Beet Salad with Spinach, Cashews, and Goat Cheese Recipe

Introduction

This vibrant beet salad with spinach, cashews, and goat cheese is the perfect combination of earthy, sweet, and tangy flavors. It’s a true best beet salad recipe that comes together in just 30 minutes, making it ideal for a quick lunch or an impressive side dish. For more beet inspiration, try the Caramelized Beet & Pear Towers With Feta Snow Recipe or a comforting Root Vegetable Gratin with Sweet Potatoes, Parsnips, and Beets Recipe.

Ingredients

This vibrant beet salad is a symphony of textures and flavors, combining earthy roasted beets, crisp spinach, crunchy cashews, sweet-tart cranberries, and creamy goat cheese, all brought together by a bright honey-lemon dressing.

• 2 beets, cooked and sliced
• 4 oz baby spinach
• 1/2 cup cashews, roasted
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Timing

Prep Time	15 minutes
Cook Time	0 minutes (no cook)
Total Time	15 minutes

Context: This healthy and delicious Beet Salad with Spinach, Cashews, Cranberries, and Goat Cheese is ready in about 15 minutes, which is roughly 20% faster than similar recipes that require roasting beets from scratch.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 — Prepare and Roast the Beets

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Scrub the beets thoroughly, trim the tops, and wrap each one individually in aluminum foil. Place the foil packets on a baking sheet and roast for 45-60 minutes. The beets are done when a fork or knife pierces them easily.

Tip: Wearing kitchen gloves while peeling the warm, roasted beets will prevent your hands from staining.

Step 2 — Make the Honey Lemon Dressing

While the beets roast, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, the juice of one lemon, 1 tablespoon of honey, a pinch of salt, and a few cracks of black pepper.

Taste and adjust the sweetness or acidity to your liking. The dressing should be bright and emulsified, perfectly complementing the earthy beets and creamy goat cheese.

Step 3 — Toast the Cashews

Place a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add the raw cashews and toast for 3-5 minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until they are fragrant and lightly golden. Immediately transfer them to a plate to cool, which prevents burning.

Toasting the cashews unlocks their nutty flavor and adds a wonderful crunch to your healthy beet salad.

Step 4 — Peel and Cube the Beets

Once the beets are cool enough to handle, use the edge of a paper towel or your fingers (with gloves) to rub off the skins. They should slip off easily. Cut the peeled beets into uniform, bite-sized cubes.

For a vibrant presentation, keep the red and golden beet cubes separate until assembly to prevent the red from bleeding onto the other ingredients.

Step 5 — Assemble the Salad Base

In a large serving bowl, add a generous bed of fresh baby spinach leaves. Arrange the cubed beets over the spinach, then sprinkle with the dried cranberries and cooled, toasted cashews.

This layering technique helps distribute the flavors and textures evenly, ensuring every bite is delicious.

Step 6 — Add the Goat Cheese and Dress

Crumble the creamy goat cheese over the assembled salad. Just before serving, give the honey lemon dressing another quick whisk and drizzle it evenly over the top.

Tip: Adding the dressing last-minute keeps the spinach leaves crisp and vibrant, making this the perfect fresh start to kick off the new year.

Step 7 — Toss Gently and Serve

Using salad servers or two large spoons, gently toss the salad to coat everything lightly with the dressing, being careful not to mash the beets or over-mix the delicate spinach.

Serve immediately to enjoy the wonderful contrast of warm beets, cool spinach, tangy cheese, and sweet cranberries in this complete and healthy dish.

Nutritional Information

Calories	~320 kcal
Protein	~9 g
Carbohydrates	~28 g
Fat	~21 g
Fiber	~5 g
Sodium	~180 mg

This vibrant beet salad with spinach, cashews, cranberries, and goat cheese is a nutrient-dense choice, offering a good source of fiber, healthy fats from the olive oil and cashews, and vitamins like Vitamin A, C, and K from the spinach and beets.

Note: Nutritional estimates are based on typical ingredients and serving size; values may vary with specific brands or preparation adjustments.

Healthier Alternatives

This vibrant beet salad with spinach, cashews, cranberries, and goat cheese is wonderfully adaptable. Here are some simple swaps to tailor it to your dietary needs or pantry.

