Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad With Walnuts
Four medium beets need about 50 minutes wrapped in foil, and they need no peeling, no trimming, and no attention during that time. Roasting concentrates their sugar in a way boiling never does.
Beets boiled in water lose color and flavor into the pot. Roasted in foil, they steam in their own moisture while the sugars caramelize, and the skins slip off afterward under a towel. The difference in sweetness is noticeable even to people who do not like beets.
Wrap Tightly and Leave Them Alone
Scrub the beets, trim the tops to an inch, rub them with a little oil, and wrap each one in foil. The seal matters: a loose packet lets steam escape and the exterior dries into a hard shell. Fifty minutes at 400 degrees F handles medium beets; a knife should slide through with no resistance at the center.
Roasting several sizes at once is the practical problem. If you have one very large beet, halve it so everything finishes together. Otherwise you will be returning small ones to the oven while the large one cools on the counter.
Peel Under a Towel, Not Under Water
Once the beets are cool enough to handle, rub the skins off with a paper towel or a clean dishcloth. Running them under water works but washes away pigment and leaves your hands stained. Wear gloves if you are cutting them into wedges, because the juice will color everything it touches.
Dress the Beets Separately First
Beet juice bleeds into anything it sits against, which is why this salad is often assembled as separate piles rather than tossed. Dress the warm beet wedges with vinaigrette first, then arrange the greens, goat cheese, and walnuts around them. The plate looks deliberate and the cheese stays white.
Ingredients
- 4 medium beets, scrubbed and tops trimmed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp olive oil for the dressing
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 5 oz mixed greens or baby spinach
- 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts
- 1/4 cup chopped chives
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper
Steps
Wrap the beets in foil
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Rub each scrubbed beet with oil, wrap it tightly in foil, and set the packets on a sheet pan to catch any drips.
Roast 50 minutes until a knife slides through
Roast for 45 to 55 minutes depending on size. Test the largest one with a thin knife; it should pass through the center with no resistance.
Rub the skins off
Open the packets carefully, let the beets cool a few minutes, then rub the skins away with a paper towel. Cut them into wedges or rounds.
Whisk the balsamic dressing
Whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until it emulsifies and looks slightly glossy.
Dress the beets while warm
Toss the warm beet wedges with two thirds of the dressing in a bowl and let them sit 5 minutes. Warm beets absorb the vinaigrette far better than cold ones.
Assemble in separate piles
Toss the greens with the remaining dressing, pile them on a platter, then arrange the beets, crumbled goat cheese, walnuts, and chives on top in sections.
Handling Beets Without Turning the Kitchen Purple
- Roast beets up to three days ahead. They keep well in the fridge and the flavor deepens slightly by day two.
- Golden beets are milder and do not stain, but they need about 10 minutes less in the oven.
- Save the beet greens if they are fresh. They cook like chard in about 4 minutes and make a good side.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 355 kcal |
| Protein | 12 g |
| Carbohydrates | 24 g |
| Fat | 25 g |
| Sodium | 470 mg |
