Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese, Walnuts & Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette
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Perfect for dinner parties or jazzing up a weeknight meal (try topping it with steak, salmon, or chicken for a complete dish), my roasted beet salad looks as amazing as it tastes.
This beet salad with goat cheese and walnuts is my go-to dinner party salad. I don’t think I’ve ever served it without sending a few people home with the recipe. Years ago, I would roast my own beets, but high-quality vacuum-packed roasted beets, such as Love Beets, are now available in the produce section of most supermarkets, which makes the salad a breeze to prepare. Be sure to dress the greens at the last minute so they don’t get soggy, and top the salad with the beets as opposed to mixing them in, as tossing the beets with the salad will turn everything pink! Want to make the salad a complete meal? Try topping it with steak, grilled chicken or pan-seared salmon.
Table of Contents
“Absolutely delicious 💯 The dressing is superb. I follow the recipe to the T, I’ve made this 3x already this week. YUM!”
What You’ll Need to Make Roasted Beet Salad with Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette
- Honey: Adds subtle sweetness to the dressing and balances the acidity of the vinegar.
- Dijon Mustard: Provides a tangy flavor and helps emulsify the dressing.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Adds acidity and depth of flavor.
- Shallots: Infuses a subtle onion flavor into the vinaigrette.
- Salt and Pepper: Enhances the overall taste of the dressing.
- Vegetable Oil: Provides a smooth texture and helps bind the ingredients together.
- Mixed Greens: Serve as the base of the salad, providing freshness and color.
- Vacuum-Packed Roasted Beets: Offer earthy sweetness and vibrant color to the salad. I use store-bought but if you’d like to roast them yourself, see the note at the bottom of the recipe.
- Walnuts: Add a satisfying crunch and nutty flavor.
- Goat Cheese: Adds creaminess and tanginess, complementing the sweetness of the beets and the crunchiness of the walnuts.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a small bowl, combine the honey, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, shallots, salt and pepper.
Whisk to combine. Then, whisking constantly, slowly add the oil in a steady stream. (Alternatively, add all the ingredients to a jar, cover with the lid, and shake vigorously to blend.)
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Place the greens in a large bowl, drizzle with about half of the vinaigrette, and toss to combine. Add as much of the remaining vinaigrette as desired and toss again. Arrange the greens on a large platter or divide onto plates, then top with beets, walnuts, and goat cheese. Serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! The dressing can be prepared up to 5 days in advance and stored in the fridge. Just give it a good shake before using it on the salad.
This salad is really flexible so you can tailor it to your preferences or to what you have on hand. Swap out the beets for strawberries or sliced apples, use crumbled feta instead of goat cheese, and pecans, almonds, or pistachios in place of the walnuts. Each tweak will bring its own unique flavor and texture to the salad.
Yes, you can definitely make the beets ahead of time. Roasted beets keep nicely in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. And if you’d like to freeze leftover beets, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or foil and store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw them in the refrigerator before using. If you’re a big beet fan and looking for other ways to use them, you’ll love (and maybe even obsess over) my balsamic-glazed roasted beets.
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Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts, Goat Cheese & Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette
Perfect for dinner parties or jazzing up a weeknight meal (try topping it with steak, salmon, or chicken for a complete dish), my roasted beet salad looks as amazing as it tastes.
Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons minced shallots
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the Salad
- 10 ounces mixed greens
- About ½ lb vacuum-packed roasted beets, cut into wedges (see note)
- ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 3 ounces goat cheese
Instructions
For the Vinaigrette
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, shallots, salt and pepper. Whisking constantly, slowly add the oil in a steady stream. (Alternatively, add all the ingredients to a jar, cover with the lid, and shake vigorously to blend.) Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
For the Salad
- Place the greens in a large bowl, drizzle with about half of the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Add as much of the remaining vinaigrette as desired and toss again. Arrange the greens on a large platter or divide onto plates, then top with beets, walnuts and goat cheese. Serve immediately.
- Note: If you'd like to roast your own beets, you'll need 1 bunch of medium beets (about 3). Preheat oven to 425°F and set an oven rack to the middle position. Wipe or scrub the beets clean, then trim stems down to one-inch (leave "tails" on). Place the beets on a large piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then wrap foil around the beets to form a neat packet. Roast directly on a rack in the middle of the oven until tender, about 1 hour. Test for doneness by piercing the largest beet with a knife. If it enters easily, it's done. Unwrap the beets and let sit until cool enough to handle. Use your hands or a paring knife to peel the skin, then cut into wedges.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The vinaigrette can be made up to 4 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Before serving, let sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes, and then shake to re-emulsify.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 242
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Sugar: 9g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Sodium: 322mg
- Cholesterol: 7mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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We tried this recipe today, and it turned out delicious! It’s a perfect combination of flavors, and the vinaigrette was just the right match for it. This is a definite recipe to add to our rotation of favorites.
