This feta walnut beetroot salad, made with freshly cooked beets, sugar glazed walnuts and delicious homemade balsamic vinaigrette and finished off with fresh basil, is so easy to make and so good – with a a perfect combination of flavors.
Makes a perfect appetizer or main dish served with Turkish flatbread, Italian flatbread or fresh herb bread.
This beetroot and feta salad is my go to recipe for family gatherings. It is delicious (even those who don’t like beets love it), easy to make and easily adjustable. You can
- use the dressing to make other salads as well.
- prepare the beetroots and the dressing a day or two ahead of time and store in the fridge.
- use store-bought cooked/ roasted beetroots if you decide to make this salad on the last minute.
- Instead of using walnuts, you can substitute them with pine nuts, pistachios or almonds.
Why is this salad good for you
Beetroots also known as beets are regarded as the “new,, superfood for athletes. They are loaded with vitamins, iron and antioxidants. Studies had shown that beetroots boost energy levels, help treat anemia, reduce blood pressure and increase blood flow.
Ingredients used to make this recipe
For the beet feta walnut salad
- 500 g (17.6 oz) raw beetroots
- 200 g (7.1 oz) good quality feta cheese
- salt and a pinch of caraway seeds (to remove the beetroots earthy taste (OPTIONAL))
- fresh basil leaves for garnish
For the balsamic dressing
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 6 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar/ honey/ maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon mustard
Ingredients for sugar glazed walnuts
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- a pinch of salt
- a handful walnuts
How to make feta beetroot salad
Begin by cooking beetroots. Just wash the beetroots very well, put them in the pot and fill it with water such that the beets are under water. Add salt and a pinch of caraway seeds.
Cover and cook at medium heat for about 30 minutes or until soft. The cooking time differs defending on the size of the beetroots.
To check if the beets are soft, you can either insert a fork or a toothpick into one of the beets, to test if they are done. If the fork or toothpick goes easily into the beet, then it’s done, if you need some effort to put it in, then it’s not.
Remove the beets from the pot and let the beets cool down for about 10 minutes.
In the meantime cut feta cheese into cubes and sugar glaze the walnuts. Since I didn’t have cracked walnuts, I had to crack them myself using a meat tenderizer hammer.
To glaze the walnuts simply take a non – stick pan, add walnuts, water, sugar and a pinch of salt and heat over medium heat.
Keep stirring for about 3 minutes until all the water has evaporated and the nuts are all coated with a thin layer of sugar. Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the nuts to a parchment paper and let cool.
Make the balsamic vinaigrette and assemble the salad
In a cup or jar with a tight fitting lid mix the balsamic vinegar, salt and sugar and whisk or shake until the sugar has dissolved. Add mustard and then oil and mix well. Season with freshly ground pepper.
Using a knife peel the beetroots and cut them into slices. Arrange the beetroot slices on a large plate or platter.
Drizzle the dressing over the beetroots. Then layer with feta cubes and sprinkle with fresh basil and sugar glazed walnuts.
Everyone can just take salad from the platter to their plates. Enjoy!
Feta Walnut Beetroot Salad With Balsamic Vinaigrette
Equipment
- Non – stick pan
- Medium pot
- Cutting board
- glass or jar with a tight fitting lid
- Platter
Ingredients
For the salad
- 500 g (17.6 oz) r beetroots
- 200 g (7.1 oz) feta cheese
- salt and caraway seed to remove the beetroots earthy taste (OPTIONAL)
- fresh basil leaves for garnish
For the salad dressing
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar honey or maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 6 tablespoons sunflower oil
- freshly ground pepper to taste
For sugar glazed walnuts
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- a pinch of salt
- a handful walnuts
Instructions
- Wash the beetroots very well, put them in the pot and fill the pot with water such that the beets are under water. Add salt and a pinch of caraway seeds. Cover and cook at medium heat for about 30 minutes or until soft. (SEE NOTE 1 & 2). Remove the beets from the pot and let them cool down for about 10 minutes.
- In the mean time cut feta cheese into cubes and sugar glaze the walnuts. Simply take a non – stick pan, add walnuts, water, sugar and a pinch of salt and heat over medium heat.
- Keep stirring for about 3 minutes until all the water has evaporated and the nuts are all coated with a thin layer of sugar. Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the nuts to a parchment paper and let cool.
- To make the dressing simply mix balsamic vinegar, salt and sugar/ honey in a glass or jar with a tight fitting lid. Whisk or shake until the sugar has dissolved. Add mustard and then oil and mix well. Then season with freshly ground pepper.
- Using a knife peel the beetroots and cut them into slices. Arrange the beetroot slices on a large plate or platter. Divide salad dressing all over the beetroots. Then layer with feta cubes and scatter the fresh basil leaves and sugar roasted walnuts on top. Everyone can just take salad from the plate to their plates.
Notes
- The cooking time differs defending on the size of the beetroots.
- How to check if the beets are soft: You can either insert a fork or a toothpick into one of the beets, to test if they are done. If the fork or toothpick goes easily into the beet, then it’s done, if you need some effort to put it in, then it’s not.
Did you make this beetroot feta walnut salad recipe? I’d love to hear from you! Simply write a review and add rating to it.