Try this delicious and easy Beetroot and Feta Salad! It’s tossed with walnuts, dates, and fresh herbs, then drizzled in a simple vinaigrette. It’s the perfect side or appetizer for simple weeknight dinners and holidays alike. Make it today in just 10 minutes!
Why It Works
I can’t begin to tell you how much I love this beet salad! The flavors are incredible and perfectly balanced, and it’s a hearty side dish without being overly filling (like my Broccoli Bacon Salad!).
The earthy flavor of the beets is perfectly complimented by the tangy feta cheese. Crunchy walnuts, fresh herbs, sweet dates, and a mild dressing round it out and make this one unforgettable salad. Here’s why you’ll love it!
- Make it under 10 minutes with cooked beets. Simply prep the ingredients and mix them together, and you’re done!
- It’s good for you! Beets are a great source of fiber, folate, manganese, and copper, and they have a lot of other health benefits.
- It’s absolutely delicious. Beets, feta cheese, walnuts, dates, and herbs are an unforgettable combination you’ll make time and time again.
Ingredients
Ingredients Notes:
- Buy pre-cooked beets, make my air fryer roasted beets, or boil the beets until they’re soft.
- Don’t skip the fresh herbs. They brighten the entire dish! The tangy, sweet, and earthy flavors of the salad are enhanced and elevated by the fragrant dill and mint.
- You can substitute red wine vinegar or regular balsamic vinegar for the white balsamic vinegar.
- You can substitute any other kind of nut or seed, like almonds, pepitas, or pecans, for the walnuts.
- You can substitute dried cranberries or golden raisins for the dates.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep the ingredients. Dice the beets, mince the herbs, and chop the walnuts and dates into small pieces.
Step 2: Add all the ingredients to a medium-sized bowl. Toss with the oil and vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Because the feta cheese is fairly salty, you may not need much extra salt. And that’s it!
Serve right away or cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to eat it.
Expert Tips & FAQ
- Make it a more filling vegetarian dish by adding any of the following: 1 cup of cannellini or garbanzo beans, 2 cups of baby spinach, 1 cup of cooked quinoa, or 1 cup of cooked farro.
- Optional: You can serve this warm! If you’re cooking your beets, there’s no need to let them chill! This salad is just as delicious served warm as it is when chilled.
Beet salad goes really nicely with marinated salmon, Rotisserie-style chicken, pork tenderloin, or any holiday main dishes like roasted turkey or prime rib.
Yes! To make beet salad in advance, I recommend tossing the beets with vinegar and oil and allowing the beets to marinate, covered in the refrigerator, for up to a day. Wait until just before serving to toss with the other salad ingredients. This is purely for aesthetic purposes because it will keep the beets from deeply staining the other ingredients.
Store any leftover beet salad covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, per USDA. I do not recommend freezing leftover beet salad.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
I’d love to hear about your experience making this recipe!
Please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom.
Beetroot and Feta Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced cooked beets About 3-4 medium beets
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 4 pitted dates diced
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh mint
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh dill
- 2 Tablespoons vinegar use white balsamic, regular balsamic, or red wine vinegar.
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients. Dice the beets, mince the herbs, and chop the walnuts and dates into small pieces.
- Add all the ingredients to a medium-sized bowl. Toss with the oil and vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Because the feta cheese is fairly salty, you may not need much extra salt. And that's it!Serve right away or cover and refrigerate until you're ready to eat it.
Video
Notes
- Make it a more filling vegetarian dish by adding any of the following: 1 cup of cannellini or garbanzo beans, 2 cups of baby spinach, 1 cup of cooked quinoa, or 1 cup of cooked farro.
- Optional: You can serve it warm! If you’re cooking your beets, there’s no need to let them chill! This salad is just as delicious served warm as it is when chilled.
- To make in advance, toss the beets with vinegar and oil and allow the beets to marinate, covered in the refrigerator, for up to a day. Wait until just before serving to toss with the other salad ingredients.
- Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, per USDA. I do not recommend freezing leftover beet salad.
Ronnie says
I’m going to make this with our Christmas dinner for some vegetarian guests. Would a balsamic glaze work as well versus just the vinegar and oil?
Cook at Home Mom says
Hi Ronnie! Balsamic glaze should work great! I’d still recommend adding a little oil to cut the acid in the vinegar a bit. Enjoy! 🙂 -Laura
Jennifer Freeman Stence says
This is DELCIOUS! Made with small canned beets and substituted fresh parsley for the dill as I did not have any. Absolutely love it. Thank you!
Cook at Home Mom says
Hi Jennifer, I’m so glad you enjoyed the beet salad so much! It’s definitely one of my favorites too. And I love the adjustments you made based on what you had handy! 🙂 -Laura
Elizabeth says
My husband and I are (very) senior, and he is now the chef…so when it does not change the flavor nor the nutrition, we use canned/jarred vegetables, for both the ease and the time savings.
Canned beets are totally wonderful, and a Super Food! As well, if your body deals fine with occasional sugar, about once a week pickled beets are heavenly in salads, or as a stand-alone side.
This recipe is an excellent one, great cold in summer and warm in winter. Beets are an important part of any salad building at our house, and beets with feta…oh, mmm! Thank you, Laura, for your healthy/ yummy recipes.
Cook at Home Mom says
Hi Elizabeth, thank you so much for this lovely feedback. I love that you enjoy canned beets and that they work well in the recipes you enjoy! 🙂 -Laurar