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    Simple Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

    By Julia | Updated: Jun 05, 2023 | Published: Mar 14, 2019 | 11 Comments

    28.6K shares
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    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

    Simple Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Spinach is a healthy and delicious addition to your dinner menu! Use any kind of beets you like: boiled, steamed, or roasted.  Top the salad with toasted pine nuts.

    simple beet salad with goat cheese

     

    Beet salad with goat cheese is a perfect salad to serve with any main course.   The earthy flavor of beets is balanced by the creaminess of goat cheese and the crunchiness of toasted pine nuts.

    Whether you're making salmon with asparagus or lamb chops with mustard sauce, a simple beet salad is always an elegant choice.  It's healthy and gluten-free!

    For crunch, add toasted pine nuts and for creaminess, add crumbled goat cheese.  You can use all kinds of beets in this salad: boiled, steamed, or roasted.  My favorite (and the easiest and the least messy) way to cook beets is to boil them.  Below I provide detailed instructions on how to boil beets.

    Simple beet salad

    • Basic ingredients.  The salad has only 4 ingredients: beets, spinach, goat cheese, and pine nuts.
    • Flexibility. This is a versatile recipe with lots of variations.  You can use either spinach or arugula.  You can also use a variety of cheeses and different kinds of nuts.

    simple beet salad with goat cheese

    SUBSTITUTIONS

    • What is a good substitute for spinach?  Arugula has a mustard-like yet soft flavor and is a great substitute for spinach.
    • What can you replace pine nuts with?  Use toasted slivered almonds or sliced almonds instead of pine nuts.  You can also use toasted pumpkin seeds.
    • What cheese can you use instead of goat cheese?  Ricotta cheese or feta cheese are both good substitutes for goat cheese.
    • What other toppings can you use?  To dress up the simple beet salad, add dried fruit, such as dried cranberries, cherries, or raisins.   You can also add diced veggies, such as avocado or cherry tomatoes.  Or, add crumbled bacon.
    • Salad dressing.  Use a simple dressing made with olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt, and pepper.  Or, use any store-bought salad dressing of your choice.

    simple beet salad with goat cheese and pine nuts

    How to boil beets

    There are many ways to cook beets.  You can roast them in the oven or steam them.  Or, you can simply boil them.   The best and the least messy way to cook beets is to boil them.  It's my favorite method and the easiest way I know.   Below I provide detailed instructions on how to boil beets.

    1. Place beets in a large saucepan with water.
    2. Bring to boil. Once the water starts boiling, boil the beets for 20 minutes.
    3. Turn off the heat and allow the beets rest in the saucepan with hot water, with the lid on, for another 20 minutes.
    4. Carefully pour the hot water out.
    5. After the beets have cooled off, you can use a butter knife to easily peel the skin off them.

    HOW TO TOAST PINE NUTS

    1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
    2. Spread the pine nuts in one layer over the parchment paper lined baking sheet.
    3. Roast for 5 minutes.
    4. Note: pine nuts get burned really quickly.  Watch them closely and remove promptly from the oven.

    Best goat cheese to use in salads

    • Use fresh goat cheese.  Fresh goat cheese is soft, without a rind.   Fresh goat cheese is usually sold in logs at the store.
    • How to crumble goat cheese?  Sometimes, using your hands to crumble a goat cheese does not work well, because the cheese is so soft.  I find it easier to use a fork and scoop out just as much cheese as I need onto a small plate.  Then, I crumble it with a fork on a plate.

    SIMPLE SALAD DRESSING

    • You only need 4 ingredients: olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt, and coarsely ground black pepper.
    • Combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk until emulsified.

