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Roasted beet salad with leafy greens, vegan ‘feta,’ crisp apple, crunchy pumpkin seeds (or walnuts), and tangy balsamic vinaigrette has perfectly balanced flavors and textures. It is a must-try appetizer or side all Fall/Winter/Holiday season!
Table of contents
Simple, Satisfying, Nutritious Roasted Beet Salad
Whenever we have lots of beets, it’s time to pull together pickled beets, beet smoothies, and – best of al l- this fresh vegan beet salad. With just a few simple ingredients, you can pull together a simple yet elegant beet green salad that’s as nutritious as it is beautiful (very!), packed with fall flavors, still super adaptable, and will bring some brightness to your table.
With its combination of ingredients, this vibrant beet apple salad is earthy, tangy, slightly sweet, and optionally extra peppery (if making an arugula beet salad). However, unlike a regular beet feta salad, our option is 100% vegan, relying on marinated feta to make a delicious, protein-dense feta alternative. When assembled, this recipe for roasted beet salad is vegan, gluten-free, high-fiber, nutrient-dense, and whole30 approved.
Plus, you can even roast the beets in advance, ready to throw together this basic beet salad in just minutes as an appetizer, side, or main, either alone or alongside soup, risotto, bread, a sandwich, charcuterie board, or even your Thanksgiving table.
The Ingredients and Substitutions
The Roasted Beets
- Beets: Try to use firm, even-sized medium beets – red or golden (or a mix).
- Olive oil: Or another cooking oil like avocado oil or coconut oil.
- Sea salt & black pepper: To season the roasted beets, to taste.
Other Beet Apple Salad Ingredients
- Leafy greens: Use a salad mix, butter lettuce, or baby spinach for a milder flavor, or make a more peppery arugula and beet salad.
- Apple: We recommend using a crisp, sweet-tart apple (or pear). E.g., honey crisp, fuji, pink lady, etc.
- Tofu: (optional) Crumbled super-firm tofu (or extra firm) marinated in the dressing helps make for a delicious, protein-dense vegan feta alternative. However, feel free to use store-bought vegan feta if preferred.
- Pumpkin seeds: (optional) Add raw or toasted pepitas or home-roasted pumpkin seeds for added crunch, protein, and heart-healthy fats. Other toasted nuts or seeds like walnuts, pecans, or almonds would also work.
The Beet Salad Dressing
- Vinegar: We used a combination of balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar for the robust balsamic flavor and sweetness of ACV. Experiment with only using one, though. If so, we recommend making it a balsamic beet salad.
- Dijon mustard: Or regular yellow mustard, in a pinch, for tangy heat. Use a Whole30 approved version if necessary.
- Water: To bring the dressing to the correct consistency.
- Garlic: We used garlic powder, but use minced garlic if preferred (2-3x amount).
- Salt & pepper
Optionally, add a small amount of sweetness with some maple syrup or agave.
What Could I Add to Roasted Beet Salad?
- Kale and beet salad: Use kale as the leafy green, gently massaging it with a little dressing to help tenderize it.
- Beet quinoa salad: Turn this apple and beet salad into a hearty main with the addition of cooked and cooled quinoa. Other grains like millet, farro, or couscous would work, too.
- Lentil beet salad: Another way to turn this into more of a meal is with protein and fiber-dense canned lentils (green or brown).
- Other fresh fruit: E.g., orange and beet salad (in peeled segments), pear and beet salad, fig and beet salad, pomegranate, berries, etc.
- Butternut and beet salad: The sweet, slightly earthy flavors of roasted butternut squash (or pumpkin/ sweet potato) complement the earthy beet salad well.
- Dried fruit: E.g., dried raisins, golden raisins, or cherries.
- Avocado beet salad: Super creamy with antioxidants and heart-healthy fats.
- Fresh herbs: Like parsley, basil, cilantro, green onion, mint – to garnish.
- Broccoli and beet salad: Add roasted broccoli florets for more flavor and nutrients.
How to Make Roasted Beet Salad
- 1) First, preheat the oven to 450F/230C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- 2) Meanwhile, wash, dry, and cube the beets into 1-inch pieces, then transfer them to a bowl to toss with 2 tbsp olive oil and some salt and pepper.
- 3) Transfer the beets to the prepared tray and bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes or until tender.
If it’s not ready, continue to bake in 5-10 minute increments until tender inside and charred along the edges. When ready, remove them from the oven and leave to cool for around 30 minutes.
