Arugula Beet Salad
It’s officially a new year, and most of us have a “new me” mindset! I’m sure after the last year and the holidays, many of us are looking to create healthier habits – and a great place to start is in the kitchen! I love salads like, 24/7 and especially when they’re unique and intriguing! This Arugula Beet Salad had so much flavor and texture going on! It was sweet, savory, that little vinegar punch in there, some tangy, creamy goat cheese – those sweet bursts of orange!? I mean – it was delicious! So complex and different than just any old salad! The toasted walnuts added a nice little crunch and brought everything together! This was so yummy!
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So, why beet in this salad? How do these flavors go together?
First of all, beets are SO underrated! They are fantastic for you and not celebrated enough, I feel like! Beets can be earthy, which is why they go perfectly with a bitter green like arugula! Then you’ve got the sweet savory combo going on with those toasted walnuts and citrusy oranges! That red wine vinaigrette brings a tangy and acidic balance which complements the rich goat cheese! And finally, the chive and dill garnish adds the perfect punch to finish things off on your palate. This was SO flavorful and perfectly balanced! It’s also a vegetarian friendly salad but is still packed with protein and plenty of brain fuel!
Did you know?
Beets are so good for your heart! They contain dietary nitrates which convert to nitric oxide in your body – the compound responsible for regulating circulation and relaxing blood vessels! They can also be used as a natural dye, which is SO great with the dye craze going on right now! Beets are extremely rich in color and have been used for hundreds of years to color Easter eggs, fabric, even wine!
Arugula is another force to be reckoned with because it’s a complete nutritional powerhouse! Those white little arugula flowers are also incredible for the bees too!
What ingredients do I need to make this Arugula Beet Salad?
For the roasted beets:
Beets
Olive Oil
Salt
Black Pepper
For the red wine vinaigrette:
Red Wine Vinegar
Dijon
Olive Oil
Honey
Salt
Black Pepper
For the Arugula Beet Salad:
Arugula
Orange
Goat Cheese
Dill
Chives
Walnuts
Black Pepper
What equipment do I need?
- Cutting Board
- Chef Knife
- Small Skillet
- Baking Sheet
- Whisk
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Spatula
How do I make it?
To get started on this salad, the first thing you’ll want to do is get the beets roasting! These need to roast for about an hour, so you’ll have plenty of time to prep everything else while they’re in the oven! I roasted two beets but actually only needed one! I feel like nobody is upset about an extra roasted beet though! There’s a ton you can do with it, so for me it was sort of like a happy accident! You can of course just roast one though!
To roast the beets:
Preheat oven to 400F and chop leafy green off of the beet. Next, wrap loosely in tinfoil and drizzle some olive oil inside the little beet pack. Use your hands to rub the oil all over the beet, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast those bad boys for a while! Next, let’s work on making our dressing!
To make the red wine vinaigrette:
Add all vinaigrette ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
Once emulsified, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Yep, it’s that easy! Now let’s get started on prepping the other ingredients for the salad!
To make the arugula beet salad:
First, let’s chop up our walnuts and toast those in a small skillet for a few minutes on medium heat. You’ll want to stir the nuts occasionally, so they don’t burn. Once they smell nutty and toasty, remove from heat and set aside until ready to use.
Mince the chives and dill, then zest and peel the oranges. Chop the orange slices into bite sized pieces, crumble the goat cheese, and set everything aside until ready to use. You can and should refrigerate these ingredients, depending how much time is left on the beets!
Once the beets are done roasting and are fork tender, move them onto a cutting board and allow them to cool slightly before attempting to peel. Use your hands to carefully rub the skin off the beets.
Pro Tip: If you’re having a tough time, you can run them under cool water while rubbing the skin off. This also helps to get some of those extra little stuck on bits off.
Once the skin is removed, slice the beet into half-moons or quarter it if you’d like even smaller pieces!
Now we’re ready to assemble the salad!
Add the arugula, roasted beet, toasted walnuts, orange, goat cheese, dill, and chive to a large bowl or serving tray. Top with orange zest, red wine vinaigrette, black pepper, and toss the salad! Serve immediately and enjoy!
Tips:
- If you’re struggling to get the skin off of the beet, it’s likely that it is not roasted fully yet. They should be fork tender and you should rub the skin off before the beet has cooled completely! This will make this process way easier!
- Beets will also stain! So don’t use your favorite acacia cutting board! You will be sad…
- If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, feta is a lovely alternative!
- You can also use a mix of 50/50 arugula and baby spinach, or whatever microgreen/spring mix you like best!
- You could also substitute the walnut for slivered almond or chopped pistachio! Whatever you’ve got on hand!
Looking for some more delicious salad recipes? Try these!
Want some more healthy recipes? Check these out!
- Salmon and Broccoli Foil Pack
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Avocado Chicken Salad
- Mushroom Spinach Egg Cups
Arugula Beet Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
For the roasted beet:
- 1 Medium Beet leafy green chopped off
- ½ tsp Olive Oil
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
For the red wine vinaigrette:
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 ½ tsp Honey
- ½ tsp Dijon
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
For the arugula beet salad:
- 1 ½ Oranges + zest from one of them peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 5 oz Arugula
- 2 oz Goat Cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup Walnuts chopped
- 4 Chives thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp Dill minced
- Black Pepper freshly ground, for finishing
Instructions
To roast the beets:
- Preheat oven to 400℉.
- Next, beet wrap loosely in tinfoil and drizzle the olive oil inside the little beet pack. Use your hands to rub the oil all over the beet, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast for an hour, until fork tender.
To make the red wine vinaigrette:
- Add all vinaigrette ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Once emulsified, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
To make the arugula beet salad:
- In a small skillet on medium heat, toast the walnuts for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally so they don't burn.
- Once walnuts are toasted and smell nutty, remove from heat and set aside until ready to use.
- Once the beets are done roasting and are fork tender, move them onto a cutting board and allow them to cool slightly before attempting to peel.
- Use your hands to carefully rub the skin off the beets. If you're having a tough time, you can run them under cool water while rubbing the skin off. This also helps to get some of those extra little stuck on bits off.
- Once the skin is removed, slice the beet into half-moons or quarter it if you'd like even smaller pieces!
Now we're ready to assemble the salad!
- Add the arugula, roasted beet, goat cheese, toasted walnuts, orange, dill, and chive to a large bowl or serving tray.
- Top with orange zest, red wine vinaigrette, a touch of black pepper, and toss the salad! Serve immediately and enjoy!
Nutrition
Please be aware that nutritional values are approximate and intended as a helpful guide
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