Roasted Beet Salad Recipe

Preheat and prepare beets

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim beet greens close to the crown (reserve greens for another use) and scrub beets well to remove dirt. Do not peel yet.

Roast beets

Toss whole beets with 1.5 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Wrap each beet loosely in aluminum foil (or place in a covered baking dish) and place on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake until tender

Roast in the preheated oven for 45–60 minutes depending on size, until a paring knife or skewer slides easily into the center. Check at 40 minutes for medium beets.

Cool and peel

Remove beets from oven and unwrap. Let cool 10–15 minutes until cool enough to handle. Wearing gloves or using paper towels, rub skins off with your hands or a paring knife. Slice beets into 1/4-inch (6 mm) wedges or rounds; keep warm or refrigerate if making ahead.

In a small bowl or jar, combine 3 tbs champagne vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey and 1 tbs finely minced shallot. Whisk together until smooth.

Slowly drizzle in 6 tbs extra-virgin olive oil while whisking (or add oil to jar and shake vigorously) to emulsify. Season with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust acid, salt, or honey to balance. Refrigerate up to 3 days; bring to room temperature and re-emulsify before using.

If beets were chilled, bring them to room temperature or warm slightly in a low oven (250°F / 120°C) for 5–8 minutes. Place 5 cups mixed salad greens in a large bowl.

Add sliced radishes (6), toasted walnuts (1/2 cup) and 3/4 of the sliced roasted beets to the greens. Crumble or thinly slice 150 g smoked Gouda and add half to the salad bowl, reserving the rest for garnish.

Drizzle about half of the champagne vinaigrette over the salad (start with ~2–3 tbs), then toss gently to coat. Taste and add more vinaigrette as desired — you may use all remaining vinaigrette.

Transfer salad to serving plates or a platter. Arrange reserved beet slices and the remaining smoked Gouda on top for visual contrast. Finish with an extra sprinkle of toasted nuts and a grind of black pepper.

Serve immediately. Leftover dressed salad is best consumed within a few hours; keep vinaigrette separate if planning to store for longer.