Jen,
We have gotten a good crop of beets from our garden and I’m planning to make this salad again tonight. (I’ve made it numerous times in the past and the dressing is my go to dressing for just about all my salads!). This time I was thinking of subbing feta cheese for goat cheese. What are your thoughts on this substitution? I happen to have a block of feta but no goat cheese.
Thanks,
Vivian
Hi Vivian, I think it’s perfectly fine to swap the goat cheese for feta. Enjoy!
This is my new go to for family gatherings…or just for me! Great flavors!
I toasted the walnuts, but otherwise followed the recipe. The dressing was delicious and the salad was popular with whole family.
Loooved this recipe! The vineagrette dressing is so delicious! It was a hit at our Easter dinner. Making again tonight for friends!
My husband and I were looking for some ways to incorporate beets into our diet. This salad was a big hit with both of us. The dressing is delicious and I was lucky enough to find the roasted beets in our grocery store. After reading other comments I will try some of the pickled beets in the future just for the ease of keeping them on hand. Delicious salad as is!! Thanks so much for your many inspirational recipes.
I love this one, though I exclude the goat cheese. Do you have a recommendation for dressing without vegetable oil?
Hi Lauren, Glad you like this! You could replace the vegetable oil with olive oil. Just keep in mind that I go with vegetable oil here as it has a very neutral flavor. Some other options are safflower or avocado oil. Hope that helps!
Jen, this salad is amazing, colors, flavors and dressing outstanding, I wanted to offer a nice find I made for the beets. I could not find the Love Beets, nor did my market have fresh beets. I ended up looking in the canned food aisle and found an S & W product called Spicy, Marinated Red Beets. I took a chance and have to say they are very good. Beets are already sliced and went well with this salad and your vinaigrette. So, for those , who like me, could not find the suggested ingredient, these make an excellent substitution. Thanks for all your work and great recipes.
Have I ever learned a big lesson or what! Originally this amazing salad recipe was part of your newsletter that started off with a Lamb recipe. Coincidentally I had made a rack of Lamb the night prior, and almost did not even read the newsletter. To think that I might have never made this salad….what a shame that would be. When I saw it yesterday, I pounced on this, and gosh was I ever rewarded. From instinct I decided to throw every ingredient for the vinaigrette into my immersion blender beaker, and voila, the dressing became a thick emulsion instantly. The salad itself was light, yet rich, if that makes any sense. I remember thinking last night as we were loving this salad, that I want to make it for every dinner guest we bring to our table, now that life is opening for breaking bread with loved ones. Thank you Jenn, for what you share. You are a part of our home.
So glad you enjoyed it (and thank you for your very kind words)! 🙂
I like using the immersion blender for salad dressing as well. It tends to separate less and is therefore less likely to harden in the refrigerator. Thanks for a great recipe, Jenn!
Can I replace honey with maple syrup? My stomach is too sensitive to honey. Thanks!
Yep that’s fine. 🙂
I smoke roast the beets and use Jen’s spiced pecans instead of walnuts. Delicious!
I have never seen packaged roasted beets or beets here in Atlantic Canada. How do you suggest we prepare raw beets for this salad?
Hi Elizabeth, If you scroll down to the end of the recipe, I’ve given instructions for roasting your own beets. It’s easy. 🙂
Another alternative is to steam the beets. After scrubbing, I steam them whole. I do this on an afternoon I’m planning to be at home anyway; other than the scrubbing and one or two checks for sufficient water during the cooking, the heat does all the work. I remove beets from heat when they are fork-tender. They can be cooked ahead and added to the recipe when you are ready.
Another idea: while the beets are cooling to a temperature comfortable enough to handle, I like to make a honey-serrano vinegar: in a small pot, place 1 or 2 serrano or jalapeno peppers (membranes & seeds removed), 1/3 c. red wine or balsamic vinegar, a tablespoon of honey, and 3/4 t. salt. Simmer for five minutes, strain out the peppers, and pour over peeled and quartered beets while warm or at room temperature. Drained, the beets can be used in the recipe for roasted beet salad with goat cheese, walnuts, and honey-dijon vinaigrette without any changes. This also makes a simple, tasty side dish on its own if I run out of time.
Costco
Hi Jenn! I love ALL of your recipes! This salad sounds delicious but we are not beet fans. Is there a substitute or should we just leave them out?
Thank you,
Melisa
Hi Melisa, I think shaved “ribbon-style” carrots would be delicious (and pretty) in this. Using a vegetable peeler, run the peeler away from you, down the length of the carrots, shaving off long, wide ribbons and rotating a few times as you go.
