Beet Salad with Feta
You will love this vibrant and colorful tender beet salad with creamy feta crumbles. This is such an easy salad to make for a gathering as a side dish or appetizer. The gorgeous pink beets are elevated with refreshing mint, peppery arugula, and salted crunchy pistachios.
What you’ll love about this:
▶︎If you have extra beets or are a beet lover, try out my delicious Beet pasta with feta, Beet kale smoothie, or a Warm harvest bowl with beets!
You will also love…
- My Quinoa Salad has a bright lemony dressing, fresh veggies, and hearty chickpeas!
- Who doesn’t love a gorgeous side salad? This Spring Mix Salad is another perfect pairing with meals!
- For a high protein side dish, try out my Red Lentil Pasta Salad with a flavorful Lemon Tahini Dressing.
Ingredients
Ingredient notes:
- Beets: You need three medium red beets for this recipe (you could also use two large beets). I use pre-cooked beets that I cooked in advance, or you can even use canned. This beet salad recipe is a great way to use up extra beets if you have a lot leftover in your garden. You can also use your leftover beets for this beetroot sauce!
- Fresh herbs: You can use fresh mint, dill, or even parsley in this recipe. I personally love the taste of fresh mint paired with beets and feta. This will give your salad great flavor!
- Feta crumbles: If you are vegan, use a dairy-free option such as the ones from Violife or Follow Your Heart (available at most grocery stores now).
- For the homemade dressing: Use a high quality olive oil with balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and salt and black pepper to taste.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use another cheese such as goat cheese (I have found vegan options for this too!)
- Try out any fresh herbs in this recipe you like, or a combo!
- Top with other nuts such as roasted walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and more.
- Add in other veggies such as thinly sliced red onion, fresh spinach, or other root vegetables like carrots (the orange looks great with the pink beets)
How to Cook Beets for Salad
There are several ways to cook beets for salad. You can either roast them or boil them.
Start by washing them thoroughly and trimming off any greens and roots.
Roasting Beets
Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil and roast them in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 45-60 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Smaller beets may be cooked in just 30 minutes. Once cooked, allow the beets to cool, then peel off the skins and slice or chop them to add to your salad.
Boiling Beets
Place the whole beets in a pot and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the beets for about 30-45 minutes, or until they are fork–tender. Smaller beets may be done in just 20 minutes.
Once cooked, drain the beets and allow them to cool before peeling off the skins and slicing or chopping them for your salad. Tip: I like to run the beets under cool water while peeling – it makes it so much easier!
📝How to Make Beet Salad with Feta Cheese
Step 1: If your beets aren’t cooked yet, read above for how to cook beets for salad!
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper until well combined.
Step 3: In a large bowl, add you diced beets with your dressing and fresh mint. Gently toss until combined.
Step 4: Serve this beetroot salad on a serving platter or individual plates over mixed greens (I love arugula!) Sprinkle with your feta crumbles and pistachio pieces (optional). Garnish with more herbs for more color. This is great as a side dish or appetizer!
What To Serve with Beet Salad
I love to serve this delicious salad as a side dish amongst other refreshing spring or summer recipes such as my lemony Quinoa Salad or refreshing Chickpea Salad. This pairs great with a pasta dish like my Creamy Garlic Pasta or Sun-dried Tomato Pasta.
You could serve this at a BBQ paired with veggie burgers like my flavorful grilled Southwestern Black Bean Burger!
❓Recipe FAQs
You can do small or large cubes. I prefer smaller, bite-sized cubes (~1 inch) but you could also do bigger pieces or even slices for an elegant dish.
Generally, this salad will stay good for about 2 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Avoid adding in the herbs or arugula until closer to serving to avoid wilting.
Yes, you can use canned beets for this recipe to save time, however they usually only come in slices so your dish will look a little different than the photos here.
Pro Tips ✔️
- If you want a really vibrant, gorgeous beet salad, try using different colored beets such as golden beets mixed with red beets!
- To enhance the flavor of this beet salad with feta, let the beets marinate with the dressing in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- For a burst of bright flavor, add a fresh squeeze of lemon juice or orange juice at the end! It pairs perfectly with the beets!
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Beet Salad with Feta
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Ingredients
- 3 medium-sized beets cooked, peeled, and diced
- 1/3-1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (choose a df version if vegan)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or to taste
- 1/4 tsp salt add more to taste
- freshly ground pepper add to taste
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped mint or dill (add extra for garnish)
- chopped salted pistachios optional, for topping
- Mixed greens (like arugula) optional, for serving
Instructions
- BEETS: If your beets aren’t cooked yet, you can roast or boil them until tender. Once cooked, let them cool slightly, then peel and slice them into thin rounds or cubes.3 medium-sized beets
- DRESSING: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper until well combined.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1/4 tsp salt, freshly ground pepper
- ASSEMBLE: In a medium-sized bowl, add you diced beets with your dressing and fresh mint. Gently toss until combined.1/4 cup freshly chopped mint or dill
- SERVE: Serve on a platter or individual plates over mixed greens (optional). Sprinkle with your feta crumbles and pistachio pieces (optional). Garnish with more herbs for more color. This is great as a side dish or appetizer!1/3-1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, Mixed greens (like arugula), chopped salted pistachios
This recipe is amazing!! It’s so vibrant and fresh! Great for a light-feeling, healthy dinner that fills you up!
Thank you Hanna!!
I love how this beet salad turned out! The mint gave it such a fresh flavor. Definitely make this again with potluck season coming up!
Thanks so much Amanda! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