This Arugula And Beet Salad With Goat Cheese is a stunning fall or winter dish! Creamy goat cheese, beets, toasty pecans, sweet cranberries, and arugula fill this salad with a delightful mix of both textures and flavors.
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Loaded with bright colors and a fresh flavor this beet and arugula salad is the perfect dish for your table. Bring it as a side dish to a potluck or serve it as a full meal, this salad can be made into anything.
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Made by roasting the beets, which maximizes their flavor, and pairing it with arugula, crumbled goat cheese, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries for a pop of sweetness. The salad is then drizzled with a crisp balsamic and Dijon dressing.
Easy to make and customize, this arugula and beet salad will be one for your recipe books. If you would like to try another arugula salad, this Arugula Feta Salad is fantastic and I use arugula in this Mediterranean Lentil Salad!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy to make: You only need a handful of ingredients for this beet arugula salad to come together.
- Customizable: Add in some other flavors or swap a few of the ingredients, this salad can be easily customized for your personal preferences.
- Versatile: This recipe works as a light lunch with some added protein or as a fresh and bright side dish to add some color to your dinner table.
Recipe Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this arugula salad:
Ingredient Notes
- I like to use a French goat cheese or Chevre cheese. If you can find it, buy the cheese in a log and use your fingers to crumble the cheese versus buying it already crumbled. Typically, crumbled cheese that you buy in the store may have additives in it to keep it fresh or you may find that it has dried out.
See the recipe card for quantities.
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Additions & Substitutions
Additions:
- Color: If you want to add more color to the salad, opt for a mix of red and golden beets. The flavor is delicious and the salad is beautiful with the added color.
- Crunch: Any blend of nuts will work so use what you have on hand. Walnuts are very simple; almonds give a great crunch and pistachios make the salad taste indulgent. I use pistachios in my Cold Asparagus Salad With Lemon And Herbs. It takes the crunch factor to another level!
Substitutions
- Balsamic vinegar: Use a flavored balsamic, like one with a citrus base to easily change the taste of the salad.
- Cheese: Goat cheese and beets pair perfectly; however, feta cheese or even cubed mozzarella is also delicious.
How To Make Arugula And Beet Salad With Goat Cheese: Step-By-Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with the exact ingredients are in the printable recipe card:
Step 1: Wrap each beet in aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 425 degrees until easy to pierce. About one hour.
Let them cool fully before peeling the skins and slicing them into wedges.
Step 2: In a dry skillet, toast the pecans over medium heat until they’re golden brown. Let cool.
Step 3: Toss all the salad ingredients lightly in a large bowl.
Step 4: In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk until combined.
Drizzle over the salad when ready to serve.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t drizzle on the salad dressing until you’re ready to serve the salad. This helps to prevent the greens from getting soggy.
- The salad is best eaten fresh. You can store it in the fridge without the dressing for up to 2 days but know that the pecans will be softer, and the arugula will wilt a bit from the beets.
- If you need to prepare this salad in advance, roast the beets the day before and store them peeled in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also whisk the dressing a few days ahead.
Confidence Tip
Make sure your beets are at room temperature before you begin to peel them. Wearing a pair of gloves will keep you from staining your hands.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
You can do a mix of red or golden beets. However, when you’re picking them up from the store, make sure that they’re firm to the touch. Soft beets are not fresh beets. Know that smaller beets tend to be sweeter than larger ones which can change the taste of your salad a bit too.
Beet salad is a great side dish for any dinner. pair it with a protein like grilled salmon or our Greek-Inspired Lamb Burger for a complete meal or use it as one of many side dishes like Roasted Smashed Fingerling Potatoes or risotto as part of a larger dinner.
Other Delicious Salads
Did you try this recipe? I would love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section and leave a ⭐️ rating and review. Share it on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
xoxoxo
Gwen
Arugula And Beet Salad With Goat Cheese
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Ingredients
Salad
- 3 medium beets
- 3 cups baby arugula
- ½ cup goat cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup pecans toasted
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
Salad Dressing
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsps balsamic vinegar
- 1 ½ tsps Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Salad
- Preheat the oven to 425℉.
- Line the bottom of a baking sheet with foil.
- Cut off the ends of the beets. Individually wrap each beet tightly in aluminum foil and arrange on the baking sheet.
- Bake for one hour or until the largest beet is easily pierced.
- Unwrap the beets and let them cool to room temperature.
- Peel the skin and then slice each beet into half and then wedges.
- Toast the pecans in a dry skillet at medium heat, tossing them frequently until golden brown. Remove and cool.
- Place the arugula into a large bowl. Add the remaining salad ingredients and toss lightly.
Salad Dressing
- In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the salad dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Drizzle over the salad when ready to serve.
Gwen Wolken
You are going to love this recipe!
James Farley
I'm already drooling. Thank you for sharing this.