This is by far the best by far salad I’ve made!! I’ve shared it with all my family and friends!
This salad is terrific. I served it for a dinner party and it was easy and everyone ate it all! I used walnut oil because I had it in my cabinet.
Hi Jenn – love all the recipes! Can I use canned beets? I know that’s probably not ideal but I can’t always find the fresh produce I’m looking for nowadays. Thank you!
Hi Karen, I know it’s been a struggle recently to find what you need in the produce section! Yes, you can use canned beets but your store happens to have packaged roasted beets, those would be a good alternative to fresh roasted ones. Hope that helps!
Absolutely! Thanks so much!
Jenn, I’m a stay-at-home dad preparing for Thanksgiving. I just made this dressing, amazing!! When I feel unmotivated to cook I turn to your site. Your palate is better than mine and everything I’ve made turns out delicious. Thank you!
So glad you like the recipes and that up your motivation in the kitchen! 🙂
Absolutely Wonderful. Will make this again. The dressing was wonderful. I used grape seed oil.
We always order the beet and goat cheese salad when out for dinner so I decided to make it at home. This recipe was a huge hit and will be in regular rotation. The dressing is tangy and complements the sweet beets and creamy goat cheese. Well balanced and got the honor of my last bite on the plate. Thank you so much!
Quite wonderful! The combination of flavors is excellent and I will definitely make this recipe again.
Hey Jenn, Just by chance, I skipped to this recipe to see what you are offering on this blog. Spinach/beets/goat or blue cheese is about the easiest salad in the world to do (and adding bacon is easy and provides additional protein, but more salt and fat). Walnuts are not as good as pecans, and they are better if they are pan roasted in walnut oil or carmelized with maple syrup and butter before tossing in the salad. But you add salt to your vinagrette. Why? It is unhealthy at best, unnecessary given the saltiness of goat/feta cheese. I worry that people do not understand how unhealthy your recipes are – and for no reason, because your basic ideas are simple, delicious classics. Cheers, Bruce, the food snob’s guide to healthy eating.
Really, Bruce? Move along if you don’t like what you see. Jenn’s recipes are amongst the best I’ve tried, and – judging from the numerous 5-star reviews assigned to every recipe listed on her website – I’m not the only one who thinks so.
Lol, what a hater! I m a registered dietitian with 10+ years of experience in clinical nutrition and dietetics working with critically ill patients as well as with patients with many commorbidities and your credentials as “food snob “ mean absolutely nothing and u should not be giving advise on “healthy eating.” Oh and this particular recipe is quite healthy and that salt wont kill u. The amount ends up being minuscule when divided amongst the servings and unless you have kidney or heart disease, I dont see why u can’t use salt. This is definitely not processed food which is the leading source of excess salt. People with diseases requiring low sodium diets can simply leave the salt out . No one should ever listen to a self proclaimed food expert. Thanks
I decided to use just 1 tbsp. of aged raspberry balsamic vinegar…dressing was amazing!
Served this salad with grilled filet mignons for a birthday dinner and the salad stole the show! I roasted a bunch of yellow beets and a bunch of red beets and then used half of each to compose the salad. It was beautiful. Saved the beet greens and the next night sautéed them in olive oil, garlic and added lemon zest. A true bonus to a showstopper recipe!
Can I use Champagne vinegar in the dressing? Thanks!
Hi Barbara, If you don’t have red wine vinegar, you could use equal parts of white vinegar and red wine. If you don’t have both of those, you can get away with the champagne vinegar. Hope that helps!
absolutely amazing ! took ages to eat it too busy talking about how stunning it was ! Another winner Jenn
Can salad dressing be made with olive oil instead of vegetable oil?
Sure. I like vegetable oil because it’s more mild tasting, but olive oil will work here. Hope you enjoy!
Made this today, exactly as per the recipe, and it’s beautiful, refreshing, and simple to make. Very impressive. Thank you, Jenn. – Jeannine
This is the perfect salad recipe. I have made it more than 20 times with perfect results every time. It is simple and classic. My only variation is yellow beets or toasted almonds instead of walnuts and is equally delicious. It works well for making the night before to take to work or serving to your family and friends. Thank you!!
salad is delicious! I used yellow beets.No red drippings and you will love the taste
Just made this beautiful salad for the first time! It is delicious! I have made so many of Jenn’s recipes and every one is ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thanks Jenn for your inspiration!!
Exactly the dressing I was looking for. I cook beets this way every time, without the oil. Plus put beet pack on a small baking sheet in case the beet pack springs a leak!
