Fresh, vibrant, and full of flavor, this Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese makes a beautiful starter or a light main. Bright citrus segments, creamy goat cheese, crisp fennel and toasted walnuts are tossed with roasted beets and finished with a sweet-tangy blood orange dressing—one of the best winter salads for color and taste.
I love beets, and roasting them brings out their natural sweetness and depth. Roasted beets are versatile and pair wonderfully with citrus, soft cheeses and crunchy nuts—so they’re perfect in salads. This version combines red and golden beets with blood orange and clementine slices, thinly sliced fennel, tangy goat cheese and toasted walnuts, all dressed in a simple blood orange vinaigrette.
The salad can be mostly prepped ahead: roast the beets, toast the nuts and make the dressing in advance to speed assembly when you’re ready to serve.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Fresh, colorful and balanced—sweet, savory and bright flavors in every bite.
- Blood orange dressing adds sweet-tart depth that highlights the beets and citrus.
- Many components can be prepared ahead for fast assembly.
- Elegant enough for guests, easy enough for weeknight meals.
Recipe ingredients
Below are the ingredients used in this Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese. This combination is flexible—swap greens, citrus or nuts based on what you have.
- Lettuce — spring mix shown, but butter lettuce, spinach, arugula or any greens will work.
- Beets — use red and golden roasted beets for color; roast in advance and refrigerate until ready.
- Blood oranges and clementines — provide juicy brightness; use your favorite citrus if needed.
- Fennel — thinly sliced for crunch and anise notes; optional if unavailable.
- Goat cheese — tangy and creamy; feta or another soft cheese can substitute, or omit for dairy-free.
- Walnuts — toasted for crunch; substitute other nuts or seeds if preferred.
- Blood orange dressing — fresh blood orange juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper.
How to make this recipe
This salad has a few components but most can be prepared ahead of time. Roast the beets, toast the walnuts and make the dressing up to a few days before serving. Add dressing just before serving for best texture.
Pro tip: Roast beets and chill them in the fridge. Prepare the dressing and toast the walnuts ahead to make assembly quick.
How to roast beets for salad
Roasting beets is the most time-consuming step. Wrap whole beets in foil and roast until tender (about 45–60 minutes depending on size). When cool, peel and cut into wedges or slices. Store roasted beets in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Toast the walnuts
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Spread walnut pieces on a rimmed baking sheet and toast 8–10 minutes, until fragrant and golden. Cool completely before adding to the salad.
Prepare the blood orange dressing
- Combine fresh blood orange juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper in a jar.
- Whisk or shake vigorously until the dressing emulsifies. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Assemble the roasted beet salad
- Peel and segment the blood orange and clementines, removing as much white pith as possible. Slice segments into quarters if preferred.
- Place greens in a large bowl. Add golden beets, citrus, sliced green onion, fennel and crumbled goat cheese.
- Dress the salad lightly, tossing to coat. Toss purple/red beets with a small amount of dressing and add last to help avoid turning the entire salad purple.
- Top with toasted walnuts and serve immediately.
Recipe FAQs
The earthy sweetness of beets pairs well with other root vegetables, citrus, apples and berries, fennel, avocado, soft cheeses and nuts or seeds.
Soft cheeses like goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, burrata and feta work beautifully, as do stronger blue cheeses for a bolder contrast.
Yes. Roast beets, toast nuts and make the dressing ahead of time. For the best texture, add dressing and walnuts right before serving or keep components separate for meal prep containers.
Recipe notes
- Make ahead: Roast beets, toast walnuts and make the dressing up to a few days in advance.
- Roasting time for beets varies; the recipe timing includes about 1 hour for roasting. Once roasted, beets keep well refrigerated.
- To keep the salad visually bright, add the darker red/purple beets just before serving.
- Leftover dressing will keep refrigerated for up to two weeks.
- For meal prep, pack salad components separately and add walnuts and dressing at serving time.
More salad recipes you’ll love:
- Pear salad with fresh pear vinaigrette
- Citrus, fennel and avocado salad
- Massaged kale salad
- Winter radicchio salad
- Salade Lyonnaise
- Shaved Brussels sprout salad with apples and hazelnuts
- Strawberry panzanella with balsamic vinaigrette
- Spring mix salad
- Tricolore salad
Did you try this recipe? If so, please leave a review below and tag @flavorthemoments on social media so the author can see what you made.
Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 mins • Cook Time: 1 hr • Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Large mixing bowl
- Jar or small bowl for dressing
Ingredients
For the blood orange dressing:
- 3 tablespoons fresh blood orange juice
- 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the salad:
- 5 ounces spring lettuce or mixed greens
- 2 medium roasted beets, cut into 1/4″ wedges (one red, one golden suggested)
- 1 blood orange
- 3 clementines (or 1 medium navel orange)
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup thinly sliced fennel (fronds optional)
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese (or feta)
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts
Instructions
Prepare the roasted beets
Roast whole beets until tender, then cool, peel and slice into wedges. See notes above for timing and storage.
Toast the walnuts
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast 8–10 minutes until fragrant. Cool completely.
Prepare the dressing
Combine blood orange juice, maple syrup, Dijon, olive oil, salt and pepper in a jar. Shake or whisk until emulsified. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Assemble the salad
Segment the blood orange and clementines, removing pith. Place greens in a large bowl and add golden beets, citrus, green onion, fennel and goat cheese. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Toss red/purple beets with a little dressing and add last to avoid discoloring the greens. Top with toasted walnuts and serve immediately.
Notes
- Make beets, walnuts and dressing up to a few days in advance.
- Leftover dressing keeps up to two weeks refrigerated.
- Add darker beets at the end to keep the salad visually bright.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: Calories: 298 kcal • Carbohydrates: 15 g • Protein: 7 g • Fat: 25 g • Fiber: 4 g • Vitamin C: 31 mg
All recipes and images © Flavor the Moments. This post was originally published in March 2015; photos and recipe details have been updated for clarity.