Roasted Beet Walnut Salad (Printable)

Sweet roasted beets paired with candied walnuts, tangy vinaigrette, arugula, and creamy goat cheese.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
02 - 5 oz arugula

→ Nuts

03 - 1 cup walnut halves
04 - 3 tbsp granulated sugar
05 - Pinch of sea salt

→ Cheese

06 - 4 oz fresh goat cheese, crumbled

→ Vinaigrette

07 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - 1 tsp honey
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap each beet in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 35–40 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork. Allow to cool slightly, then peel and slice into wedges.
02 - Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toast walnuts in a skillet over medium heat for approximately 2 minutes until fragrant. Sprinkle sugar and sea salt over walnuts, stirring continuously until sugar melts and coats nuts in 3–4 minutes. Transfer nuts to prepared baking sheet and separate with a fork to cool.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Arrange arugula on a serving platter. Top evenly with roasted beet wedges, candied walnuts, and crumbled goat cheese.
05 - Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad just before serving to maintain freshness and texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between warm roasted beets and cool peppery arugula feels indulgent but takes less than an hour.
  • Candied walnuts are a game-changer—they're sweet, salty, and crunchy all at once, and people always ask what you did differently.
  • Goat cheese gives you that creamy element without making it heavy, and the tangy vinaigrette ties everything together in the most satisfying way.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the walnuts completely before adding them to the salad—warm walnuts will wilt the arugula and turn everything mushy.
  • The timing matters: if you drizzle the vinaigrette more than a few minutes before eating, the salad will start to wilt and lose its textural contrast, which is half the point.
  • Beet skin peels away most easily under cold running water right after roasting, but don't wait too long or it hardens back down and becomes stubborn.
03 -
  • Roast your beets a day ahead if you're planning dinner—they actually taste even better the next day, and it takes pressure off your cooking timeline.
  • Keep the candied walnuts in an airtight container and they'll stay crispy for three days, making it easy to assemble the salad whenever you want.
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