This Beet and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad is a big time favorite salad recipe. The beets are tossed with a balsamic dressing and then roasted in the oven to caramelize.
Beet and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad
This recipe is originally from Giada de Laurentiis (one of her cookbooks). It’s a salad full of wonderful things! I mean, what could be better than a salad full of beets, walnuts, goat cheese, avocado and dried cranberries? The sweet balsamic dressing brings it all together in a delicious way!
🛒 Ingredients Needed:
- balsamic vinegar
- shallots
- honey
- extra virgin olive oil
- beets
- arugula
- walnuts
- dried cranberries
- avocado
- goat cheese
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
✏️ How to make Beet and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad:
*The complete, printable recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post.
BEETS and VINAIGRETTE
- Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Whisk vinegar, shallots and honey in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper.
- Toss the beets in a small bowl with enough dressing to coat. Place the beets on the prepared baking sheet and roast until the beets are slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Set aside and cool.
SALAD
Toss the arugula, walnuts, and cranberries in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper.
➡️ Tips and Substitutions:
- You can also use dried cherries in place of cranberries.
- Look for cooked beets in the produce section at Trader Joes or at well-stocked grocery stores. Otherwise, follow the recipe for cooking the beets.
- If you don’t care for arugula, you may use any kind of chopped lettuce instead.
Mound the salad atop 4 plates. Arrange the beets around the salad. Sprinkle with the avocado and goat cheese, and serve.
✔️ How to toast walnuts:
It’s easy! Just take out a nonstick skillet and place it over medium heat. Add the walnuts and move them around with a wooden spoon until they’re fragrant and toasted. Don’t skip this part because toasted walnuts are much more delicious than raw walnuts!
❤️ What I Love About This Recipe:
- There is nothing better than roasted beets. Yum!
- The goat cheese and beets combination is excellent.
- I love the sweet balsamic dressing is wonderful. It’s just sweet enough without being overly so.
Favorite Arugula Salad Recipes:
Beet and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad
Ingredients
VINAIGRETTE
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons thinly sliced shallots
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
SALAD
- 6 medium beets, cooked and quartered
- 6 cups arugula
- ½ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ½ large avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
- 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
Instructions
BEETS & VINAIGRETTE
- Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Whisk vinegar, shallots and honey in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper.
- Toss the beets in a small bowl with enough dressing to coat. Place the beets on the prepared baking sheet and roast until the beets are slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Set aside and cool.
SALAD
- Toss the arugula, walnuts, and cranberries in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper.
- Mound the salad atop 4 plates. Arrange the beets around the salad. Sprinkle with the avocado and goat cheese, and serve.
Notes
- You can also use dried cherries in place of cranberries.
- Look for cooked beets in the produce section at Trader Joes or at well-stocked grocery stores. To cook them yourself, roast them in the oven until a knife can slip through the beet easily.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ha, I am also posting beetroot today, just about my favorite root veggie. I love this combo of flavors here, not to mention all the different textures. This salad would make me a very happy guest too!