This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.
This beetroot and feta salad recipe is slightly sweet, salty and totally satisfying! Roasting the beetroot brings out the sweet, earthy flavor of the beets and, make them crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. When paired with the walnuts and feta cheese, this healthy beet feta salad becomes the perfect side dish or light main dish for any occasion!
Beetroot feta walnut salad is one of my favorite hearty salads - it looks super fancy, has the perfect balance of flavors, and is actually really easy to make!
Fresh beets, salty feta cheese, mixed greens, crunchy nuts, and pumpkin seeds make this beet salad with feta cheese and walnuts light and refreshing.
I love adding roasted beets to salads because they have a rich flavor and provide an extra layer of color and texture. And once you pair roasted beets with feta, you get the perfect mix of sweet, tangy, and salty.
This easy recipe can be meal prepped too. Just roast the beets ahead of time, or buy pre-roasted beets, and then you can assemble the salad in minutes!
I promise, this will quickly become one of your favorite salad recipes. It's healthy, simple, and so delicious!
And if you're looking for more beet recipes, try my beet brownies or this beetroot latte!
👩🏽🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- Super easy beetroot and feta salad recipe
- Naturally gluten free
- Hearty and satisfying
- Can be made vegan or vegetarian
- Simple and fresh ingredients
- Healthy and nutritious
- Can be a main dish or a side dish
Latest Recipe Video!
🥘 Ingredients
This beet salad with feta recipe requires simple ingredients found at any grocery store! Get the full recipe and step-by-step instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Red Baby Beetroot: Red beets have a very sweet and earthy flavor and a nice soft texture when they are cooked. This healthy ingredient melds well with the other ingredients in this roasted beetroot salad with feta recipe. If you can't find red beets, yellow beets or golden beets are fine too!
- Olive Oil, Salt & Black Pepper: Olive oil is used to coat the beetroot and help them roast more quickly so they end up soft on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside. Don't forget the salt & pepper in this healthy beet and feta salad recipe! They are essential to adding deep flavor - adjust both to taste. For more heat, add some red chili flakes.
- Red Onion: Roasted red onions are sweet and mild when they're cooked, instead of the tangy strong flavor they have when they're raw.
- Mixed Greens: You can use whatever salad greens you like for this easy beet salad recipe with feta. I used mixed greens, but you can use baby spinach, arugula, or whatever you like!
- Walnuts & Pumpkin Seeds: Pumpkin seeds and walnuts are both a little fruity and nutty. They add an earthy flavor and crunch to this feta beetroot walnut salad. You can also try pistachios or even pine nuts.
- Regular Feta OR Vegan feta cheese: I used vegan creamy feta to keep this feta cheese beetroot salad recipe totally plant based, but you can absolutely use regular feta cheese instead!
- Dressing Ingredients: Making homemade salad dressing is so easy! We made ours using extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, dried Italian seasoning, dried thyme, salt and pepper. This simple dressing paired perfectly with our roasted beet and feta salad with walnuts.
🔪 Instructions
Preheat Oven, Prep Beetroots: Preheat the oven to 390 degrees F / 200 C. Wash and trim the ends of the baby beetroots. Cut into wedges and add to a large bowl.
Season Beetroots, Add To Baking Dish: Add the olive oil, salt and pepper to the mixing bowl. Toss the beetroot wedges until completely coated. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet or baking tray, and roast beets in the oven for 15 minutes.
Add Onion: Remove from the oven and sprinkle the sliced onion over the beets, return to the oven and roast for another 15-20 minutes or until the beets are cooked through.
Prep Dressing: Meanwhile prepare the dressing by adding all of the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
Cool Cooked Beets: When the beetroot wedges are tender, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before assembling your feta walnut beetroot salad.
Add Salad To Serving Dish: Arrange the mixed salad leaves on a large serving platter, top with roasted beets and onion, toasted walnuts and pumpkin seeds and crumble the tangy feta cheese over top.
Garnish & Serve: Finish this walnut feta beetroot salad with a drizzle of dressing just before serving.
