Description
A vibrant and refreshing Beet Salad featuring tender baby spinach and mixed greens, sweet roasted beets, crunchy pine nuts, creamy goat cheese, and jewel-like pomegranate seeds, all tossed in a bright, tangy citrus-balsamic dressing. Perfect as a light lunch or a colorful side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 6 oz baby spinach (fresh)
- 6 oz mixed greens
- 3 beets (cooked and diced into 1-inch cubes)
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup goat cheese (crumbled)
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: In a medium-size bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, freshly squeezed orange juice, lemon juice, honey (or maple syrup), salt, and ground black pepper. Whisk thoroughly until the dressing is well emulsified and smooth.
- Store Dressing if Needed: If not using immediately, pour the dressing into a mason jar, seal it, and refrigerate. Shake well before use to remix ingredients.
- Assemble the Salad: On a serving plate or bowl, place the fresh baby spinach and mixed greens as the base. Scatter the cooked and diced beets evenly over the greens. Sprinkle the pine nuts, crumbled goat cheese, and pomegranate seeds on top.
- Toss and Serve: Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients. Gently toss everything together to evenly coat the greens and toppings with dressing. Serve immediately to enjoy the fresh flavors.
Notes
- You can roast the beets yourself by wrapping them in foil and baking at 400°F (200°C) for about 45-60 minutes until tender, or buy pre-cooked beets for convenience.
- Maple syrup is a great vegan alternative to honey in the dressing.
- For added crunch, lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown and fragrant.
- This salad is best served fresh but the dressing can be stored for up to a week in the refrigerator.
- To make this salad nut-free, substitute pine nuts with roasted pumpkin seeds.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes (beets pre-cooked or purchased cooked)
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: beet salad, spinach salad, healthy salad, goat cheese salad, pomegranate salad, easy salad recipe, vegetarian salad
