Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese and Walnut Salad
Ruby roasted beets, creamy goat cheese and toasted walnuts over arugula and spinach, finished with a honey-cider mustard dressing. Four generous side salads with color and crunch.
Sweet roasted red beets, tangy goat cheese and toasted walnuts make a familiar combination on American salad menus. Here the beets are peeled and cubed before roasting, which gives them lightly caramelized edges and avoids peeling hot whole roots. Arugula and spinach keep the salad fresh, while a measured honey-cider dressing balances the earthy beets.
Let the beets cool before arranging them over the leaves. Add the cheese and nuts near serving so the crumbles stay distinct and the walnuts keep their crunch. This original formulation has not been kitchen-tested.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Even-sized beet cubes roast at a similar pace, while space on the tray lets moisture escape. Dry-toasting walnuts develops their flavor without extra oil. Mustard helps the oil and cider vinegar combine. Dressing the greens lightly and layering the cooled beets keeps the leaves from being crushed by vigorous mixing.
Before you start · Equipment
Kitchen scale, vegetable brush, peeler, knife, cutting board, large rimmed sheet pan, parchment, spatula, dry skillet, small bowl, whisk, salad spinner and serving platter.
Everything you’ll need.
Get your ingredients ready, then follow the quantities in the recipe below.
See ingredient amounts
This guide describes the original 4 generous side salads. Use the recipe card for amounts adjusted to your chosen yield.
A familiar American salad combination
Beets, goat cheese and walnuts appear together in multiple American-published recipes. This version uses its own quantities, a cube-roasting method and a honey-cider dressing. It does not claim a measured national popularity ranking.
Start with peeled cubes
Peeling and cutting before roasting makes the preparation visible and gives the edges a chance to caramelize. Keep cube size consistent and spread them across the tray. The stated time is a guide; tenderness decides when they are ready.
Give the beets time to cool
Warm roots can wilt delicate greens. Spread the roasted pieces and their juices in a shallow dish, then assemble once cooled. If making them ahead, refrigerate promptly and keep them separate from the leaves.
Keep the nuts simple
A few minutes in a dry skillet brings out walnut flavor. Stir often and transfer them off the hot pan as soon as they are fragrant. The finished salad gets crunch without a separate sugar coating.
Layer to preserve the contrast
Dress the leaves gently, then place the ruby beets over them. Add the cold cheese near the end so it stays in recognizable crumbles rather than becoming a pink sauce. Some beet staining is natural.
Serve as a generous side
The measured batch makes four substantial side salads. Additions such as chicken or bread would make a different meal and are not included in the ingredient list or nutrition. Assemble close to serving for crisp leaves and nuts.
About the ingredients
- Raw red beets by edible weight
The 700 g measurement is after peeling and trimming. Smaller 2 cm cubes roast more quickly than whole roots. This formula is not based on pickled beets, canned beets, golden beets or ready-cooked vacuum packs.
- Soft goat cheese
Use 100 g pasteurized soft chèvre, crumbled while cold. Its creamy tang differs from salty feta. Milk is an allergen; check the cheese label for additional ingredients and storage instructions.
- Unsalted walnut pieces
Toast 50 g in a dry pan, then cool. These nuts are not candied, and the honey belongs in the dressing only. Walnuts are a tree-nut allergen; there is no hidden almond or pecan garnish.
- Two leafy textures
Use 120 g arugula and 80 g baby spinach after washing and drying. Dry leaves hold dressing better than wet leaves. For packaged ready-to-eat greens, follow the label rather than automatically rewashing them.
- Oil in two measured portions
Use 15 g for roasting and 25 g in the dressing, 40 g total. Retain edible tray juices and use the complete dressing across the four servings so the ingredient estimate stays meaningful.
- A cider-honey balance
Use 25 g plain apple cider vinegar, 12 g honey and 8 g smooth Dijon. The measured salt and pepper are whisked into this dressing. It is not a sweet balsamic reduction, orange dressing or bottled ranch.
How to make Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese and Walnut Salad
Scrub, peel and cube red beets. Roast with a measured portion of olive oil until fork-tender, then cool. Toast walnuts in a dry pan. Whisk cider vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper, then add the remaining oil. Dress dry arugula and spinach, arrange the cooled beets, and finish with goat cheese, walnuts and all remaining dressing.
1. Wash, peel and cube the red beets
2. Roast until tender, then cool
3. Toast the walnuts and whisk the dressing
4. Dry the leaves and dress them lightly
5. Layer the cooled beets, cheese and walnuts
6. Finish with the remaining dressing and serveWatch How To Make It
chefzelish.com
Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese and Walnut Salad
Ruby roasted beets, creamy goat cheese and toasted walnuts over arugula and spinach, finished with a honey-cider mustard dressing. Four generous side salads with color and crunch.
Ingredients
0 / 12 readyIngredient amounts for 4 generous side salads
Salad
Honey-cider mustard dressing
Let’s make it.
