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Photo:Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Addelyn Evans
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Addelyn Evans
Active Time:25 minsTotal Time:25 minsServings:4Jump to Nutrition Facts
Active Time:25 minsTotal Time:25 minsServings:4
Active Time:25 mins
Active Time:
25 mins
Total Time:25 mins
Total Time:
Servings:4
Servings:
4
Jump to Nutrition Facts
Jump to recipe
We can’t get enough of thisBeet Salad with Goat Cheese & Balsamic Vinaigrette. When you pair beets with creamy goat cheese and pile on other nutritious toppings like toasted walnuts, juicy oranges, zesty arugula and a sweet and tangy balsamic vinaigrette, you end up with a delicious salad packed with antioxidants andfiber.
How to Make Beet Salad
1. Start with the Vinaigrette
While salad dressing may seem like a finishing touch, it’s actually better if you make it the first step. Why? It saves time and mess! Making thevinaigrettein the same large bowl the salad gets tossed in saves an extra bowl from needing a wash. Plus, a large bowl leaves plenty of space to whisk, and a good whisking is what the vinaigrette needs to emulsify properly.
2. Cut the Beets
Cooked beets are easy to cut with a chef’s knife, or a paring knife if they’re small. You will want to make sure your beets are peeled before you cut them. For this recipe, dicing the beets or cutting the beets into bite-size cubes is the quickest way and ensures you get beets in every forkful.
3. Segment Your Oranges
Segmenting an orange sounds tricky, but it’s easy once you get the hang of it. Simply cut the bottom and top off the orange and place it flat with a cut-side down on a cutting board. Using a paring knife and following the contour of the fruit, cut off the skin and white pith. Once the skin and pith are removed, hold the orange above a bowl and cut the segments out between the membrane, letting the segments and juice fall into the bowl below. You can squeeze the leftover membrane to extract more juice and save it for another use.
4. Toss Gently
To keep the ingredients from looking wilted and overworked, toss the salad gently. This step is best done with tongs or salad servers. Remember: the dressing is at the bottom of the bowl, so make sure you’re folding or tossing the ingredients from the bottom up. You’re done when the beets and arugula are lightly coated with the dressing.
Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen
These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!
Nutrition Notes
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)Ingredients2tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil2tablespoonsbalsamic vinegar1tablespoonchoppedshallot3/4teaspoonDijon mustard1/2teaspoonItalian seasoning1/8teaspoonsalt1/8teaspoonground pepper4cupsdiced cookedbeets(about1pound)2cupsloosely packedarugula2largeoranges, peeled and segmented (see Tip, above)2ouncesgoat cheese, crumbled (about1/2cup)1/4cupchopped walnuts, toasted (see Tip, above)
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)
Ingredients
2tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil
2tablespoonsbalsamic vinegar
1tablespoonchoppedshallot
3/4teaspoonDijon mustard
1/2teaspoonItalian seasoning
1/8teaspoonsalt
1/8teaspoonground pepper
4cupsdiced cookedbeets(about1pound)
2cupsloosely packedarugula
2largeoranges, peeled and segmented (see Tip, above)
2ouncesgoat cheese, crumbled (about1/2cup)
1/4cupchopped walnuts, toasted (see Tip, above)
DirectionsWhisk oil, vinegar, shallot, mustard, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add beets, arugula, oranges, cheese and walnuts; toss gently to combine.Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Addelyn EvansFrequently Asked QuestionsYes, beet salad is healthy and delicious! The dark red color of beets comes from betalains, an antioxidant that decreases inflammation. Meanwhile, the oranges and arugula providevitamin C, which is needed to form collagen and can support iron absorption in the body.We don’t recommend making this salad ahead of time, but you can make a component of it ahead. Make the vinaigrette and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Once all of the ingredients are combined, it’s best to eat the salad right away.Yes, you can eat raw beets. Raw beets are particularly delicious shredded, like in thisGreen Salad with Edamame & Beetsrecipe. For this salad, though, cooked beets are the way to go. The soft texture and sweet flavor of cooked beets works best with the other ingredients.You can do either! Roasting the beets is a little bit more labor-intensive, but will yield a sweeter, more intense flavor than boiling. Either way you choose, it will be easier to peel the beetsafterthey’re cooked. Once they’re cool enough to handle, the peel should be easy to rub off with your hands or remove with a paring knife.EatingWell.com, July 2024
Directions
Whisk oil, vinegar, shallot, mustard, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add beets, arugula, oranges, cheese and walnuts; toss gently to combine.Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Addelyn EvansFrequently Asked QuestionsYes, beet salad is healthy and delicious! The dark red color of beets comes from betalains, an antioxidant that decreases inflammation. Meanwhile, the oranges and arugula providevitamin C, which is needed to form collagen and can support iron absorption in the body.We don’t recommend making this salad ahead of time, but you can make a component of it ahead. Make the vinaigrette and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Once all of the ingredients are combined, it’s best to eat the salad right away.Yes, you can eat raw beets. Raw beets are particularly delicious shredded, like in thisGreen Salad with Edamame & Beetsrecipe. For this salad, though, cooked beets are the way to go. The soft texture and sweet flavor of cooked beets works best with the other ingredients.You can do either! Roasting the beets is a little bit more labor-intensive, but will yield a sweeter, more intense flavor than boiling. Either way you choose, it will be easier to peel the beetsafterthey’re cooked. Once they’re cool enough to handle, the peel should be easy to rub off with your hands or remove with a paring knife.
Whisk oil, vinegar, shallot, mustard, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add beets, arugula, oranges, cheese and walnuts; toss gently to combine.
Frequently Asked QuestionsYes, beet salad is healthy and delicious! The dark red color of beets comes from betalains, an antioxidant that decreases inflammation. Meanwhile, the oranges and arugula providevitamin C, which is needed to form collagen and can support iron absorption in the body.We don’t recommend making this salad ahead of time, but you can make a component of it ahead. Make the vinaigrette and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Once all of the ingredients are combined, it’s best to eat the salad right away.Yes, you can eat raw beets. Raw beets are particularly delicious shredded, like in thisGreen Salad with Edamame & Beetsrecipe. For this salad, though, cooked beets are the way to go. The soft texture and sweet flavor of cooked beets works best with the other ingredients.You can do either! Roasting the beets is a little bit more labor-intensive, but will yield a sweeter, more intense flavor than boiling. Either way you choose, it will be easier to peel the beetsafterthey’re cooked. Once they’re cool enough to handle, the peel should be easy to rub off with your hands or remove with a paring knife.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, beet salad is healthy and delicious! The dark red color of beets comes from betalains, an antioxidant that decreases inflammation. Meanwhile, the oranges and arugula providevitamin C, which is needed to form collagen and can support iron absorption in the body.
We don’t recommend making this salad ahead of time, but you can make a component of it ahead. Make the vinaigrette and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Once all of the ingredients are combined, it’s best to eat the salad right away.
Yes, you can eat raw beets. Raw beets are particularly delicious shredded, like in thisGreen Salad with Edamame & Beetsrecipe. For this salad, though, cooked beets are the way to go. The soft texture and sweet flavor of cooked beets works best with the other ingredients.
You can do either! Roasting the beets is a little bit more labor-intensive, but will yield a sweeter, more intense flavor than boiling. Either way you choose, it will be easier to peel the beetsafterthey’re cooked. Once they’re cool enough to handle, the peel should be easy to rub off with your hands or remove with a paring knife.
EatingWell.com, July 2024
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Nutrition Facts(per serving)254Calories15gFat26gCarbs7gProtein
Nutrition Facts(per serving)
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.
Hilary Meyer
