cilantro, salt and pepper.
Last Step:
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Nutrition
How to Make Beet Salad
Prep the onions and cilantro while the beets and carrots cook. Once they’re done, it only takes a few minutes to assemble the salad. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Cook the Vegetables: Put the beets in a large pot and cover with water. Bring it to a boil and cook for about 50 minutes until soft. Remove the beets with a strainer or slotted spoon and add the carrots to the boiling water. Cook until tender and drain.
- Cut the Veggies: Peel the beets by rubbing the skin off with your fingers while rinsing them under water. Then, cut the beets and carrots into small cubes.
- Make the Salad: Combine the beets and carrots with diced onions, mayo, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
Variations
- Beets: If you’re short on time, buy precooked beets in the produce section of your supermarket. They’re a fantastic timesaver. And you can use canned if needed, but nothing beats fresh beets.
- Make It Golden: Substitute golden beets.
- Roasted Beet Salad: To roast the beets instead of boiling, wrap them in foil and bake on a rimmed baking sheet at 400°F, depending on their size, for 50 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes. Once you can easily pierce them with a fork, remove them from the oven and let them cool.
- Onions: Use scallions or red onions.
- Vegan: Use vegan mayo instead of regular.
- Herbs: If you don’t like cilantro or want to try something different, swap it with dill, or chives.
- Unexpected Twist: My friend makes a similar salad, but she adds chopped hot dogs. It sounds strange, I know, but it’s actually really good!
Serving Suggestions
This summer beet salad is a fantastic side dish for weeknight dinners or backyard BBQs. Here are some ideas that would be delish with it:
- Grilled Proteins: Grilled Chicken Breasts, Grilled Pork Chops, Grilled Salmon Kebabs
- Potluck Sides: Creamy Cucumber Salad, Macaroni Salad, Grilled Corn on the Cob, Summer Tomato Salad, Coleslaw
Storage Tips
Since this red beet salad is eaten cold, it’s perfect to prep ahead.
- Make Ahead: Prepare the salad a day early and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days total. Since it contains mayo, don’t leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Skinnytasters Tried It & Loved It!
This creamy beet salad has been a hit in kitchens all over—here’s what some of you had to say (and the fun twists you tried!):
- “This is the strangest salad recipe, lol. BUT, it was so good I ate the whole thing myself!” – One reader used pre-cooked Love Beets and skipped the cilantro—still a win!
- “I added green peas and a splash of Highland House dressing to the mayo—also delicious!” – Victoria
- “I’m not a carrot fan, but I add them anyway for the nutrition. You can’t really taste them!”
- “My family devoured this at our 4th of July BBQ. I used canned beets, matchstick carrots, and added dill. It was gone before I got a bite!”
- “I subbed parsley for cilantro and it was great. A tasty way to use up extra carrots!”
More Beet Recipes You’ll Love
For more dinner and side dish ideas using beets, check out these five delicious beet recipes to inspire your next meal!
- Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Candied Pecans
- Turmeric Braised Chicken with Golden Beets and Leeks
- Beet Hummus
- Golden Beet Salad
- Salmon Salad with Beets, Arugula, Pistachios, and Pomegranates
If you make this healthy beet salad recipe, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. And be sure to join the Skinnytaste Community to see what everyone’s cooking!
