Roasted Beet and Kale Salad

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There’s so much to love about this roasted beet salad. Sweet and tender beets, creamy goat cheese, crunchy walnuts, dried cranberries, and hearty kale are all tossed together with an easy balsamic vinaigrette. 

A large bowl of roasted beet salad
Photo by: Gayle McLeod

If you’re looking for a hearty, delicious, and nutritious plant-based salad, look no further than roasted beets as your star ingredient. They’re incredibly easy to prep ahead of time and have so much to give when it comes to nutrients. 

And while there are many different ways to make a roasted beet salad recipe, this one with massaged kale is the recipe I default to every single time. It gives major winter vibes, which is why it’s become a holiday favorite with my family. But honestly, I’ll whip this up any time I can get my hands on fresh beets!

Ingredients for roasted beet salad on a table

Roasted Beet Salad Ingredients

Just a few ingredients go a long way in this salad. Here is what you’ll need. 

  • Leafy Greens: I love to use dinosaur kale as it gives hefty base to this salad. But you could also use spinach, arugula, or spring mixed greens – the choice is yours!
  • Beets: Since you’ll be roasting the beets, grab the freshest bundle of beets you can find. If it’s not really beet season where you are, pre-cooked packaged beets will work just fine. 
  • Balsamic Vinaigrette: There’s just something so magical about how the balsamic flavor pairs with the rest of the ingredients. Plus, it’s so easy to make with my homemade balsamic vinaigrette recipe!
  • Toppings: The toppings are what really elevate this salad. So grab some goat cheese crumbles, chopped walnuts, and dried cranberries.

Helpful tip: If you’ve got leftover beets, save them to make this roasted beet hummus or apple carrot beet smoothie.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below

How To Make Roasted Beet Salad

Prep and roast the beets. Trim about 1 to 2 inches of the stem off the beets, gently wash them, and place them in a small Dutch oven or casserole dish with a lid. Bake them covered for 1 hour at 400°F (200°C). 

Roasted beets in a casserole dish

Slice the beets. Once they’re done roasting, let them cool completely. Slice the rest of the stems off and gently rub off the skins under running water. Then, you’re ready to slice the beets in quarters, or however you’d like to enjoy them in your salad. 

Sliced roasted beets on a chopping board

Toss the salad together. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the kale, sliced beets, cranberries, walnuts, goat cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette! Alternatively, you can toss the kale and beets first with the vinaigrette, then add on the rest of the toppings. 

Drizzling balsamic vinaigrette over a roasted beet salad

Helpful tip: Prevent staining your hands by using gloves or a paper towel when handling the beets! Also, be mindful of the stains on your cutting board – wash it immediately after use.

A serving bowl of roasted beet salad

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

You can keep this salad in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. To prevent it from getting a bit soggy, just leave the balsamic vinaigrette off (which can also be stored for up to one week in the fridge) and add it to individual portions before serving. 

A portion of roasted beet and kale salad on a white plate.

More Healthy Salad Recipes

A hearty bowl of salad always completes the dinner table. So, here are some tasty salad recipe ideas to try next time!

I hope you enjoy this roasted beet salad as much as I do. Hands up for big beet lovers! If you make it, let me know your thoughts in the comment box below.

A large bowl of roasted beet salad next to toppings

Roasted Beet and Kale Salad

5 from 6 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

There's so much to love about this roasted beet salad! Especially the homemade balsamic vinaigrette it's tossed with.

Ingredients 
 

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim the tops off the beets, leaving about 1 to 2 inches of stem, and then gently wash the beets.
    Slicing stems off beets before roasting
  • Place the beets in a small Dutch oven or a casserole dish with a lid. Bake them covered for 1 hour, or until the beets are tender and pierced easily with a fork. Let them cool to the touch.
    Roasting beets in a white casserole dish
  • Slice the remaining stem completely off, then place the beets under running water, and use your fingers to gently rub off the skin. You can use gloves to prevent staining your fingers, or alternatively, you can use a paper towel to remove the skin. Then slice each beet into smaller pieces.
    Sliced roasted beets next to a knife
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the kale, sliced beets, cranberries, walnuts, and goat cheese. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette and toss together.
    Adding balsamic to a roasted beet salad
  • Transfer the salad to a serving bowl, and if you'd like, top it with a little extra sprinkle of goat cheese (as the tossed goat cheese turns pink) or chopped walnuts before serving.
    A large serving bowl of roasted beet salad

Lisa’s Tips

  • If you’d like to soften and reduce the bitterness of kale, make sure to massage it with your hands before adding it to this salad! 

Nutrition

Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 229mg | Potassium: 282mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 2261IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Beet Salad, Kale Salad, Roasted Beet Salad
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

Originally posted August 2015, but updated to include new information and photos.

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

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21 Comments

  1. My beets were too big and ended up taking a very long time to roast (heads up to add extra time if your beets are huge). I did the step of massaging the kale and then quickly toasted the walnuts in a pan to bring out their flavor before adding to the salad. The perfect kale salad recipe!5 stars

  2. I’m assuming the kale is going in uncooked or should I steam a little first.
    Sorry if this seems a silly question.
    Love your recipes and I’m hoping to try this tonight.

  3. Amazing flavour! Made this for a ladies evening supper and everyone enjoyed it. Leftovers for lunch the next day were great too! Good texture and so yummy.5 stars

  4. I was stuck on my lunch routine and needed a change and then I saw this delicious salad. Easy and tasty and also good for meal prep. I prepped the ingredients and combine the salad on the day. I even massaged the kale ;-). Yum! Thank you for the inspiration Lisa.5 stars

  5. so simple yet so healthy, I was never sure how long the beets needed to be roasted in the oven. Thanks for the info!5 stars

  6. Roasted beetroot is so good – I love how the outer caramelises a bit and goes crisp in the corners. It goes perfectly with greens and toasted walnuts – I’m always an advocate of adding goat’s cheese as well! X

  7. Love this salad combination! I eat roasted vegetables year-round (obviously changing the vegetables used, based on season), so this beet salad looks absolutely divine.