Roasted red beet salad is packed with fresh greens, creamy avocado, sharp red onions, tangy goat cheese, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and of course sweet roasted beets. Finish it off with a zippy citrus vinaigrette for the ultimate salad experience!
How do we feel about red beets? I think it’s one of those vegetables you either love or hate. I love them. They have a distinct earthy, yet sweet flavor that pairs well with so many different flavors. If you think you don’t like them, you have to try them roasted! Their natural sweetness really shines through and they are the perfect topping for salads.
Enter this simple roasted red beet salad with citrus vinaigrette. One of my all-time favorite salads! It’s full of texture and flavor, which in my opinion, is what makes a great salad. It also happens to be a great transition recipe to take us from summer to fall.
Roasted Red Beet Salad
The only cooking involved here is roasting the red beets. I won’t lie and tell you red beets aren’t a pain in the you-know-what to deal with, but with a few tricks it can be a painless process.
First, WEAR GLOVES! I keep a pair of “beet gloves” in my kitchen. I always wear them whenever I’m washing, peeling, and cutting red beets because they stain. Mind you, they don’t stain your skin permanently, but it’s enough to annoy me for a day or two so I wear the gloves.
My next tip is to use a cutting board that can go in the dishwasher to easily remove those stains that will inevitably happen as you cut. And finally, DON’T wear white! May seem obvious, but I may or not be speaking from experience here. So grab an apron or a shirt you don’t care too much about. No matter how careful I am, I always seem to end up with pink spots all over my clothes.
Once you have the red beets roasting, it’s smooth sailing from there. Just mix up the citrus vinaigrette in a mason jar, grab your greens, avocado, red onion, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, and you’re ready to assemble.
This roasted red beet salad is very versatile. You can add on your favorite protein to make it a more substantial meal – grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon would all be delicious. Roasted chickpeas would make a good vegetarian option! You can also mix up the cheese and pumpkin seeds – gorgonzola and pecans (or sunflower seeds!) would be amazing, as would feta and walnuts. Get creative!
Hopefully I’ve sold you on beets, if you were on the fence. I promise you they are so delicious when roasted! Oh and if you’re lazy (like aren’t we all at times?), you can often find already cooked beets in the produce section. They aren’t as good as roasting your own, but they are pretty darn good and work in a pinch. Win-win!
Roasted red beet salad is packed with fresh greens, creamy avocado, sharp red onions, tangy goat cheese, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and of course sweet roasted beets. This colorful salad has the perfect balance of texture and flavor in every bite!
- 6 Small-Medium Red Beets, scrubbed, peeled, and sliced into wedges
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 5 oz. Package Salad Greens, (I love arugula, spring mix, or spinach)
- 1 Avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from skin, and thinly sliced
- 1 Small Red Onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ Cup Shelled Pumpkin Seeds*
- ¼ Cup Crumbled Goat Cheese*
- ½ Orange, juiced (about 2 Tbsp)
- 1 Lemon, juiced (about 2 Tbsp)
- 1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 6 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
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Preheat the oven to 400º.
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On a small baking sheet, toss the red beets with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until tender. Let cool completely.
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Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette by combining the orange juice, lemon juice, Dijon, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake very well to combine. Set aside.
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Toss your salad greens with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette until well coated. Lay them out on a platter and arrange the cooled red beets, avocado, red onion, pumpkin seeds, and goat cheese over top. Drizzle lightly with more vinaigrette and serve.
Looking for More Red Beet Recipes? Try These!
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