- 4) Meanwhile, combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a small jar/bowl and shake or whisk thoroughly. Crumble the tofu into a separate bowl, mix in two tablespoons of the dressing, and set it aside for the flavors to meld/marinate.
- 5) When you’re ready to assemble the vegan beet feta salad, first add the leafy greens, then dice and add half the apple and half the beets, and toss well.
It’s best to dice the apples just before serving, since they brown easily. To avoid premature browning, refer to the FAQs.
- 6) Add the remaining apple and beets to the top, the crumbled tofu ‘feta,’ and an optional sprinkle of pumpkin seeds. Serve and enjoy!
FAQs
Not necessarily. But if you’d prefer to peel the beets, you can easily rub away the peel after it’s roasted.
Yes, absolutely, but we prefer the extra caramelization from roasting them cubed. However, if preferred, wrap them in foil and roast whole for 50-60 minutes.
You can use any pre-cooked beets (steamed, boiled, even pickled) when making this vegan beet salad. Just note that you won’t get the wonderful caramelization and charred flavor of roasting them.
To reduce apple browning, brush them with a little lemon juice or leave them to soak in an acid-water soak (use 1 tbsp acid like lemon juice or vinegar per cup of water) until ready to use.
Pro Recipe Tips
- Cut the beets evenly: To ensure it roasts evenly in the oven. You can also save time by buying it pre-chopped.
- Don’t overcrowd the tray: Otherwise, you won’t get the wonderfully charred, caramelized edges on the roasted beets.
- Be careful what you wear: Beets stain EVERYTHING, so keep that in mind. Wear an apron and clean cutting boards/tools immediately. Wear gloves to avoid staining your hands.
- Leave the beets to cool: If you have the time, roast the beetroot the day before. If not, at least let them cool down for about 30 minutes. This will ensure they don’t wilt the greens.
How to Make Ahead and Store
You can roast and store the beets and dressing separately for 4-5 days in airtight containers in the refrigerator, ready to use as needed.
Once assembled, it’s best to enjoy the apple beet salad immediately. If you’d like to store it, keep the dressing and salad separate in the refrigerator and only add the apple before each serving. That way, you can store it for 2-3 days.
More Vegan Side Salad Recipes
- Wild rice fall salad
- Fall pumpkin salad
- Vegan sweet potato salad
- Strawberry kale salad
- Vegan broccoli salad
- Sesame noodle salad
Or browse through our entire list of budget-friendly vegan salad recipes!
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Vegan Roasted Beet Salad (With ‘Feta’ and Apple)
Ingredients
- 6 medium beets (~2 ½ pounds)
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of black pepper
- 5 ounces of mixed greens
- 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons of water
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup of crumbled super firm tofu
- 1 honeycrisp apple, diced
- ½ cup of roasted pumpkin seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Wash and dry the beets. Cut them into 1-inch cubes. Put the cubed beets in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well and place the beets on the prepared baking sheet. Cover the sheet pan with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then, carefully remove the aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. Test how tender the beats are. If they are still too hard, continue to roast on 10 minute increments until soft and slightly charred. When ready, place the sheet pan on a cooling rack and allow the beats to cool for 30 minutes.
- In a small jar, mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, water, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well and add 2 tablespoons of dressing with the crumbled tofu in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- When ready to assemble the salad, place the mixed greens in a large salad bowl. Dice the apple and put half of the diced apples and half of the roasted beets on top of the greens and toss well. Garnish the salad with the rremainder of the apples, beets, and some of the crumble tofu. Optionally sprinkle the pumpkin seeds and serve.
- Serve with remaining tofu on the side and the dressing on the side to keep the greens fresh and crispy.
Video
Notes
- Cut the beets evenly: To ensure it roasts evenly in the oven. You can also save time by buying it pre-chopped.
- Don’t overcrowd the tray: Otherwise, you won’t get the wonderfully charred, caramelized edges on the roasted beets.
- Be careful what you wear: Beets stain EVERYTHING, so keep that in mind. Wear an apron and clean cutting boards/tools immediately. Wear gloves to avoid staining your hands.
- Leave the beets to cool: If you have the time, roast the beetroot the day before. If not, at least let them cool down for about 30 minutes. This will ensure they don’t wilt the greens.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Yum! Best salad we’ve had in a while 🙂
that’s so awesome to hear! I love how pretty it is!
This roasted beet salad with vegan feta and apple is so hearty and delicious. Love it!
Yesss! Gotta love all of the textures and flavors together!
Delicious roasted beet salad. The red beets give it a pop of festive color and the “feta” a tangy flavor.
Gotta love the pop! So good!
So pretty!