Last updated on February 14th, 2023
An easy roast beetroot salad with feta cheese that uses fresh beets for a delicious result! Top this beetroot and feta salad with a homemade honey dijon dressing for a filling yet light summer dinner!
Fresh beetroot has an earthy yet sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with this homemade honey dijon salad dressing! I added slivered red onions and feta cheese to my beet salad, but I’ll give you other options later in the post for more add-ons.
If you’ve never had beets before, roast beets are the perfect way to try them for the first time. Roasting vegetables helps bring out the naturally sweet taste, and I’m convinced that roasting just makes everything tastes better!
Beetroot is actually naturally sweet, though, and VERY healthy! In fact, it’s considered a superfood because it’s so high in potassium, magnesium, fiber and vitamin C. Not bad, huh? Plus, that deep red color is just so pretty to see on your dinner table! The nutritional info for beets is off the chart!
How to Cook Beetroot
That vibrant, gorgeous color that I mentioned before is because beets have such a strong pigment. This also means that the color tends to get all over you and can stain. I highly recommend wearing disposable gloves and an apron to help protect your clothes and so you don’t end up with red hands for the next few days!
You can boil your beetroot, but you’ll lose a lot of nutrients that way so it’s not preferred.
I much prefer to roast beetroot and it’s so easy that I think everyone should use this method!
Using a cutting board, cut off the tops and bottoms of each beet. Our beets were pretty enormous, so we decided to use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin and then cut into large chunks before roasting.
I lined a cookie sheet with foil first. Then I drizzled with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt and pepper. Toss them all around to coat them.
Wrap the foil around it to form a little pouch and then roast at 425 degrees for about 40-50 minutes. The time will depend on how large your pieces of beetroot are. You’ll know it’s done when you can poke a fork or skewer through it easily. You want nice and tender, roast beetroot and not crispy pieces.
I let the roast beetroot cool before I add it to my salad. In fact, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to a week and just pull it out as needed.
It even freezes well too! After it’s done cooling, place it in freezer-safe containers and store for a couple months until you need it.
If the beetroot that you’re roasting is small to start, you can leave your beets unpeeled and whole and roast them that way. When they’re done roasting, remove them from the oven and use a dishcloth or paper towel to rub the skin right off. Just make sure you use a dish towel that you don’t mind getting stained.
Homemade Honey Dijon Salad Dressing
For way too many years, I only used store bought salad dressing. For the last couple years, though, I’ve been experimenting with homemade salad dressings delicious recipe and I’m kicking myself that it took me this long to realize how easy and how delicious they are!
You can totally just mix and match whatever flavors you like to come up with your perfect salad dressing in minutes! For a healthy, Greek yogurt based dressing, we love this homemade Green Goddess dressing recipe. My kids even use it as a dip! In the summer, nothing beats using up fresh garden tomatoes in this Tomato and Basil dressing that pairs perfectly with a Pizza Salad. My favorite Honey Lime dressing pairs perfectly with a grilled shrimp salad and I seriously could go on and on! I’ve become obsessed with salad dressings made from scratch!
So, of course, I had to try my hand at a honey dijon salad dressing. This dressing has the consistency of a vinaigrette more so than some of the thick honey mustard dressings you get at restaurants. I wanted something light and refreshing for this roast beetroot salad, and this dressing pairs perfectly.
In a small jar, I add 5 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Close the lid tightly and shake to combine. That’s it! It’s all ready to pour over your easy beetroot salad!
If you’re looking for the perfect salad dressing jar, these are the best! You mix the actual ingredients right in the jar, shake it up and then the lid has a pour spout and cap so you can use and store in them too! Check them out HERE.
Tips and Tricks for Roast Beetroot Salad
- I made my salad using a spring mix but it would be great on a bed of spinach too.
- I used thinly sliced red onions, but feel free to leave those off. Or use chopped green onions or yellow sweet onions.
- Roast beetroot salad with feta is a pretty common combination but you can substitute it with goat cheese and that would be delicious too!
- If you aren’t up to making homemade honey dijon salad dressing, then feel free to use your favorite bottled dressing. But try the homemade version!! It is SO easy and delicious!
- Fun salad additions would be mandarin oranges, toasted almonds, or walnuts.
Roast Beetroot Salad
Ingredients
- 2-3 large Beets
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- Sea Salt
- Pepper
- 4-6 cups Spring Mix
- 1/2 cup Feta
- 1/4 cup Red onion thinly sliced
Dressing
- 5 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 3 Tbsp Honey
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Wash and peel beets. Cut into large chunks and place on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Lightly pull foil up and over beets to create a pouch. Place in preheated oven and roast for about 40 minutes or until fork tender.
- While beets are roasting, add all of your dressing ingredients to a small jar. Shake well until all the ingredients are incorporated. Set aside.
- On a large platter or bowl, arrange mixed greens and red onions. Top with roasted beets and feta. Drizzle with salad dressing and enjoy!
4 Comments
Kelsey
July 13, 2019 at 3:06 amI just love this recipe! It’s one of my new favorites!
Jade
July 18, 2019 at 2:56 pmThe combo of sweet beets and salty feta is super good! We love this salad!
Susanne
July 18, 2019 at 3:20 pmThis salad was delicious! Also I think roasting beats is my new favorite way to eat them now. Great recipe!
Christina Hitchcock
July 18, 2019 at 9:00 pmWhat a great salad! I love anything with beets!