Salad with Beets and Feta

At a glance

What stands out: This beautiful salad with beets and feta is topped with crunchy almonds and a tangy Dijon vinaigrette. Most of it can be prepped ahead so the salad is straightforward to throw together.

How long it takes: 5 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: small jar or bowl, whisk
Servings: 1 (but it’s straightforward to mix as many as you like)

Rich Beet Salad

Our first taste of this salad was at our mom’s house. The almonds she used? Our olive oil roasted almonds. The beets she used? She used our method of roasting beets. The dressing was a twist on the dressing we used on our asparagus ribbon salad.

Now, we're certainly not taking credit for this salad! It’s the ultimate compliment that our mom makes our recipes and we are definitely giving her credit for this rich salad. We love the combination of the earthy greens and beets with the salty feta and crunchy almonds. It’s dreamy.

Salad With Beets and Feta

This salad may seem complicated at first glance but the beauty of it is that most of it is made in advance.

Cook the beets ahead of time. We've been trying to do more meal prep on the weekends, and one of the things we've been doing is cooking beets. They take quite a long time to cook, no matter which method you choose, but they’re hands-off. They peel easily once they are cooked. Cool the beets until you can handle them and then rub the skins right off. Give them a speedy rinse if necessary to remove any shreds of skin. Store them in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Roast the almonds ahead. The almonds roast quickly and will keep for weeks in the fridge.

Make the vinaigrette. We've also been known to keep a jar of from-scratch salad dressing, like this white wine vinaigrette, in the refrigerator but even if you don’t do that, this salad is crazy straightforward to throw together.

Michele Said:

“This was memorable! So straightforward to mix but tasted like a fancy restaurant salad. Will make again and again and again!”

See More Reader Reviews

What goes in

• Beets: Figure on one roasted beet per serving. Beets vary widely in size so use your own judgment. Golden beets are good on this salad, too.
• Mixed Greens: Pretty much anything goes when it comes to greens. Use your favorite. We like spring greens but baby spinach is good, too.
• Roasted Almonds: Again, use whatever kind of nuts or seeds you prefer or happen to have in the house. We love the almonds as a snack so we almost always have them in the house. Toasted pecans or toasted walnuts are reliable, too.
• Feta Cheese: Use full fat for best flavor. Looking for alternatives? Try goat cheese, blue cheese, or gorgonzola.
• Vinaigrette Dressing: The dressing is a simple recipe with olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, salt and pepper.

Straightforward Recipe Variations

• Use canned beets. If you want to speed things up, use canned beets (regular, not pickled). Vacuum-packed beets are also available. You can also grate raw beets and add them to the salad but we prefer to roast them first because they are sweeter and more flavorful.
• Try air fryer roasted beets. Lately, we've been making air fryer beets. Cube the beets (you don’t even have to peel them), toss them in a bit of oil, salt, and pepper, and air fry them. They take about 25 minutes, depending on how large you cubed them. They are chewy and totally rich, and add a different vibe to this salad.
• Try a different root vegetable. If beets really aren’t your thing, try substituting roasted radishes, roasted turnips, roasted sweet potatoes, or roasted carrots. Different, but still rich.

Make-Ahead Ideas

Roast the beets. Once they’re roasted and peeled, refrigerate the beets in a tightly covered container for five to seven days. They can be frozen for up to a year. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.

Roast the almonds. Keep a jar of roasted almonds in your fridge. They’re good for at least a month, and roasted almonds are great on salads or as a speedy snack.

Make the vinaigrette. This versatile vinaigrette practically lives in our refrigerator. It’s one of our favorite salad dressings! The vinaigrette can be made a couple of days in advance. If the olive oil congeals, let the dressing sit on the counter for ten minutes or so to warm up. Shake well before using.

Increase the recipe

To make enough vinaigrette for 4 servings, we've done the math for you. Here’s what you’ll need: 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar, 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1½ teaspoons honey, salt and pepper to taste.

• Yield: 1
• Prep: 5 minutes
• Total: 5 minutes

Ingredients

Salad:

• 1 cup spring mix greens (any type of greens can be used)
• 1 tablespoon roasted almonds (other nuts can be used)
• ⅛ cup crumbled feta (goat cheese, gorgonzola, or blue cheese are good choices, too)
• 1 small roasted beet

Dressing:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Pile the greens on a plate or in a shallow salad bowl. Top with chopped almonds, crumbled feta, and sliced beets.
2. In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients together. If you prefer, use a small jar with a tight fitting lid, and shake the dressing until emulsified.
3. Pour dressing ingredients over salad and serve immediately.

Notes

Make ahead: Roast the beets and almonds in advance. Dressing can be made up to a week in advance. Shake well before using.

Dressing shortcut: If desired, substitute a bottled vinaigrette of your choice.

Dressing for 4 salads: 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar, 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 ½ teaspoons honey, salt and pepper to taste.

Beets: Air fryer beets, purchased vacuum-packed beets, or canned beets (not pickled) can be substituted for roasted beets. If you’re not a fan of beets, try roasted radishes, roasted turnips, roasted sweet potatoes, or roasted carrots.