RESET360 with Camille McLaughlin
February Pick: Salads

Beet, Goat Cheese, and Walnut Salad

Sweet roasted beets over peppery arugula with creamy goat cheese, toasted walnuts, and a shallot and sherry vinaigrette with orange zest.

Why you'll love Beet, Goat Cheese, and Walnut Salad

Beets are one of the best things at the market in February, when most fresh produce is coming from far away and the root vegetables are at their sweetest. Roasted whole in foil, they turn tender, dense, and deeply sweet, and against peppery arugula, cool tangy goat cheese, and toasted walnuts they make a salad with a little of everything: sweet, sharp, creamy, earthy, and crunchy.

Roasting the beets wrapped in foil steams them in their own moisture while the dry oven heat concentrates their sugar, and the skins slip off in your fingers once they cool a bit. Tossing the beets in a spoonful of vinaigrette while they are still warm lets them drink it in, so they taste seasoned all the way through.

The shallot sits in the vinegar for ten minutes before the oil goes in, which softens its raw bite and seasons the vinegar at the same time. A little orange zest brings a bright, wintry note that ties the sweet beets to the tangy cheese.

Quick overview: This Beet, Goat Cheese, and Walnut Salad takes 20 min of hands-on time and about 1 hr 20 min in all and makes 4 servings, each about 2 cups. You'll need a skillet and a sheet pan.

Jump to recipe

Roasted beet salad with goat cheese, walnuts and arugula
Prep 20 minCook 1 hrTotal 1 hr 20 minServes 4Serving about 2 cupsYou'll need Skillet, Sheet pan

Ingredients

  • 4 medium beets (about 1 1/3 lb without the greens), scrubbed
  • 3 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, divided
  • 1/2 cup walnut halves
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard Label: mustard seed, vinegar, water, and salt
  • 1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest
  • 5 oz baby arugula
  • 6 oz fresh goat cheese (chèvre), cold
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Roast the beets: Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim the beets, leaving about 1/2 inch of stem so they keep their juices, and rub them with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Wrap each one in foil, set them on a sheet pan, and roast for 45 to 60 minutes, until a knife slides into the center with no resistance. Larger beets take the full hour.
  2. Peel and cut: Open the foil and let the beets cool for 15 minutes, until you can handle them. Rub the skins off with a paper towel, wearing gloves if you want to keep red stains off your hands, and cut the beets into wedges.
  3. Soften the shallot: While the beets roast, stir the shallot into the sherry vinegar with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and let it sit for 10 minutes. The vinegar takes the harsh edge off the raw shallot.
  4. Toast the walnuts: Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan, for 4 to 5 minutes, until fragrant and a shade darker. Let them cool and break them into large pieces.
  5. Finish the vinaigrette: Whisk the Dijon and orange zest into the shallot and vinegar, then whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a slow stream until it thickens slightly. Toss the warm beet wedges with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
  6. Assemble: Toss the arugula with most of the remaining vinaigrette and spread it over a platter. Arrange the beets on top, crumble the cold goat cheese over them in large pieces, and scatter the walnuts. Drizzle with the last of the dressing, grind pepper over the top, and serve. Adding the cheese last and cold keeps it in clean white pieces instead of turning pink.

Storage and leftovers

Roasted, peeled beets keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, which makes this salad quick to put together during the week. The vinaigrette keeps for up to 4 days in a sealed jar in the refrigerator; whisk it before using.

Dressed arugula wilts within the hour, so dress only what you will eat. Store the toasted walnuts in a jar at room temperature for up to a week.

Variations

  • Golden beets: Use golden beets, or a mix of golden and red, roasting them in separate foil packets so the red ones do not stain the gold.
  • With orange: Add segments of one orange for a juicier, brighter salad.
  • Pistachios: Use toasted shelled pistachios in place of the walnuts.
  • Feta and mint: Use crumbled feta in place of the goat cheese and scatter torn mint leaves over the top.

Notes and tips

  • Roast a big batch: Roast twice as many beets as you need. They keep for days and go into salads, onto yogurt bowls, or next to eggs.
  • Choose evenly sized beets: Beets of the same size finish roasting at the same time. Separate any much larger ones and give them extra time.
  • Chill the goat cheese: Cold goat cheese crumbles into neat pieces. Put it in the freezer for 10 minutes if it is soft.
  • Clean up the stains: Rub a cut lemon and a little salt over a stained cutting board or your fingers, then rinse.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Goat cheese is the protein here, and its tang and creaminess balance the sweetness of the beets.
  • Beets are a sweeter root, so they share the plate with goat cheese, walnuts, and olive oil, whose protein and fat slow the way their sugar reaches your blood.
  • Beets bring folate, potassium, and the red pigments called betalains that give them their color, and arugula adds a peppery bite with vitamin K.
  • Walnuts bring the plant form of omega-3 fat, and toasting them deepens their flavor and adds crunch.
  • As you eat, notice the sweet, earthy beet against the sharp greens and the cool cheese, and pay attention to how satisfying a salad with real fat and protein feels, whether it sits next to dinner or carries a light lunch.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Beet, Goat Cheese, and Walnut Salad? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

Can I use precooked beets?

Yes, if the label reads beets, and water or salt at most, with no vinegar or sugar. Many vacuum-packed beets are only steamed and peeled, which saves the hour in the oven.

Why roast in foil instead of boiling?

Boiling pulls flavor and color out into the water. Foil holds the beets' own moisture, so they steam in it while the oven heat concentrates their sweetness.

Can I eat the beet greens?

Yes. Cut them off when you buy the beets, wash them well, and sauté them with garlic and olive oil like Swiss chard.

Can I make it ahead?

Roast and peel the beets, toast the walnuts, and make the vinaigrette up to 4 days ahead. Assemble just before serving.

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Tags: February Pick, Salads, French-Inspired