Excellent beet salad, Jenn! I make this all the time, it’s our ‘go to’ whenever we have beets on hand. Quick question: how long do you think the vinaigrette will keep in the fridge? Thanks!!
Glad you like it! The dressing will keep nicely in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
how long are the beets good for after roasting them?
Hi Jonathan, I think they’d last nicely in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Excellent recipe! I can’t get enough of the dressing! So glad I made a double batch for later 🙂
Hi Jenn,
I love your recipes! I always check your website first when making a new dish 🙂
I am planning to make this salad for Christmas Eve, but a few of the guests are not fans of goat cheese. What would be a good substitute? I know feta is a common one, but wondering how a crumble blue cheese or gorgonzola would be?
Thanks!
Hi Caitlin, Blue cheese or gorgonzola would be fabulous options.
Such an awesome salad and love love LOVE the dressing (we’re beekeepers, so always looking for ways to incorporate our honey into recipes). The perfect touch of sweetness that pairs with the tart goat cheese, nuts and earthy beets.
Absolutely love this recipe! Great combination of flavours and looks lovely. Because I’m lazy I used jarred pickled beets and it still turned out fantastic. Thank you Jenn!
I made this salad last night as a test run for Thanksgiving. I am a lazy cook who does not cook much. I used what I had on hand, shortcutting where possible. A homemade balsamic reduction was substituted for your dressing. I toasted almonds and used them to replace the walnuts. I also added tangerine segments.
It might not be as good as yours, but I loved it and will serve it again tonight. Thank you for inspiring me to use my kitchen!!
Loved the vinaigrette, however the beets themselves were totally lacking in flavor making the salad taste rather bland. What would your suggestion be to give the beets some flavor…maybe marinating them in the vinaigrette several hours before serving?
Sorry you found them bland! Sure, you could using the dressing as a marinade to infuse the beets with more flavor. 🙂
My wife and I first enjoyed a warm beet salad on a summer evening at a restaurant near the water. It was delicious. This recipe captured that night and frankly was even better. I always make the recipes as written, at least the first time, and I find that there is no need to change this recipe in the future. It was perfect as written and is super simple to make! Thanks again for making me look good in front of the family!
This is a really lovely salad. Very different from more traditional salad and very light. Makes a great started for a summer dinner party.
This is a Family Favorite salad . That’s saying a lot since my daughter is not a fan of beets. The dressing is a perfect combo of flavors . Requests to share this salad recipe with many friends I know confirms my review is 👍
Hi Jenn would white wine vinegar work for this dressing?
Thanks so much your recipes are amazing!
Glad you like the recipes! Yes, I think you could get away with white wine vinegar in the dressing.
Loved this great salad! And the dressing is amazing!!
Love this recipe. I’ve made similar salads before but just found this recipe to get an idea for a dressing. OMG the dressing is the best!!! I make it now just as a dressing for other salads. And it works great on this one too! Thank you!
I can not find those individual lettuces. Would a spring mix work or something else?
Thank you
Sure, Amy, a spring mix would work here. Enjoy!
I love this recipe! I’ve made it once a month for the last six months. I keep looking for other salad recipes and do you find some that are acceptable, but this one remains my favorite. It’s very simple to do. It’s delicious. The vinaigrette is divine. Thank you for sharing!
Love this salad! And made a beet lover out of my daughter who had never had roasted beets . I’ve made it 3 times in the last 6 weeks and love it every time.
So easy to make and delicious. It was a hit at my house and it will definitely become a staple dressing.
Hi, We tried your potato and leeks soup. It was a big success and we will do it again. Pon and Amanda
Jenn, this was unbelievably good…restaurant quality. I cut my beets into wedges which looked beautiful on the plate. Love the idea of walnut oil which I happen to have in the frig. Does it change the taste of the dressing which is already wonderful? Will be making this for company on a regular basis. Thanks for another winner
Hi Carol, So glad you enjoyed it! Walnut oil has a distinct flavor so it will definitely change the taste of the dressing. I think it would be delicious but you might try it first with half walnut oil/half veg oil to be sure you like the flavor.
Once again you nailed this one. Wife could not stop commenting about it. Truly wonderful salad. Found some good mellow goat cheese at Whole Foods. Just perfect. Wondering though, why did you use vegetable oil over olive oil? I noticed another dressing recipe that called for both. What’s the scoop on vegetable oil? Thank you
Hi Robert, glad you like the salad! I use vegetable oil over olive oil here because it has a more mild flavor. If you prefer olive oil, it would work as well — it just lends a slightly different flavor.
Rave reviews from my family. Restaurant quality salad. Do yourself a favor and make it!
I love this salad! The second time I made it I used maple syrup instead of honey because of a vegan guest – it was still as good. thanks!