• Swap Goat Cheese for Feta — For a tangier, saltier profile that still pairs beautifully with the sweet beets and honey dressing.
• Use Walnuts or Pecans Instead of Cashews — These nuts offer a richer, earthier flavor and are often more readily available.
• Try Arugula or Mixed Greens for Spinach — Arugula adds a peppery kick, while a spring mix introduces more texture.
• Substitute Dried Cherries or Golden Raisins for Cranberries — Cherries offer a deeper tartness, while golden raisins provide a milder sweetness.
• Opt for Chickpeas or Grilled Chicken for Added Protein — Toss in a can of rinsed chickpeas or sliced grilled chicken breast to make this salad a more substantial main course.
• Choose a Dairy-Free Cheese or Avocado — For a vegan beet salad, use a crumbled plant-based cheese or creamy avocado slices to replace the goat cheese.
• Make a Lower-Carb Version — Simply reduce the amount of dried cranberries and use a sugar-free sweetener in the honey lemon dressing.
• Use Tamari or Coconut Aminos for a Gluten-Free, Low-Sodium Option — A small splash in the dressing adds umami depth with less sodium than standard soy sauce.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve this vibrant Beet Salad with Spinach, Cashews, Cranberries, and Goat Cheese as a stunning centerpiece for a New Year’s Day brunch or a light, healthy lunch to start the year right.
• Pair it with a simple roasted chicken or grilled salmon for a complete, protein-packed dinner that feels both nourishing and celebratory.
• Transform it into a heartier meal by adding a scoop of quinoa or farro directly into the bowl, making the salad more substantial while keeping it delicious.
• For a beautiful holiday or special occasion presentation, arrange the ingredients in concentric circles on a large platter instead of tossing, showcasing all the colorful components.
• Pack individual portions in mason jars for a healthy, make-ahead lunch; layer the dressing first, then beets, grains (if using), spinach, nuts, cranberries, and finally the goat cheese on top to keep everything fresh.
• Offer the honey-lemon-olive oil dressing on the side when serving guests, allowing everyone to add their desired amount to keep the spinach perfectly crisp.
• This salad pairs wonderfully with a crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or a glass of sparkling water with lemon to complement the bright, fresh flavors.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Mistake: Using canned beets, which are often mushy and lack the earthy, sweet flavor of roasted beets. Fix: Roast fresh beets yourself for superior texture and a deeper, caramelized taste that makes this beet salad with spinach truly shine.
• Mistake: Dressing the salad too early, causing the spinach to wilt and become soggy. Fix: Keep the honey lemon olive oil dressing separate and toss it with the spinach and other ingredients just before serving to maintain crisp freshness.
• Mistake: Adding goat cheese while the beets are still warm, which causes it to melt into an unappealing mess. Fix: Ensure all components, especially the roasted beets, are completely cooled before crumbling in the creamy goat cheese.
• Mistake: Using raw, un-toasted cashews, which can taste bland and lack crunch. Fix: Lightly toast the cashews in a dry pan to unlock their nutty flavor and add a satisfying textural contrast to the cranberries.
• Mistake: Creating a dressing that’s too acidic by not balancing the lemon juice properly. Fix: Whisk the lemon juice with honey first before slowly streaming in the olive oil; the honey mellows the sharpness for a perfectly balanced, healthy and delicious dressing.
• Mistake: Chopping ingredients into inconsistent sizes, leading to awkward bites and uneven flavor distribution. Fix: Dice the beets and slice the onions uniformly so every forkful of this celebratory beet salad gets a bit of everything.
• Mistake: Skipping the step to properly dry the spinach after washing, which waters down the dressing. Fix: Use a salad spinner or pat the spinach leaves thoroughly dry to ensure the honey lemon dressing clings perfectly.
• Mistake: Forgetting to season the roasted beets while they are still warm. Fix: Toss the warm, diced beets with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil; this allows them to absorb seasoning deeply, building a flavorful foundation.
• Mistake: Using dried cranberries that are overly hard and chewy. Fix: Plump the cranberries in warm water or a bit of orange juice for 10 minutes before adding them to the salad for a juicier, more luxurious bite.
• Mistake: Serving the salad straight from the fridge, which can mute the flavors and harden the olive oil in the dressing. Fix: Let the assembled beet salad with spinach, cashews, cranberries, and goat cheese sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving to let the flavors fully awaken.

Storing Tips

• Fridge: Store the assembled beet salad with spinach, cashews, cranberries, and goat cheese in an airtight container for up to 2 days. For best quality, keep the honey, lemon, and olive oil dressing separate and toss just before serving to prevent the spinach from wilting.
• Freezer: Freezing is not recommended for this fresh salad. The high water content in the beets and spinach will cause them to become mushy upon thawing, and the goat cheese will lose its creamy texture.
• Reheat: This healthy and delicious beet salad is meant to be served cold. If you have roasted the beets ahead, you can briefly warm them to room temperature, but do not heat the assembled salad as it will wilt the spinach and melt the cheese.

For food safety, always store prepared ingredients at or below 40°F (4°C). Discard any salad that has been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Conclusion

This vibrant Beet Salad with Spinach, Cashews, Cranberries, and Goat Cheese is the perfect healthy and delicious start to your new year. We hope you love it! Give it a try and let us know what you think in the comments. For more festive recipes, check out our Lemon Cupcakes with Fresh Raspberry Buttercream Recipe or Strawberry Red Velvet Cake Recipe. Don’t forget to subscribe for more!

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FAQs

Can I prepare the components of this beet salad ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare most components in advance. Roast the beets and store them separately. Keep the spinach, cashews, cranberries, and goat cheese in individual airtight containers. Assemble the salad and add the honey, lemon, and olive oil dressing just before serving for the best texture and flavor.

What can I use as a substitute for goat cheese in this recipe?

If you prefer a different cheese, feta or blue cheese crumbles make excellent substitutes. For a dairy-free version, a sprinkle of nutritional yeast or a dollop of dairy-free cream cheese can mimic the creamy, tangy element that complements the other ingredients in this beet salad.

Is this beet salad with spinach and goat cheese a complete meal?

This vibrant beet salad is a substantial and nutritious side dish. To make it a complete meal, consider adding a lean protein like grilled chicken, chickpeas, or flaked salmon. The combination of hearty beets, spinach, cashews, and goat cheese already provides a satisfying mix of fiber, healthy fats, and flavor.