Print

Our Favourite Roasted Beet Salad

bowl of Roasted Beet Salad
Print Recipe

We weren’t always Roasted Beet Salad fans…but then our favourite farmer started bringing beautiful bright yellow and pink striped beets to the market.  Now every summer, we look forward to the moment Farmer Robert of 100 Mile Produce starts showing up at market with bins of fresh beets. Robert somehow grows the sweetest, most flavourful beets we’ve ever tasted, and when we see yellow and candy-striped varieties, we know this roasted beet salad is going on our menu.

We’ve served this roasted beet salad at family dinners, bbq potlucks, as well as part of a good meal prep sunday, and without fail, someone asks for the recipe. It’s colourful, earthy, and a little sweet, with just the right tang from our maple-Dijon vinaigrette. The creamy feta and crunchy toasted nuts (or seeds) take it right over the top.

Why Roasted Beets Make the Best Salad

Raw beets are actually really delicious–thinly sliced in a salad or as part of a crudites platter, but roasted beets is what you want for this salad.

 The heat concentrates their natural sugars and makes them tender without losing that deep beet flavour. Plus, when you mix yellow beets with candy-striped beets, you get a salad that’s almost too pretty to eat—without the “everything turns pink” effect of using only red beets.

And let’s be honest…

The reality is, in order to cook the beets properly, the beets are not actually ‘roasted’ but rather ‘steamed’.  In order to cook them evenly and peel them even easier, we need some steam action.   So by adding some liquid and covering them up we are, in fact, not roasting the beets but steaming them.  It’s the way Kirstie’s grandma used to prep them up for her summer Borscht recipe! (stay tuned!)

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 6 roasted beets (a mix of yellow and candy-striped if you can find them)
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup toasted nuts (almonds or pecans) or toasted seeds (pepitas)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Roast the beets: Preheat oven to 425°F. (see video below for tips!)
  2. Place beets snuggly in a baking dish.  Season generously with kosher salt and drizzle with olive oil.  Add about a cup of water and wrap the baking dish tightly in foil.
  3. Roast until fork-tender, 45–60 minutes depending on size. Let cool slightly, then they will easily peel.
  4. Cut into slices or diced.
  5. Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in olive oil until smooth and emulsified.
  6. Bring it all together: Gently toss beets with vinaigrette, then top with feta, toasted nuts or seeds, and parsley.
  7. Serve: This salad is delicious slightly warm or chilled.

 

Notes

Jody & Kirstie’s Roasted Beet Salad Tips

  • Mix the colours: Yellow and candy-striped beets keep the salad bright and beautiful without bleeding colour onto everything.

  • Make ahead: Roast your beets and prep your dressing up to two days ahead. Assemble just before serving.

  • Balance is key: If your beets are extra sweet, add a splash more lemon juice for brightness.

  • Try goat cheese: It’s a creamy, tangy alternative to feta that works beautifully here.

Make-Ahead Tips

One of the best things about this roasted beet salad is how easy it is to prep ahead. We often roast a big batch of beets when the oven’s already on for something else, then they’re ready for salads, grain bowls, or snacking all week.  Check out our video below on How to Roast & Peel Beets.

You can also make the maple-Dijon vinaigrette up to 3 days in advance and keep it in a jar in the fridge. Just assemble the salad right before serving to keep everything fresh and crisp.

roasted beet salad prep

Storage

If you’ve got leftovers, store the beets, dressing, and toppings separately when possible. Once dressed, the salad will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, though the nuts or seeds will lose some crunch. We like to store roasted beets whole or sliced in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days, they’re delicious in sandwiches, wraps, or alongside grilled meats.

Easy Ingredient Swaps

  • Cheese: Goat cheese, blue cheese, or even shaved Parmesan work beautifully instead of feta.

  • Nuts & Seeds: Swap pecans for walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts—or use pepitas or sunflower seeds for a nut-free version.

  • Greens: Add a layer of arugula or baby spinach under the beets for more volume and a peppery bite.

  • Vinaigrette: Try balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar in place of lemon juice for a warmer, richer dressing.   Check out our blog HERE for 10+ Vinaigrette ideas!

Why We Love This Salad

For us, this dish tastes like summer in Ontario—sweet beets from Robert’s farm, maple syrup from just down the road, and parsley from our own garden. It’s hearty enough for lunch, elegant enough for a dinner party, and every bite is a reminder that simple, seasonal food is often the best.

Find it online: https://blog.theculinarystudio.ca/recipes/roasted-beet-salad/