Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

 Recipe from: https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/beet-and-goat-cheese-salad/

(I bought Trader Joes pre-cooked beets)

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad brings together caramelized roasted beets, creamy goat cheese, salty roasted pistachios, creamy avocado, and tangy citrus in a simple orange-honey vinaigrette. 

Course lunch

Cuisine American

Keyword Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Prep Time 30 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 6 as a side

Calories 286kcal

Cost $5.88

Ingredients

Salad

• 7 cups (6 ounces; 170g) mixed greens lettuce (I use 50/50 blend spinach and spring mix leaves)
• 1 large avocado
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/3 cup (46g) lightly salted and roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped
• 3-4 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented
• crumbled goat cheese (or feta), add to preference (we add ~1/3 cup (40g))

Roasted Beets

• 2-3 (1 lb 4 oz; 560g) whole beets, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/2-3/4-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Fine sea salt & freshly cracked pepper

Dressing

• 1/4 cup (57g) freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/3 cup (70g) extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon poppyseeds

Instructions

Roast Beets

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large (15x21-inch) sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside. (See Note 1) Remove the tops and stems of the beets and peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut into 1/2-3/4 inch cubes (see photos in the post for tips). Add beet cubes to the prepared sheet pan. Drizzle on 1 tablespoon oil plus salt and pepper to taste (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Toss to coat the beets and spread in an even layer so beets have plenty of room and aren't overlapping. Bake for 15 minutes, remove and toss, and bake for 15 more minutes. If needed, toss again and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until crisp tender (a fork easily pierces through a beet). Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before adding to the salad. If desired, toss hot beets with 1-2 tablespoons of the dressing to help cool them down quicker and and infuse them with more flavor.

Dressing

• While beets are roasting, prepare the dressing. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a mason jar. Close tightly and shake well until combined. Taste and adjust any flavors to personal preference.

Salad Assembly

• Place the lettuce in a large bowl or platter. Peel and segment the oranges; add to salad. Remove the pit and peel of a ripe avocado. Chop into small pieces (or thin slices) and toss with lemon juice. Add to the lettuce.
• Drizzle dressing to preference (you may not want to use all the dressing; leftover dressing will stay good for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge) (See Note 2). Then sprinkle the chopped pistachios and crumbled feta or goat cheese over top. 

Make ahead

• If making this salad ahead of time, keep the lettuce separate, the dressing separate, and all the veggies and toppings separate. Toss all together right before enjoying.