Roasted Beet & Orange Salad with Feta
This Roasted Beet & Orange Salad with Feta is colourful, fresh and especially pretty on a holiday table. Sweet roasted beets pair with juicy orange, peppery arugula, creamy feta, toasted walnuts and pomegranate for plenty of flavour and texture in every bite.
The dressing keeps things bright rather than overly sweet. Fresh orange juice, balsamic vinegar and Dijon tie everything together without covering up the flavour of the beets.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Beautiful enough for a holiday table
- Sweet, tangy, creamy and crunchy in every bite
- Roasted beets can be prepared ahead
- A fresh contrast to richer holiday dishes
Ingredient Notes
Beets: Roasting concentrates their sweetness and gives them better flavour than boiling. Red beets are beautiful here, but golden beets can also be used.
Orange: Use a sweet, juicy orange and remove as much of the white pith as possible before cutting it into segments.
Arugula: Its peppery flavour balances the sweetness of the beets and orange.
Feta: Crumbled feta adds a salty, creamy contrast.
Walnuts: Toast them briefly before adding them to the salad for better flavour and crunch.
Pomegranate: The arils add freshness, colour and a little tartness without making the salad overly sweet.
How to Make Roasted Beet & Orange Salad with Feta
Roast the Beets: Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Wrap each beet individually in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for about 45–60 minutes, depending on size, until easily pierced with a knife.
Cool and Cut: Let the beets cool until comfortable to handle. Rub or peel away the skins, then cut the beets into bite-size wedges or cubes.
Toast the Walnuts: Add the walnuts to a dry skillet over medium-low heat and toast for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Transfer immediately to a plate.
Prepare the Orange: Peel the orange and remove the white pith. Cut between the membranes to release clean orange segments, or simply slice into bite-size pieces.
Make the Dressing: Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh orange juice, Dijon mustard, salt and black pepper.
Assemble the Salad: Arrange the arugula on a serving platter. Add the roasted beets, orange, feta and pomegranate.
Finish: Drizzle with the orange-balsamic vinaigrette and sprinkle with toasted walnuts. Serve immediately.
Tips
- Roast the beets ahead and refrigerate them until needed.
- Let the beets cool before adding them to the arugula so the greens stay crisp.
- Dress the salad shortly before serving.
- Add the beets last when assembling if you want to minimize their colour transferring onto the feta and orange.
- If your orange is particularly tart, you can add ½ teaspoon honey to the dressing, but taste it first — it usually isn’t necessary.
Make Ahead
The beets can be roasted up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.
The vinaigrette and toasted walnuts can also be prepared ahead. Assemble and dress the salad shortly before serving for the best texture.
You May Also Like
Apple Cranberry Feta Salad with Toasted Pecans – another colourful holiday salad with fruit, feta and toasted nuts.
Korean-Style Beet Salad – a completely different way to turn beets into a bright, flavourful side dish.
Chickpea, Beet & Feta Salad with Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette – a heartier beet salad with chickpeas and a fresh lemon dressing.
Roasted Beet & Orange Salad with Feta
Course: SaladsDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes50
minutes215
kcal1
hour10
minutesA colourful salad with sweet roasted beets, juicy orange, arugula, feta, toasted walnuts and pomegranate with a bright orange-balsamic vinaigrette.
Ingredients
For the salad
3 medium beets, about 500–600 g total
1 large orange
5 cups / about 125 g arugula
100 g feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup / 40 g walnuts
1/3 cup pomegranate arils
For the orange-balsamic vinaigrette
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp honey, optional
Directions
- Roast the Beets: Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Wrap each beet individually in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 45–60 minutes, depending on size, until easily pierced with a knife.
- Cool and Cut: Let the roasted beets cool until comfortable to handle. Remove the skins and cut the beets into bite-size wedges or cubes.
- Toast the Walnuts: Add the walnuts to a dry skillet over medium-low heat and toast for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Transfer immediately to a plate to cool.
- Prepare the Orange: Peel the orange and remove as much white pith as possible. Cut into clean segments or bite-size pieces.
- Make the Dressing: Whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh orange juice, Dijon mustard, salt and black pepper. Taste and add the optional honey only if the dressing needs additional sweetness.
- Assemble the Salad: Arrange the arugula on a serving platter and top with the roasted beets, orange, crumbled feta and pomegranate arils.
- Finish and Serve: Drizzle the orange-balsamic vinaigrette over the salad, sprinkle with toasted walnuts and serve immediately.
Notes
- The roasted beets, vinaigrette and toasted walnuts can all be prepared ahead. Keep them refrigerated or stored separately and assemble the salad shortly before serving so the arugula stays crisp.