- Prepare, roast and dress
Wash, peel and cube the red beets
Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F conventional. Wash hands and scrub the whole beets under running water before peeling; do not use soap on produce. Trim the tops and tails, peel, then weigh 700 g of edible beet flesh. Cut into fairly even 2 cm cubes. Spread on a parchment-lined rimmed sheet pan. Add the measured 15 g roasting oil and turn the pieces until coated. Keep them in one layer with a little space between pieces, using a large enough tray to avoid crowding. The discarded peel and trimmings are not part of the weighed ingredient amount.
- Prepare, roast and dress
Roast until tender, then cool
Roast the beet cubes for 20 minutes, turn with a spatula, then continue for about 15–25 minutes. A fork should enter the center of the largest cube easily; the edges may darken slightly but should not be blackened or dry. Time depends on the roots and cube size. Scrape all the roasted beets and edible tray juices into a clean shallow dish and spread out. Cool for about 20 minutes, until no longer warm enough to wilt the greens. Do not discard the measured roasting oil or beet juices. Keep cooling prompt and refrigerate if assembly is delayed.
- Prepare, roast and dress
Toast the walnuts and whisk the dressing
While the beets roast, put all 50 g walnut pieces in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and slightly golden; remove immediately to a cool plate. No sugar, salt or oil is added to the nuts. In a small bowl whisk 25 g cider vinegar with 12 g honey until dissolved. Whisk in 8 g Dijon mustard, then all 2 g salt and 0.5 g pepper. Slowly whisk in the remaining 25 g olive oil until evenly combined. This is the entire dressing allowance; no lemon juice, balsamic glaze or extra seasoning is used.
- Build and serve the salad
Dry the leaves and dress them lightly
For loose arugula and spinach, rinse under running water and dry thoroughly in a clean salad spinner or with clean towels. Ready-to-eat prewashed greens may be used according to their label without rewashing. Weigh 120 g arugula and 80 g spinach after drying. Put them in a large bowl and gently toss with about one third of the mixed dressing. Spread the leaves over a serving platter or divide between four plates. Keep the remaining dressing in its bowl for the beets and final drizzle.
- Build and serve the salad
Layer the cooled beets, cheese and walnuts
Toss the cooled roasted beets and their retained juices gently with another third of the dressing. Arrange them over the dressed leaves rather than stirring everything vigorously together. Crumble all 100 g chilled pasteurized goat cheese over the beets in small irregular pieces, then scatter all the cooled toasted walnuts. Divide these ingredients evenly if plating four individual salads. Use the listed goat cheese, not feta, and do not add other nuts, fruit, onions or herbs.
- Build and serve the salad
Finish with the remaining dressing and serve
Whisk the final third of the dressing again and drizzle it evenly over the completed salad, scraping the bowl so the full measured dressing is used. Serve promptly as four generous side portions. The salad contains no bread, meat, seeds or additional food garnish. Keep cheese and prepared produce at 4°C/40°F or below until needed. Refrigerate assembled leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C/90°F, and use within 24 hours for leaf texture. For make-ahead preparation, refrigerate roasted beets and dressing separately and use within 3 days; keep nuts dry and add the greens, cheese and nuts just before serving.
Nutrition per serving
1 of 4 generous side salads, including all roasting oil, dressing, cheese and walnuts. Estimates may vary with ingredients and brands.
- Calories
- 335 kcal
- Protein
- 10.8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Fat
- 24.1 g
- Saturated fat
- 5.9 g
- Fiber
- 6.8 g
- Sugar
- 15.4 g
- Sodium
- 492 mg
Checked 10/29/2026. Values are per the serving described above, regardless of recipe yield.
Notes from the kitchen.
Helpful tips
Four generous side salads. Plan 20 minutes preparation, about 45 minutes cooking and 20 minutes cooling. Roast 2 cm beet cubes at 200°C/400°F conventional for about 35–45 minutes, turning after 20; dry-toast walnuts for 3–5 minutes while the roots cook. Use fork tenderness rather than time alone.
Make it your own
Contains milk, walnuts/tree nuts and mustard. Check cheese, mustard and packaged greens for additional warnings. Honey means this is not vegan; no vegetarian-rennet, gluten-free or other certification is claimed. Use red beets, soft goat cheese and unsalted walnuts as listed.
Storage & freezing
Wash raw produce under running water without soap; dry leaves well and follow prewashed-package directions. Keep perishables at 4°C/40°F or below. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C/90°F. Use assembled salad within 24 hours for quality; separately refrigerated roasted beets and dressing within 3 days.
At the table
Four portions include all peeled beet flesh, retained roasting oil/juices, greens, goat cheese, walnuts and dressing. Raw beet composition is used for the 700 g peeled edible input; cooking moisture loss and actual finished portion weight are unmeasured. Generic prepared mustard is a composition proxy for Dijon. No extra garnish, cheese, bread or meat included.
A little something delicious.
Keep this recipe close for the next time the craving strikes.
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