Roasted beet salad is one of those dishes that looks more complicated than it actually is. The beets do most of the work themselves. Wrap them in foil, roast them, peel them, slice them. The rest is just assembling a few good ingredients onto a plate: bright orange segments, creamy goat cheese, peppery arugula, and a wild orange olive oil vinaigrette that pulls everything together.
This is winter at its best. Beets are at their peak from October through March, oranges and grapefruits are in season, and the colors on the plate look like they belong in a magazine. Total time is about an hour, but most of it is hands-off roasting time.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs mixed beets (red and golden), tops trimmed
- 2 tablespoons Kofinas Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 5 oz baby arugula or mixed winter greens
- 2 navel oranges, segmented
- 1 ruby grapefruit, segmented (optional)
- 4 oz soft goat cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup walnuts, toasted
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint or chives, chopped
- ¼ cup Kofinas Wild Orange Infused Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Champagne White Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- Zest of 1 orange
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Serves 4 as a starter, 2 as a main.
How to Make It
- Roast the beets. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place each beet on a piece of foil. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and wrap tightly. Roast for 45-60 minutes (depending on size) until a knife slides in easily.
- Cool and peel. Let the beets cool until you can handle them. The skins should slip off easily. Use paper towels to rub them off (this also keeps your hands from staining red).
- Slice the beets. Cut into ¼-inch rounds or wedges. Keep the red and golden beets separate if you want to prevent the red from staining the gold.
- Toast the walnuts. While the beets are roasting, toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Watch closely. They burn fast.
- Segment the citrus. Slice off the top and bottom of each orange and grapefruit. Stand them on the cut end and slice down the sides to remove the peel and pith. Hold the fruit over a bowl and cut along each membrane to release the segments. Squeeze the membrane to extract any remaining juice.
- Make the vinaigrette. Whisk the wild orange olive oil, champagne balsamic, Dijon, honey, shallot, orange zest, salt, and pepper in a small jar. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved citrus juice from segmenting.
- Assemble. Spread the arugula on a platter. Arrange the beets and citrus segments on top. Scatter the goat cheese, walnuts, pomegranate seeds, and mint over everything.
- Drizzle with the vinaigrette just before serving. Add an extra grind of black pepper and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Tips for the Best Roasted Beet Salad
Wrap the beets in foil. Roasting beets unwrapped dries them out. Foil traps the steam and keeps them moist and tender. They essentially steam-roast.
Use golden and red beets together. Golden beets are sweeter and milder, red beets are more earthy. Together they make the salad look beautiful and taste more complex. Roast and slice them separately to keep colors distinct.
Segment the citrus properly. Removing the bitter white pith and the membranes (the technique called “supreming”) makes a huge difference in texture and flavor. It's a 5-minute skill that elevates every citrus salad you'll make.
Toast the walnuts. Three minutes in a dry skillet turns walnuts from bland to deeply nutty. This step is non-negotiable. Raw walnuts in a salad are a missed opportunity.
Dress at the table. Beets stain everything they touch. Plating the salad undressed and adding vinaigrette tableside keeps it looking sharp.
Use wild orange olive oil. The citrus character in the oil amplifies the orange segments. A plain olive oil works, but the depth is noticeably less.
A Winter Salad Worth the Hour
This is the kind of salad that earns a spot on a holiday table. The colors are striking, the flavors are layered, and the technique is forgiving. Even if your beets aren't perfectly even or your citrus segments aren't pristine, the salad will still be beautiful. Our Wild Orange Infused Olive Oil is what makes the vinaigrette special. Its citrus character amplifies the orange in the salad. Pair with our Champagne White Balsamic Vinegar for the perfect light, bright acidity. Browse our complete Infused Olive Oils collection for more flavor combinations. For everyday cooking and the perfect finishing drizzle, our Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Crete is the foundation. Browse our complete Balsamic Vinegars collection for more pairings worth experimenting with.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do you roast beets?
At 400°F, small beets take about 45 minutes, medium beets take 60 minutes, and large beets can take up to 90 minutes. They're done when a knife or skewer slides in easily with no resistance. Wrap them in foil first to keep them moist.
Can you eat beet skins?
Yes, but they're tough and slightly bitter. After roasting, the skins slip off easily. That's the easiest way to peel beets. Save the trimmings for stock or compost.
How do you keep beets from staining everything?
Wear gloves or rub a little olive oil on your hands before handling them. Use a paper towel to rub the skins off rather than peeling with a knife. Wipe up any drips immediately. Beet juice sets into cutting boards if you let it sit.
What goes well with beet salad?
Goat cheese is the classic. Its tang cuts through the earthy sweetness of the beets. Other great pairings include feta, blue cheese, walnuts, pistachios, citrus, fresh herbs (mint, dill, parsley), and arugula or other peppery greens.
Can I make this salad ahead of time?
Roast and slice the beets up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Toast the walnuts and segment the citrus the day before. Assemble and dress just before serving. The greens wilt fast once dressed.
What's the best vinaigrette for beet salad?
A citrus-forward vinaigrette is ideal. Wild orange or lemon zest olive oil paired with a white balsamic. The acidity cuts through the sweetness of the beets, and the citrus echoes the orange segments in the salad.
