My Golden Beet Salad recipe is a fresh and filling meal to make for lunch or dinner. It is a lighter option that can work as a main meal or even a side and it comes with a homemade dressing! Save it now to Pinterest so you can make it!
During my corporate career, I was in the United Kingdom scoping out locations for my company to have a large meeting with important stakeholders from around the world. This was in my mid-20’s and life was less inhibiting. Apparently so were corporate budgets because I also flew to Switzerland after this to do the same thing. However, while in London, I ordered a beet salad at a restaurant thinking it would be a bunch of lettuce with a few beets. What I got was a gorgeous Golden Beet Salad that was more beets than anything else.
A love of beets
I had enjoyed beets up until that point, but that salad truly made its mark on me and made me a beet lover. It was the first time I remember having golden beets too. Sure the red ones were almost always available at salad bar type restaurants in the United States (I really miss a good salad bar), but golden beets didn’t seem like they were always around.
Fast forward to today and I’m so thrilled that I can not only find golden beets in the grocery store, but also grow them. They are a beautiful way to give you a hearty salad that is still a light, easy meal to make. My Golden Beet Salad was inspired by that first one I ate back in London and while they aren’t the same, I love this one just as much.
Cooking Golden Beets
Unlike working with red beets, golden beets are a little different. If you try to roast them in the oven or really cook them in any other way than the way I’m going to talk to you about here, they will oxidize and turn black. However, don’t worry because this cooking method is simple!
First, wash the beets well and remove the tops. Leave the skin on and then wrap them in tin foil all the way around. Place them in the oven at 425 for 40 minutes. If they are larger, go 50 minutes. They are done when you can easily stick a fork through them.
When they come out, the skins will peel right off. I usually very carefully unwrap them and then hold them under cold water while I remove the skins. This also helps the beets to cool faster for the salad. Once the skins are removed, slice in 1-2 inch pieces.
The dressing
While the beets are cooking, I like to make my dressing for the Golden Beet Salad recipe. This is a vinaigrette salad dressing, which is my favorite kind. Due to the hearty nature of the beets, I find that the vinegar flavor in this is not overpowering. However, if you serve this up and you want more vinegar in the dressing, you can adjust it the next time you make it. The dressing includes extra virgin olive oil as a base, red wine vinegar, honey, fresh thyme leaves, dried oregano leaves and Dijon mustard. Basically, all my favorite things for a delicious salad dressing.
The other Golden Beet Salad ingredients
Because I really wanted this salad to feel like a full meal, I decided to combine the beets with spinach and arugula, farro, walnuts, cheese and fresh parsley and fresh basil. The farro and the beets together make my Golden Beet Salad recipe a really filling dinner option, but the salad overall will also be something you could serve as a side dish at a get together.
Tips for making my Golden Beet Salad
- You can make this salad with red beets if you cannot find golden beets. however, just know that no matter how you cook red beets, they tend to get the pink color on everything. You might end up with that color throughout the other ingredients of the salad.
- For the farro, use whatever kind you prefer. Just make sure to soak it for at least 20 minutes before cooking. I always make this a day or two ahead of time, but you can also make it while the beets roast.
- I used an arugula and spinach mix for the green base of this salad, but you can either either or if you prefer one over the other.
- Don’t skip on the fresh herbs involved here in the salad itself – parsley and basil. They cannot really be substituted for the dried herbs.
- Further season with course sea salt and fresh ground black pepper if you feel like it needs a little more when you taste it. I did want a little more salt on mine and when I ate the leftovers the next day I felt like I needed a little extra then too.
- Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving. The salad will keep in the refrigerator for about 48 hours but it is best to pour the dressing on right before needing it.
- The dressing itself can be made up to three days in advance. Store it in the refrigerator but remove it at least 1 hour prior to use to make sure the extra virgin olive oil comes back to room temperature.
- Also, I did end up using my whole jar of dressing on the Golden Beet Salad, but you can use however much you prefer. Give it a good shaking before mixing in. Start with half, mix it and then decide if you want more.
Looking for more amazing salads?
If you love a good salad as a meal, check out these recipes too.
- Roasted Fennel Salad {HERE}
- French Green Bean Salad {HERE}
- Peach Panzanella Salad {HERE}
- Grilled Salmon Salad with Basil Cilantro Lime Dressing {HERE}
- White Bean Salad {HERE}
- Asparagus and Pea Salad with mint {HERE}
- English Pea Salad {HERE}
- Grilled Corn Salad with Avocado and Red Pepper {HERE}
- Rotini Salad with Homemade Italian Dressing {HERE}
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Thank you so much for visiting today, friends! I hope that you love my Golden Beet Salad recipe. The full, printable recipe is below. Happy eating.
Golden Beet Salad recipe
Equipment
- 1 large Baking sheet
- Tin foil
Ingredients
Salad Dressing Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves You could use dried here too if you have to.
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard I use Grey Poupon.
Salad ingredients
- 4-6 golden beets If they are smaller get six. If they are large you can use 4.
- 4 cups arugula and spinach mix If you want to use one or the other that is fine too.
- 1 cup cooked farro
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/3 cup fresh finely grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. While it heats, combine all the ingredients for the salad dressing in a mason jar and set aside.
- When the beets up in a piece of tin foil, making sure they are full covered. Cook them on a baking sheet in the oven for 40 minutes. 50 minutes for large beets. They are done when you can spear them with a fork easily.
- Note: If you are making the farro, soak it and make it while the beets roast.
- Once the beets are done, carefully remove them from the tin foil. They will be very hot. The skin will peel away. You can peel it under a stream of cold water and this will help to cool the beats too.
- Cut beets into 1-2 inch pieces.
- Combined all the ingredients for the salad and then top with dressing. Try half the bottle first and then add the rest if you think it needs more.
- Serve with coarse sea salt and additional fresh cracked black pepper to taste.
Mary Lee says
Rachel,
In reviewing this wonderful looking salad, I noticed that the dressing has red wine vinegar in it. However, under the dressing ingredients it is not listed. Could you please let me know how much vinegar? ( 1/4 cup??). Also, you used a wrong word for wrap the beets in foil. You said “when” instead of wrap. Just wanted to let you know that. I love following along with your life on the farm and all of your recipes are wonderful.
Thank you,
Mary Lee
Rachel says
It is 1/4 a cup. Thanks for letting me know! I’ve updated the recipe!