Roasted Beet Walnut Salad (Print Version)

Sweet roasted beets paired with crunchy candied walnuts, creamy goat cheese, and fresh arugula in vinaigrette.

# 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

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap each beet in foil and roast on a baking sheet for 35 to 40 minutes until fork tender. Allow to cool slightly, then peel and cut into wedges.
02 - While beets roast, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toast walnuts in a skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Sprinkle sugar and sea salt over the nuts, stirring constantly until sugar melts and coats them, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer immediately to the prepared baking sheet and separate with a fork to cool.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and freshly ground 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 the vinaigrette over the salad just before serving to preserve freshness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The candied walnuts are addictively sweet and crunchy—they're honestly the reason you'll want to make this salad again and again.
  • Beets and goat cheese were basically made for each other, and the peppery arugula keeps everything from feeling too heavy.
  • You can have it ready in just over an hour, yet it tastes like you spent all day thinking about dinner.
02 -
  • Don't peel the beets until they've cooled slightly—the skin slips off so much easier when they're warm, and your hands will thank you.
  • Those candied walnuts will harden as they cool, so separate them with a fork while they're still warm or you'll end up with a solid walnut brick.
03 -
  • If your beets are different sizes, cut the larger ones into smaller pieces after roasting so every bite has balanced proportions of beet to nut to cheese.
  • Toast your walnuts even if the recipe says they're already roasted—that extra step unlocks so much more flavor and takes literally two minutes.
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