Beet salad with feta cheese and Dijon vinaigrette dressing

This beet salad with feta and Dijon vinaigrette dressing will impress you with its contrast of flavors and combination of ingredients

This beet salad with Feta cheese is so popular with my family that I have already made it at least a million times. Made with roasted beetroots, sweet canned corn, creamy Feta cheese, and black olives, it makes a delightful side dish for any meal. Sunflower seeds add a crunchy texture, and the best mustard vinaigrette dressing perfectly balances the taste. In a word, it’s so delicious that even terrible beet skeptics will change their minds.

It’s my favorite way to make beets as a side dish. Here, bright colors and flavors are wonderfully combined in one bowl. In addition, this beetroot salad takes no more than 10 minutes to make, if you already have ready roasted beets.

What can I add to this recipe

Usually, beets are associated with simple everyday dishes. Moreover, these root vegetables are often underestimated. Unfortunately… because in most cases, you just need to add the right ingredients to turn a simple beet and feta salad into an exquisite elegant dish.

The earthy flavor of beets usually tends to dominate the other ingredients, but not in the case of this beet salad with feta cheese. Here everything is perfectly combined and each ingredient complements the others. However, the recipe gives you complete freedom for changes and variations.

Here are some interesting add-ins:

• Arugula, spinach, or fresh lettuce leaves. To add brightness and freshness.
• 1 cup cooked quinoa. It’s an excellent source of protein and vitamins. Quinoa will make the dish even healthier.
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, dill, chives, or cilantro. These herbs add a lot of flavor.
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds. They will be fantastic in this salad.
• ½ cup cooked chickpeas. To make the dish more satisfying.
• 3 Tbsp dried cranberries or raisins. If you want to add some sweet notes.

The best beet salad dressing

The Dijon vinaigrette dressing for this beet salad with feta cheese is extremely easy and quick to make, you only need to mince a clove of garlic and whisk together all the ingredients. It’s ingeniously simple and heavenly delicious!

However, you can use any dressing you like. Here are some ideas:

• Balsamic salad dressing. Whisk 2Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1Tbsp honey, and 5Tbsp olive oil. Add a pinch of salt.
• Ginger dressing. If you like spicy flavors, I advise you to try this option. Whisk 4Tbsp olive oil, 1 clove of garlic (minced), a pinch of salt, 1Tbsp honey, and ½ tsp grated fresh ginger.
• Pesto sauce. It will add an unusual and original flavor!

How to roast beets in the oven

Of course, you can also boil beets for this salad. But in this case, most of the vitamins and nutrients will simply be lost in the water. Therefore, I strongly recommend roasting beets in the oven. I always bake them in foil.

Choose beetroots similar in size so they then they will be cooked evenly in the same time:

1. Rinse and scrub the beets thoroughly to remove all dirt and pat dry them with a paper towel. No need to peel them, it will be much easier to do it once the vegetables are cooked.  
2. Cut off the leafy tops and stems.
3. Place each beet onto the foil and drizzle it with some olive oil.  Wrap each beetroot in aluminum foil. After that arrange the wrapped beets on a baking sheet. Roast them for 40-50 minutes at 400F (200C).

Baking time depends on the size of the beets. Small beetroots cook quicker than large ones. Check the readiness with a fork – if the vegetables are soft and easy to pierce with a fork, they are ready.

Remove the roasted beets from the oven, unwrap the foil and leave them to cool completely. After that, peel them and make the beet salad with Feta, or use them for any other recipe.

Make-ahead tip: you can bake the beets in advance and store them in the fridge for up to 2 days. This will save a lot of time needed to prepare this beet and feta salad.

Useful tips for the best beet salad with feta

• It’s not news to anyone that beetroots can stain not only your hands but also other ingredients in the bowl. Therefore toss the roasted beets salad with feta very carefully. I love when the cheese acquires a bright pink-purple hue, so I add it to the salad immediately. If you want Feta to remain white, add it at the very end after mixing.
• Sometimes, it’s not easy to find raw beets, but you can buy ready-peeled roasted beets in vacuum packaging in every supermarket. Feel free to add them to beet salad with feta. They will save your time! Drained canned or jar beets will work just as well.
• What can I use instead of feta cheese? Feta cheese is the perfect addition when it comes to beet salads. Its delicate creamy texture and expressive flavor greatly enrich the dish. But, if you don’t have this cheese, or you don’t like it, there are many Feta cheese substitutes for this recipe: creamy goat cheese, blue cheese, Gorgonzola, Cheddar, or Swiss cheese. Even vegetarian tofu can be added.
• Add toasted pistachios, peanuts, pecans, cashews, or chopped walnuts instead of sunflower seeds. Pumpkin seeds are another great option.

Ingredients

• 400g (1lb) roasted beets (4-5 small beets)
• 150g (5½ oz) of black olives
• 150g (5½ oz) Feta cheese
• 200g (7oz) canned sweet corn
• 3Tbsp roasted sunflower seeds

(Dijon vinaigrette salad dressing):

• 1Tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
• 4Tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic (minced)
• 2tsp lemon juice
• a pinch of sugar
• a pinch of salt and pepper

Easy recipe for beet salad with feta cheese

Peel the beets and cut them into medium cubes. Add olives (whole)

Dice Feta or other cheese and add it to the bowl. Add canned corn too

Prepare the dressing: combine mustard, oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk all the ingredients together and pour the dressing over the salad. Toss it carefully

Bon Appetit!

Enjoy this salad at any time of the year!

How to serve the beet salad with feta

This recipe is a great make-ahead side dish for any meal. You can enjoy it on the side with:

• mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes
• carrot puree
• meatloaf
• kotleti or meatballs

What’s more, this beet salad with Feta and mustard vinaigrette is an excellent idea for an appetizer, light lunch, or dinner. Serve it on its own or pair it with a slice of bread, some crackers, or a soft homemade bun and enjoy.

FAQ

Are you a beet lover? Share your favorite beetroot recipes here in the comments, I’m always very happy to read them and learn something new and delicious! I hope you like this easy recipe for beet salad with feta cheese and it will be a great addition to your culinary collection.

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