Description
This roasted beet salad with pecans and feta is almost guaranteed to turn beet haters into lovers! Beets roasted with oil and balsamic are served atop a bed of greens along with roasted pecans, feta, and balsamic vinaigrette in this tasty side.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Beets
- 4 medium-large or 8 small beets
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or good quality cooking oil of choice such as avocado, coconut, or ghee)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Pinch each fine sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and garlic powder
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
Salad
- 8 cups mixed greens, spinach, or chopped kale
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries or raisins
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (I like goat or sheep’s milk feta the best)
- 1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted (see note)
Instructions
- Roast the beets: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel the beets, chop off the stems, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in a bowl and toss with the oil, balsamic, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, if desired. Transfer the beets to the baking sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes, until fork-tender. Set aside to cool.
- Make the dressing: Combine the oil, balsamic, lemon, maple syrup, salt, pepper, dijon, and garlic in a jar. Secure the lid and shake to combine.
- Make the salad: Place the greens in a salad bowl. Top with the cranberries, pecans, feta, and roasted beets. Toss to combine and drizzle the dressing over individual portions. (This prevents the salad from becoming soggy.) If using kale, the method is slightly different because you’ll need to massage the kale with the dressing. Chop the kale, place it in a bowl, and pour the dressing over top. Using your hands, “massage” the dressing into the kale until the leaves are bright green and tender. Then proceed with adding the cranberries, pecans, feta, and beets to the kale.
Notes
To toast pecans, spread them out on a baking sheet and roast and 325 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. For a nut-free salad, toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds can be used.
For a vegan salad, omit the feta and use vegan feta-style cheese or pitted and chopped Kalamata olives instead.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Side Dish, Lunch, Supper
Keywords: roasted beet salad with pecans and feta