Simple Roasted Beet and Feta Salad
This Simple Roasted Beet and Feta Salad is simple and fabulous. Deliciously roasted beets accented by salty feta and enveloped in a light Champagne vinaigrette make this salad perfect and satisfying. I love to garnish my salad with peppery arugula for the perfect trifecta of flavors.
Beets: love and hate
We have all had canned beets—on every salad bar of the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. Oh yes, the sometimes round sliced or matchstick-sliced bright red beets in the middle of your Aunt’s Thanksgiving table. As a kid, this was a no-go zone for me and likely every kid who grew up with these options. But alas, beets have come a long way, baby. My favorite way of enjoying beets is roasted. Hands down, this is my favorite way. The flavor of roasted beets is sweet but with an earthier flavor. In addition, the texture is firmer when roasted, making them even more agreeable to the palate.
For this salad, I use roasted beets. Thankfully, some stores carry cooked beets in the refrigerated section of the produce department. In Los Angeles, most stores carry vacuum-packed, cooked beets, making this salad a snap. But if you haven’t roasted your own, try it at least once. I promise you won’t be disappointed. For simple directions, I have a step-by-step here.
Ingredients
- Beets or beetroot—Red or gold; I prefer organic beets in a bunch. They taste a bit milder, and the texture is more tender.
- Feta cheese—I prefer to use good-quality block feta cheese. I crumble it fresh, as it delivers a sharper flavor.
- Parsley—Use flat-leaf parsley for the salad for some green punch and flavor balance.
- Green onion/scallion—for a tiny bit of onion flavor. You can also use shallots or finely chopped red onions.
- Champagne vinegar—This light vinegar is made of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. It’s one of my favorite vinegars for dressing salads. It’s easy to find in grocery stores; however, if you can find Girards or Brianna’s dressings, they make lovely Champagne vinaigrettes. Additionally, my Orange Honey Dressing is fantastic with this salad.
- Extra virgin olive oil—Use good olive oil for this dressing. Avocado oil is a great alternative.
- Arugula – for garnish/serving and a peppery punch (optional)
- Sea salt – to finish the dish
- Fresh ground black pepper – this is optional, but I love a fresh twist of the pepper mill on any salad.
How to prepare the salad
This salad comes together quickly. Use a medium-sized shallow bowl to add the arugula garnish on the sides.
How to make Champagne vinaigrette
In a small bowl, add 3 tablespoons of Champagne vinegar. Add 1/2 tablespoon of Dijon mustard and 1/2 tablespoon of honey. Whisk 6 tablespoons of good extra-virgin olive oil into the vinegar mixture until the dressing is emulsified.
Assemble the salad
Depending on their size, the beets should be quartered into about 2-inch pieces. Add the beets to the bowl. Add finely chopped scallion and fresh chopped parsley. Drizzle the Champagne vinaigrette and toss gently. Add the freshly crumbled Feta cheese on top and garnish with arugula, some more fresh parsley, fresh ground black pepper, and some sea salt.
Substitutions and variations
Because this Beet and Feta cheese salad is so simple, adding other ingredients is easy. Here are some great ideas!
- Substitute fresh spinach or baby greens for arugula.
- Add grains like quinoa, farro, or ancient grain mixes.
- Swap Goat cheese for Feta cheese. Goat cheese has a very mild taste and is a great substitute.
- Add sliced avocado.
- Sliced fresh oranges are excellent in this salad.
- Instead of green onions or scallions, use finely chopped red onion or shallot.
- Use fresh basil or fresh dill instead of parsley for a flavor twist.
- Add finely minced garlic for an extra punch of flavor.
- Add shredded cooked chicken to make it an entree.
- Use balsamic or red vinaigrette instead of Champagne vinaigrette.
What to pair with Roasted Beet and Feta Salad
One of my favorite main dishes to serve with this salad is Roast chicken. Either homemade or store-bought rotisserie is perfect. Another favorite is my Pork Tenderloin with Lemon Herb Pan Sauce, and finally, my Easy Chicken Schnitzel.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, they can be eaten raw. Just make sure they are peeled before using them for this salad.
Either is an option; however, I find that the texture of the beets cooked in water is not as firm as that of roasting.
Beets are indeed healthy. According to Healthline, they are fiber-rich and contain folate, magnesium, potassium, iron, and vitamin C.
They are the same; the term beet is widely used in the United States and North America, while beetroot is widely used in the rest of the world.
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All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
Simple Roasted Beet and Feta Salad
January 13, 2025
Equipment
- 1 small bowl
- 1 shallow medium bowl
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
Champagne vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tablepoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tablespoon honey or agave syrup
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Simple Roasted Beet and Feta Salad
- 2 cups cooked beets (roasted or store-bought) see note Cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon green onion or scallion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon parsley Flat leaf, leaves only
- 1/4 cup Feta cheese crumbled
- sea salt
- black pepper freshly ground
- 2 cups Arugula optional
Instructions
Champagne vinaigrette
- In a small bowl, add 3 tablespoons of Champagne vinegar.
- Add 1/2 tablespoon of Dijon mustard and 1/2 tablespoon of honey.
- Whisk 6 tablespoons of good extra-virgin olive oil into the vinegar mixture until the dressing is emulsified.
How to assemble the salad
- Depending on their size, the beets should be quartered into about 2-inch pieces.
- Add the beets to the bowl. Add finely chopped scallion and fresh chopped parsley.
- Drizzle the Champagne vinaigrette and toss gently.
- Add the freshly crumbled Feta cheese on top and garnish with arugula, some more fresh parsley, fresh ground black pepper, and some sea salt.
Notes
How to roast beets.
Substitutions and variations
Because this Beet and Feta cheese salad is so simple, feel free to add other ingredients or variations.-
- Substitute fresh spinach or baby greens for arugula.
-
- Add grains like quinoa, farro, or ancient grain mixes.
-
- Swap Goat cheese for Feta cheese. Goat cheese has a very mild taste and is a great substitute.
-
- Add sliced avocado.
-
- Sliced fresh oranges are excellent in this salad.
-
- Instead of green onions or scallions, use finely chopped red onion or shallot.
-
- Use fresh basil or fresh dill instead of parsley for a flavor twist.
-
- Add finely minced garlic for an extra punch of flavor.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
So delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this! Thank you for taking the time to comment and rate!