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Feta Walnut Beetroot Salad With Balsamic Vinaigrette

This feta walnut beetroot salad, made with freshly cooked beets, sugar glazed walnuts and delicious homemade balsamic vinaigrette, is so easy to make and so good - with a a perfect combination of flavors.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Cool Time10 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: condiment, Main Course, Salad, Sauces, Side Dish
Cuisine: European, French, German, Greek
Keyword: balsamic vinaigrette, beetroot and feta salad, beetroot feta salad, beetroot feta walnut salad, beetroot walnut feta salad, recipes with boiled beetroots, walnut feta beetroot salad
Servings: 4 Servings
Author: Ester | esterkocht.com

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

  1. The cooking time differs defending on the size of the beetroots.
  2. 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.