Roasted Beet and Citrus Salad With Goat Cheese

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Festive enough for a holiday but simple enough for a light weeknight meal, this Roasted Beet and Citrus Salad pairs tender baked beets with creamy goat cheese, bright citrus and pistachios, all atop a bed of peppery arugula. It’s a show-stopper!

Roasted Beet Salad with Citrus and Goat Cheese

While summer gives us endless options for salads, fall and winter salads are all the more impressive for taking the minimal number of ingredients that are in season and transforming them into something spectacular—like this Roasted Beet and Citrus Salad! Beets are a root veggie that stores well into the spring, while citrus season has just arrived, so they’re a natural pairing. If you love other hearty winter salad recipes like my Autumn Kale Salad with Chicken, I think this recipe will become a favorite too.

Why This Recipe Works

I have to confess something: I hated beets growing up. But once I reached adulthood, I realized it was because my mom used to always buy the kind that comes in a jar. Roasted beets? They’re completely different, especially in recipes like this roasted beet and citrus salad.

• Perfect for the holidays: With those jewel-tone beets, citrus, and greens, this is the kind of salad that will make even the salad haters do a double-take. It’s stunning!
• Easy to make: This recipe comes together with just 20 minutes of prep time and you can roast the beets in advance so all you have to do is assemble before serving.
• Balanced flavors and textures: I love how the earthy, sweet beets play with the bright citrus and the bright citrus cuts the richness of the goat cheese. And then you’ve got creamy, crisp, tender, juicy, and crunchy textures, all in one dish.
• Light yet indulgent: Crumbles of goat cheese make this salad feel a little bit decadent, even though it’s light and healthy!

Ingredients You’ll Need

The ingredient list for this roasted beet and citrus salad is quite simple. See exact measurements in the recipe card below.

• Beets: You’ll need a combination of red beets and golden beets. You could choose just one variety, but I think using both looks prettier for serving!
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for roasting the beets.
• Kosher Salt, for seasoning the beets and the salad.
• Arugula is my choice of green for the salad because I love the peppery flavor with the other elements in the recipe.
• Citrus Fruit: I use grapefruit (red or pink), a blood orange, and either a cara cara or navel orange.
• Roasted Salted Pistachios add a nice crunch for contrast. Buy the ones that come without the shells to save yourself some work.
• Goat Cheese, crumbled into pieces.
• Champagne Vinaigrette, which is made with olive oil, champagne vinegar, chopped shallot, Dijon mustard, and kosher salt.

How to Make Roasted Beet and Citrus Salad

Making this salad is so easy! This visual guide will show you the steps in the process. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.

Trim, oil, and season the beets.

Roast until tender.

• Prepare the beets: Trim the greens but leave 1/2 inch of the stem intact. Scrub the beets but don’t peel them; place the red beets on one large sheet of foil and the golden beets on another. Toss with oil, sprinkle with salt, and wrap them up in the foil to create sealed packets.
• Roast the beets: Set the packets on a baking sheet and roast for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife slips easily into the center of the largest beets.

Cut the citrus fruit.

Make the dressing.

• Slice the beets: Let the beets cool enough that you can handle them, then rub the skins off with a paper towel. Let them finish cooling, then slice into rounds.
• Prepare the citrus: Cut the tops and bottoms off of each citrus fruit. Stand them on a cutting board and use a knife to slice off the peel and pith, following the curve of the fruit. Cut the peeled fruit crosswise into slices.
• Make the dressing: Add all of the ingredients to a jar and shake until emulsified.

Layer the beets and citrus with the arugula.

Add remaining ingredients and dressing.

• Assemble the salad: Arrange the arugula on a large platter. Shingle in the slices of beet and citrus, top with the pistachios and goat cheese, then spoon the dressing over the salad.

Variation Ideas

• Try a different green: Choose one that will stand up well to the assertive flavors in this salad. Lacinato kale would be a good choice.
• Swap out the pistachios: Walnuts or pecans could be used for crunch, or use pepitas for a nut-free option.
• Use a different cheese: Not a fan of goat cheese? Crumbly ricotta salata or feta would both work as an alternative.

Serving Suggestions

For a holiday, pair this roasted beet and citrus salad with seasonal side dishes and impressive mains. 

How to Store Leftovers

If possible, store the salad separately from the dressing. The salad will last 2 to 3 days in the fridge, while the dressing will last up to a week. If assembled, the salad will last 1 to 2 days. If the greens wilt, you can add more to freshen it up.

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 1 hour hr

Total: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Yield: 6 servings (1 generous cup each)

Cook Mode

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

• Trim the beet greens, leaving about ½ inch of stem, and scrub the beets well. Tear two large pieces of foil—one for the red beets and one for the golden beets, since the red will bleed color if roasted together. Place each color on its own piece of foil, drizzle each with a teaspoon of olive oil, and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Toss to coat, then fold each piece of foil into a sealed packet. Set both packets on a baking sheet and roast for 50 minutes – 1 hour, or until a knife slips easily into the center of the largest beet. Let them cool just until you can handle them, then rub off the skins with a paper towel. Set aside to cool. Slice the beets into ⅓-inch thick rounds..

• Using a sharp knife, cut the top and bottom off each grapefruit, orange, and blood orange to expose the flesh. Stand the fruit upright on the cutting board and, following the curve of the fruit, slice downward to remove the peel and white pith completely. Once peeled, lay each fruit on its side and cut crosswise into ⅓-inch thick slices. Set aside.

• To make the dressing, add all of the ingredients to a small jar and shake to combine.

• To assemble the salad, cover the base of a platter with arugula. Shingle in the slices of beet and citrus. Top with the pistachios and crumbled goat cheese. Spoon the dressing over the salad and serve.

Last Step:

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** dressing makes ⅓ cup
**salad makes about 7 cups
** the beets can be roasted and peeled in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to assemble.

Calories: 176 kcal, Carbohydrates: 20 g, Protein: 5 g, Fat: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g, Cholesterol: 4 mg, Sodium: 422 mg, Potassium: 548 mg, Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 14 g, Vitamin A: 928 IU, Vitamin C: 34 mg, Calcium: 71 mg, Iron: 1 mg