Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Candied Walnuts

Introduction

This is a dinner-party salad that looks impressive but couldn't be easier. Beets get roasted whole in foil until they slide out of their skins, then everything comes together in five minutes: peppery arugula, creamy goat cheese, sweet-crunchy walnuts, and a syrupy balsamic reduction. It's beautiful on the plate and hits all four corners of what a great salad should be — sweet, salty, creamy, crunchy. Serve it as a first course before a sheet-pan chicken dinner or a bowl of mushroom risotto.

Cooking your way through our archive? Don't miss our Quinoa Tabbouleh with Mint and Lemon or our Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Feta and Lemon, and browse every salad recipe for more ideas.

Ingredients

• •4 medium beets (about 700 g), scrubbed
• •1 tbsp olive oil
• •150 g baby arugula
• •120 g soft goat cheese, crumbled
• •1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
• •For the candied walnuts:
• •1 cup walnut halves
• •2 tbsp maple syrup
• •Pinch of salt
• •For the balsamic reduction:
• •1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• •1 tbsp honey
• •3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• •Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Rub the beets with olive oil, wrap them individually in foil, and roast for 45–60 minutes, until a knife slides in easily.

2. 2

   While the beets roast, make the candied walnuts. Toss the walnuts, maple syrup and salt in a small non-stick skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly for 3–4 minutes until the syrup caramelizes and coats the nuts. Turn out onto parchment to cool, breaking apart when cool enough to handle.

3. 3

   For the balsamic reduction, simmer the balsamic vinegar and honey in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until reduced by half and syrupy, about 6–8 minutes. Cool slightly, then whisk in the olive oil, salt and pepper.

4. 4

   When the beets are cool enough to handle, slip off the skins with a paper towel and cut into wedges.

5. 5

   Arrange the arugula on a large platter. Top with the beet wedges, crumbled goat cheese, red onion and candied walnuts.

6. 6

   Drizzle with the balsamic dressing just before serving.

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

Nutrition is an approximation generated from ingredient databases and may vary based on brands and exact measurements.

Calories

390 kcal

Protein

9 g

Carbs

24 g

Fat

29 g