💭 Expert Tips
- Choose the right beets. For best results, look for firm, round beets with smooth skin. The smaller ones will be sweeter.
- Make sure your beets are spread out on the pan so they are cooked evenly. Use two baking sheets if you need to.
- Scrub the beets with a vegetable brush to clean them well. They don't need to be peeled when they're being roasted, but you can peel them if you prefer.
- To save time, buy pre-roasted beets. If you don't want to roast your own beets, or you don't have time to do so, Trader Joe's has pre-roasted beets, and Love Beets also make roasted beets that are ready to go!
- Beets will stain! They will stain your hands, countertops, and pretty much anything they come into contact with. To protect my countertops, I lay a kitchen towel or a regular towel down under my cutting board when I'm handling beets. If you don't want to get a temporary stain on your hands, use kitchen gloves.
📖 Variations
- Change The Dressing: Try making this beetroot and feta salad with balsamic vinegar instead of the oil based dressing. You can make your own or use astore-bought balsamic dressing. Honey mustard, a pomegranate molasses based dressing, or vegan Italian dressing would also work well with this delicious salad.
- Switch Up The Cheese: Beets have a mild flavor, so they pair well with strong cheeses. I love feta, but you can also try gorgonzola, blue cheese, burrata, brie, or even goat cheese!
- Change The Greens: I love making a rocket and beetroot salad or a spinach beet feta salad - both arugula (or rocket) and spinach are great subs for other salad greens. You can also try kale, romaine lettuce, or even beet greens!
- Quinoa Beetroot Feta Salad: Add a little more heartiness to this beautiful salad by adding quinoa. Simply cook quinoa according to the package instructions and add a scoop or two when assembling.
- Lentil Beetroot Feta Salad: Lentils will add even more protein and bulk to this roasted beet feta salad recipe. Cook the lentils and add to the salad when serving. Adding lentils really turns this into more of a main than a side dish!
❓Recipe FAQs
WHAT PAIRS WELL WITH BEETS?
Beets have a sweet, earthy flavor and can be paired with a variety of ingredients to create delicious and well-balanced dishes.
Here are a few ingredients that pair well with beets:
** Herbs: Fresh herbs and dried herbs like fresh dill, dried thyme, fresh basil, fresh parsley, fresh mint, and dried oregano go well with the earthiness of the beets.
** Cheeses: Beets with feta, or any creamy cheese (goat cheese, gorgonzola, etc.) like in this beet and feta cheese salad is a perfect marriage of flavors.
** Nuts: Crunchy nuts like walnuts, pine nuts or even almonds complements tender roasted beets well.
** Citrus: The bright acidity of citrus fruits like orange zest, a little lemon zest, or grapefruit slices cuts through the sweetness of the beets and adds freshness to the dish.
CAN YOU EAT BEETS RAW IN A SALAD?
Yes, beets can be eaten raw. Raw beets have a crisp texture and a slightly sweet flavor that work well in salads. If you want to make a salad with raw beets, just make sure to peel them, and then julienne, cut them into thin slices, or grate them finely because they are very crunchy.
For this beetroot walnut feta salad, roasting is my preferred method, but you can use raw beetroot if you would like!
ARE BEETS HEALTHY?
Beets are packed with health benefits which makes this beet feta walnut salad a great choice to eat often!
Beets are a good source of vitamins and minerals, including folate, manganese, and potassium. They are also high in dietary fiber, low in calories, and contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that may help to reduce the risk of certain diseases, such as heart disease and cancer.
ARE BEETS OKAY TO EAT EVERY DAY?
Beets are great to enjoy as often as you want, but it's best to stick to no more than a 1/2 cup serving each day if you plan to eat them daily. This is because beets have a lot of natural sugars, and have a high oxalate content - so eating too many beets can lead to gout.
HOW TO STORE BEETROOT AND FETA SALAD?
Roasted beetroot and feta salad should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for about 2 days but salad greens will get soggy if stored with the rest of the ingredients.
If you're planning to meal prep this recipe, I recommend storing the beets, dressing, and greens all in separate containers, and that way this vibrant salad will last for 3-4 days in the fridge.
