Arugula And Beet Salad With Goat Cheese And Pecans
Sweet roasted beets, peppery arugula, and toasted pecans come together with soft goat cheese and dried cranberries, all finished with a tangy balsamic dressing. It's the kind of salad that looks like it took real effort but comes together in about 15 minutes once the beets are done. Roast the beets and toast the pecans a day ahead to make serving day even easier.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 276kcal
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 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons 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.
Notes
Let the beets cool to room temperature before peeling and cutting. Wear kitchen gloves if you don't want stained hands. It happens fast.
Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat and pull them the second they smell nutty. They go from perfect to burnt in under a minute.
Go lighter on the dressing than you think you need. The roasted beets already carry a lot of flavor, and over-dressing mutes them instead of bringing them forward. You can always add a bit more.
Add the goat cheese last and toss gently. Over-tossing breaks the cheese down and it weighs down the arugula instead of staying in distinct creamy pieces.
You can roast the beets, toast the pecans, and whisk the dressing up to a day ahead. Store each separately in the fridge and assemble right before serving.
Short on time? Vacuum-packed cooked beets, like Love Beets, work well here and skip the hour of roasting. Just avoid anything marinated or packed in vinegar since that flavor will compete with the balsamic dressing.
Once dressed, this salad is best eaten the same day. It holds undressed in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, though the arugula will soften a bit as it sits.
No pecans on hand? Walnuts, almonds, or pistachios all work in their place. Any nut you toast will bring the same crunch and depth.
For a dinner-party presentation, skip tossing altogether. Arrange the arugula on a platter, scatter the beets, pecans, and goat cheese on top, and drizzle the dressing over rather than mixing it in.
Nutrition
Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 308mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 674IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg
