Roasted Beet & Feta Salad
This fresh Roasted Beet & Feta Salad is as simple as can be and extremely healthy too! All it takes are some roasted beets and freshly crumbled feta. The sweet beets are the perfect compliment to the contrasting sharp tang of the feta.
Lately I’ve been harvesting a LOT of beets in the garden. I wilt the greens as a quick side dish for almost any meal and then roast the roots to make this delicious salad. I have a mix of golden beets and traditional red so it makes this salad extra beautiful and vibrant. This Roasted Beet & Feta Salad is one that can be in season for most of the year. I’ve been eating homegrown beets probably since the end of June and still have lots in the garden. Even though I’ve frozen some already, I’m planning to grow a fall crop in my winter harvest garden. With a little protection from a row cover, I should be able to harvest my own fresh beets for most of the winter!
What to I need to make Roasted Beet & Feta Salad
As I mentioned, this is a really simple recipe, so here’s the short and sweet list of ingredients:
Fresh beets: Feel free to use any colour or a blend. I love roasting my golden beets along side the red ones because they come out looking tie-dyed! There are also red and white striped varieties that would look gorgeous in this recipe. If possible, source your beets locally while they are in season. If they come with the greens still attached, use them in salads or wilt them in butter for a delicious side.
Feta cheese is one of my favourite cheeses because it’s sharp and tangy, but is also creamy and melts in your mouth. However, in order for it to have that smooth texture, it has to be freshly crumbled at home. Pre-crumbled feta still tastes good, but the anti-caking agents and mold inhibitors seriously affect the texture. Plus it’s always a good idea to avoid the additives when possible, so opt for a block of feta if you can.
Yep, that’s it! Just two simple, delicious ingredients that work together perfectly.
How to Roast the Perfect Beets
To make perfectly roasted beets, start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees. If your beets still have the greens attached, cut them off, but leave about half an inch of the stems. Keep the greens to use for salads and scrub the beet root thoroughly with a produce brush. Do not peel them yet! Place the beets in a ceramic baking dish. Cover the dish and bake for 30 minutes to an hour, until they are easily pierced with a fork. The baking time will vary greatly based on the size of the beets. If you have a lot of different sized beets, you may need to remove the small ones and let the bigger ones roast a little longer. After the 30 minute mark, keep checking the beets every ten minutes or so.
When they are all tender and cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to remove the skin and tops. They peel very easily after roasting. Then cut the beets into bite sized pieces and transfer to a medium sized bowl and refrigerate until cold.
When the beets are chilled, crumble the feta on top and toss to combine. Serve cold.
I hope you enjoy this Roasted Beet & Feta Salad! Be sure to leave a rating below and let me know what you think in the comments. Happy cooking!
More Recipes to Try
- CURRIED SQUASH & COUSCOUS SALAD
- AVOCADO FETA CHICKPEA SALAD
- GREEK GARDEN QUINOA SALAD
- MEDITERRANEAN QUINOA SALAD & GINGER TAHINI DRESSING
- BLUEBERRY KALE COUSCOUS SALAD
Roasted Beet & Feta Salad
Ingredients
- 5 medium beets any colour
- ¾ cup feta cheese freshly crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Scrub the beets and remove the greens. Do not peel them.
- Place the beets in a ceramic baking dish with a lid and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes to an hour. The baking time is largely dependent on the size of the beets. After 30 minutes, try piercing the beets with a fork. If the fork goes in easily and the beets are tender, remove from oven. If they are still hard, return to oven to continue baking.
- When the beets are fully cooked, remove them from the baking dish and place them on a cooling rack.
- When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins with a paring knife. They should come off very easily.
- Slice the beets into bite-sized pieces and place them in a medium sized bowl. Refrigerate until cool.
- When the beets are cool, add the freshly crumbled feta to the bowl and toss to combine. Serve cold.