Roasted Beet and Feta Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

When skiing last week in Sun Valley my husband and I splurged on lunch at the Seattle Ridge lodge.  It’s become a tradition each time we ski there (BIG PLUG:  Sun Valley is one of my favorite mountains to ski in all the west).  We chose to split a fabulous fresh salad, made to order with fresh beets, feta, toasted walnuts on top of power greens with a luscious sweet honey mustard dressing.


I knew I had to come home and remake this beautiful and nourishing salad.  I love roasted beets but hadn’t done them myself before, so I checked it out and discovered it wasn’t very hard at all.  If you purchase whole beets at the store, cut off the greens and save them for chopping into salads or cook them like you would spinach or other greens.

Scrub the beets and rub them with some olive oil.  Place them on a piece of heavy-duty foil and wrap securely.  Then place them on a baking sheet and roast in a 400 degree F oven for 35-40 minutes or until they can be pierced with a fork.

Allow to cool and then peel the outside skin; it comes off fairly easily but admittedly the purple beets turn your hands pink so you may want to wear gloves; however it rinses off easily with soap and water.  There you have it.  Roasted beets done easy.

The salad is fresh, simple and oh so nutritious.  Power greens add loads of nutritional value as does the feta cheese and nuts and seeds.  I use avocado or olive oil for the dressing which provides additional omega-3 fatty acids.  So good for you!

Beets are loaded with iron, folic acid, vitamin C and magnesium.  The fiber content is high and they provide super high amounts of heart-healthy, liver-protective and cancer preventing anti-oxidant and phytonutrient content.  I’ve been drinking beet juice regularly each week and now that I know how to roast beets I’ll be adding them to my salads much more often.

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Roasted Beet and Feta Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 4-6 servings

Roasted Beet and Feta Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

  • Roasted Beet and Feta Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
    • Roasting Beets
  • 1 bunch medium beets, purple and orange if desired (about 4-5)
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • Roasting Nuts/Seeds
  • 1/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
    • Salad
  • 10 ounces mixed greens
  • 4 ounces feta cheese
    • Vinaigrette
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp coarsely chopped shallots
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 Tbsp olive or avocado oil
  1. For the Beets Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Scrub beets clean and trim stems down to one-inch (leave "tails" on). Place beets on a large piece of foil; rub with olive oil, then wrap foil around them to form a neat packet. Place on baking sheet and roast in middle of oven until tender, about 35 to 40 minutes. Test for doneness by piercing the largest beet with a knife. If it enters easily, it's done. Unwrap beets and let sit until cool enough to handle. Use your hands or a paring knife to peel skin, then cut into a 1-inch dice (I do this right on the aluminum foil but you can also use a stain-proof cutting board or plate). Set aside.
  2. For the Nuts/Seeds Heat walnuts and pumpkin seeds in a dry, heavy skillet placed over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until they're golden brown and they give off a rich, toasty fragrance. Stir or toss nuts or seeds frequently for even toasting. Remove from pan to cool.
  3. For the Vinaigrette Add the honey, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, shallots, garlic, salt and pepper to a container of a food processor. Cover and process until smooth. With the machine running gradually add the oil in a steady stream. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  4. For the Salad Place the greens in a large bowl, drizzle with about half of the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Divide greens onto plates, then arrange beets, walnuts/pumpkin seeds and feta cheese. (Do not toss beets with greens as the whole salad will turn pink.) Add more dressing as desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Cook time includes cooling time for beets before you peel them.

https://karenmangum.com/roasted-beet-and-feta-salad-with-honey-mustard-vinaigrette/

 

2 Comments

  • NJ Lemmon

    I used fresh squeezed lemon juice instead of red wine vinegar and it was really good and added some thin sliced purple onion and almonds (instead of walnuts). Thanks for a great recipe.

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