Beet Salad Recipe

The beets will need time to roast, so plan ahead. (Amy Dong)

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Why This Recipe Stands Out

Here’s why this recipe is a winner:

• Big, Bold Flavors: Bright red, sweet beets and sweet peppers. Savory, creamy blue cheese. And the salty, crunchy pistachios. It just works for the best combo of flavors, like in our Pistachio Crusted Salmon.
• Make-Ahead Friendly: It’s the perfect prep-ahead recipe for days when you need something impressive yet simple.
• Unique Take: If you’re looking for something different for your next salad, this is it. Give it a spin; we think you’ll love it! Beets make everything taste even better, like in this Roasted Beet Hummus.
• Perfect for Entertaining: This salad is unique with a gourmet flair, yet simple enough.

Key Recipe Ingredients

• Fresh Red Beets—These are the star of our salad. They add a sweet, earthy flavor and a beautiful deep red color.
• Sweet Yellow Peppers—We love these for their crisp, sweet flavor. They add a nice contrast to the beets.
• Blue Cheese or Feta Cheese—The tangy, salty flavor of the cheese pairs perfectly with the sweet beets and peppers.
• Salt and Pepper—A simple seasoning of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper helps to bring out the flavors of the other ingredients.

Substitutions and Variations

Here are some of our favorite variations and substitutions for this beet salad recipe:

• Cheese: If blue cheese isn’t your thing, feel free to substitute it with Gorgonzola, Roquefort, or feta. They all work wonderfully in this recipe.
• Peppers: If you don’t want to roast the peppers, you can use jarred roasted peppers or simply replace them with more beets.
• Beets: Try using golden beets in addition to the red ones for a colorful and flavorful twist.
• Nuts: Not a fan of pistachios? Feel free to substitute them with your favorite nuts—pecans or walnuts would work great!

Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Wrap each beet individually in foil and roast for about 1.5 hours. Once cooled, peel and dice the beets.
2. Place whole peppers directly on a medium-high flame. Turn the peppers until the skins are charred. Once charred, peel the skin, and seed and dice the peppers.
3. Whisk together shallots, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil to make the dressing.
4. Evenly distribute diced roasted beets and peppers on serving plates. Pour the dressing over each plate and top with crumbled blue cheese and chopped pistachios.

How to Prep Ahead

Take a look at our best prep-ahead strategies for this recipe:

• Roast Beets and Peppers: The beets and peppers can be roasted and diced ahead of time. Keep them chilled and allow them to come back to room temperature when you’re ready to serve.
• Prep Dressing: The dressing can also be made a day in advance. Just keep it chilled and give it a good whisk before using.
• Entirely Make Ahead: Make this beet salad recipe entirely ahead of time and store it in an airtight container for up to two days. Pour dressing and top with crumbled cheese and chopped pistachios before serving.

(Amy Dong)

What to Serve With Beet Salad

Main Dishes

• Serve it with your favorite grilled recipes. We particularly love it with Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Grilled Chicken Thighs.
• For a simple lunch option, serve it with a sandwich. It goes great with a classic turkey or ham sandwich.

Sides

• Roasted Potatoes and Roasted Vegetables go great with the flavors of this beet salad!
• For a heartier meal, consider serving this salad with a side of quinoa or couscous.

Soups

• This salad also pairs perfectly with a warm bowl of soup. Try it with a classic Roasted Tomato Basil Soup or a Curry Butternut Squash Soup.

Beet Salad Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins Cook Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins Total Time: 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Serves 8

• 3 large fresh red beets, about 2 lbs without greens
• 2 sweet yellow peppers
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled, or feta cheese
• 1/3 cup salted pistachios, without shells, roughly chopped

To roast beets, preheat oven to 425 F. Separately wrap each beet tightly in heavy foil. Place on baking pan and roast in middle of oven until beets are tender, approx. 1.5 hours.

Let roasted beets cool a bit, unwrap, and let cool completely. When cool, slip skins off and dice the beets. Set aside.

Place clean peppers directly on medium-high flame of stovetop. Using tongs, turn peppers over as each side gets cooked—skin will be charred.

Once entire pepper is charred on the skins, remove from flame and let cool. Gently peel skins off peppers under cold running water. Seed and dice roasted peppers. Set aside.

Whisk together shallt, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil for the dressing.