    HOW TO MAKE BEET SALAD

    1. First, combine baby spinach leaves and sliced beets in a large bowl.
    2. Add your favorite salad dressing and toss to combine.
    3. Next, top the salad with toasted pine nuts and crumbled goat cheese.
    4. Finally, sprinkle coarsely ground black pepper over the salad.

    simple beet salad with goat cheese and pine nuts

    Other Salad Recipes

    If you enjoyed this simple beet salad, you might also like these easy and healthy recipes:

    • Simple Spinach Salad
    • Tomato Basil Avocado Mozzarella Salad with Balsamic Dressing
    • Healthy Chickpea Salad with Avocado, Tomato, Cucumber
    • Avocado Salad with Tomatoes, Mozzarella, and Basil Pesto

    Main Course Ideas

    Below are some main dishes that will go great with a simple beet salad with goat cheese:

    • Creamy Tuscan Salmon
    • Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes
    • Baked Italian Chicken and Vegetables
    simple beet salad with goat cheese
    4.89 from 35 votes

    Simple Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

    Simple Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Spinach is healthy and delicious!  Easy homemade salad dressing is made with lemon juice and olive oil.  Great recipe to use boiled beets, roasted beets, or marinated beets.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 people
    Calories per serving 309 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    Salad Dressing

    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
    • 1 tablespoon mustard
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

    Beet Salad

    • 6 oz baby spinach fresh
    • 2 beets , cooked, diced
    • ⅓ cup pine nuts toasted
    • ⅓ cup goat cheese crumbled

    Instructions 

    Salad Dressing

    • Add dressing ingredients to a medium size bowl.  Whisk to combine.

    Beet Salad

    • Add baby spinach and diced cooked beets to a large bowl.
    • Add the salad dressing and toss to combine.
    • Top with toasted pine nuts and crumbled goat cheese.   Season with extra black pepper if desired.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Simple Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    309
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    26
    g
    40
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    5
    g
    31
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    5
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    13
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    9
    mg
    3
    %
    Sodium
     
    250
    mg
    11
    %
    Potassium
     
    466
    mg
    13
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    17
    g
    6
    %
    Fiber
     
    3
    g
    13
    %
    Sugar
     
    12
    g
    13
    %
    Protein
     
    7
    g
    14
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    4203
    IU
    84
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    18
    mg
    22
    %
    Calcium
     
    81
    mg
    8
    %
    Iron
     
    3
    mg
    17
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Keyword beet salad, beet salad with goat cheese, simple beet salad
    Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
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    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Diana Reid

      March 19, 2023 at 9:23 pm

      As I hate beets, I wonder if it'll work with grated raw beets, which is the only way I can fathom them?

      Reply
      • Julia

        March 25, 2023 at 10:51 am

        Diana, yes, this will work with grated raw beets!

        Reply
    2. Jean

      December 30, 2022 at 1:30 pm

      How do you think pickled beets would be in this salad?

      Reply
      • Julia

        January 07, 2023 at 9:20 pm

        Jean, pickled beets would be perfect in this salad!

        Reply
    3. Ronna Simpson

      December 07, 2022 at 6:24 am

      Absolutely fabulous salad! Made it for dinner and served it with toasted sourdough bread….so delicious and simple to make. Will be having it often…thank you!

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 07, 2022 at 9:38 pm

        Ronna, I am so glad you tried this salad and loved it! Sourdough bread is so good with beets. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Helga

      June 21, 2021 at 3:33 pm

      I never boil beets, as this means pouring all those good vitamins and minerals down the drain. Roasting them instead will keep all that goodness plus they taste much better. Cool them slightly and then simply rub off the skin with a damp paper towel. No knife needed.

      Reply
      • Julia

        July 13, 2021 at 6:33 pm

        Roasting beets is a great idea!

        Reply
    5. Deb McClelland

      March 27, 2021 at 3:08 pm

      I am going to try this tonight! Is this sald supposed to be served cold or warm?

      Reply
    6. Z

      July 28, 2019 at 2:07 pm

      I made this yesterday with 2 boiled beets I had from the other day. I added balsamic vinegar to give more flavor to the salad dressing. Overall, an excellent salad!

      Reply
      • Julia

        September 28, 2019 at 9:56 pm

        So happy to hear that!

        Reply

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    Julia is the author of JuliasAlbum.com (a food blog focused on easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, salads made with seasonal ingredients). In this photo, Julia is pictured wearing a yellow sweater against an Autumn background.

    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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