Remember my insane beet purchase? I have finally cooked through ALL of the beets I bought! My last beet-filled meal was this Beet Kale and Goat Cheese Salad with Candied Walnuts, and boy, did I end my beet week on a high note. I had made a larger version (this recipe multiplied by 3) for my godson’s baptism and got rave reviews so I wanted to share it here as well, and luckily it finished off my remaining beet supply!
Roasting the beets takes a bit of time, but past that, this comes together really quickly. You can certainly buy pre-cooked beets to make this a quick recipe, I won’t tell.
Ingredients:
Salad (serves 4):
- 4 medium-sized beets, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup walnut halves and pieces
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- salt, to taste
- 4 cups baby kale
- 1/2 cup microgreens
- 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled (omit to make dairy-free/vegan)
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, pressed (paid link) or grated
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Begin by roasting your beets. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
Peel and cut your beets. You may want to wear rubber gloves while doing this so that you don’t stain your hands. Similarly, using a dark colored cutting board is preferable.
Add the beets to a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Spread the beets out in a single layer on the baking sheet.
Add to your preheated oven and cook for 40 to 45 minutes, or until they are fork tender.
While the beets cook, add your walnuts to a dry sauté pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until they are fragrant.
Drizzle in the maple syrup and stir constantly for about 30 seconds to fully coat the walnuts in the syrup. Sprinkle with a bit of salt.
Remove the walnuts and add them to a piece of parchment paper, separating them from each other as much as possible. Let cool.
To make the dressing, add all ingredients to a small jar.
Screw on the lid and shake the jar until the contents are fully combined.
When the beets have finished cooking, remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
Once the beets are cooled, add your kale to a large salad bowl, followed by the micro greens.
Top with the cooled beets.
Follow with the crumbled goat cheese.
Finally, add the candied walnuts.
Serve the salad with the dressing. I like to keep it on the side and let each person drizzle as much or as little dressing as they want on their portion.
This salad has it all: freshness from the kale and microgreens, creaminess from the goat cheese, a bit of crunch and sweetness from the candied walnuts, and a nice earthiness from the beets.
This salad was gobbled up in no time; this might become my go-to salad for company, or to bring to other events!
Ingredients
- 4 medium-sized beets, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup walnut halves and pieces
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- salt, to taste
- 4 cups baby kale
- 1/2 cup microgreens
- 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled (omit to make dairy-free/vegan)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, pressed (paid link) or grated
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Begin by roasting your beets. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- Peel and cut your beets. You may want to wear rubber gloves while doing this so that you don’t stain your hands. Similarly, using a dark colored cutting board is preferable.
- Add the beets to a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Spread the beets out in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Add to your preheated oven and cook for 40 to 45 minutes, or until they are fork tender.
- While the beets cook, add your walnuts to a dry sauté pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until they are fragrant.
- Drizzle in the maple syrup and stir constantly for about 30 seconds to fully coat the walnuts in the syrup. Sprinkle with a bit of salt.
- Remove the walnuts and add them to a piece of parchment paper, separating them from each other as much as possible. Let cool.
- To make the dressing, add all ingredients to a small jar.
- Screw on the lid and shake the jar until the contents are fully combined.
- When the beets have finished cooking, remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Once the beets are cooled, add your kale to a large salad bowl, followed by the micro greens.
- Top with the cooled beets.
- Follow with the crumbled goat cheese.
- Finally, add the candied walnuts.
- Serve the salad with the dressing. I like to keep it on the side and let each person drizzle as much or as little dressing as they want on their portion.
