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This Beet Salad with Feta is a unique cold salad that combines salty feta, earthy beets, citrus juice, and crunchy pistachios. There are 279 calories per serving, along with 7 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.
Quick Summary: Beet Salad with Feta
- Why Make This Recipe: This cold beet salad with feta cheese offers a variety of flavors and textures, from crunchy nuts to soft, salty cheese and bright citrus juice, all working in harmony with fiber-rich beets.
- Nutrition: 279 calories, 7 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, Low-Calorie
- Time: 15 Minutes
- Method: Assembly
- Best for: Side Dish, Meal Prep
- Tip: You can cook the beets for this recipe or use canned or precooked beets from the grocery store.
This beet salad with feta and pistachios is a unique side dish that pairs well with holiday meals, warm weather picnics, or just a simple meal at home. It’s great for storing or transporting because there’s no lettuce that becomes soggy or wilts. Pair it with a roasted protein for a full meal or bring it to your next potluck.
If you like easy beet recipes, you will love my beet hummus and fudgy beet brownies!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for People Who Don’t Love Beets: Even if you don’t love beets, this salad combines them with such a variety of flavors and textures that the earthiness is toned down.
- Ready in Only 15 Minutes: It only takes 15 minutes to toss all the ingredients together, so it’s a great side when you’re busy cooking other things.
- No Lettuce: There is no lettuce in this salad, so it won’t wilt or turn soggy from the vinegar and citrus juice.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Red & Golden Beets: Use a combination of cooked red and golden beets because golden beets are sweeter with less of an earthy flavor. The use of both balances the flavors to make it more appealing to people who don’t like beets.
- Red Wine Vinegar: This vinegar is bold with a sharp tang that pairs well with citrus, beets, and feta. You could also use apple cider vinegar, which is sweeter and fruity, or crisp champagne vinegar instead.
- Orange Juice & Zest: Use fresh orange juice for a burst of citrus and acidity, along with orange zest, which will add the bold orange flavor.
- Craisins: These sweetened dried cranberries add a chewy texture and pops of sweetness to the beet salad. They do have added sugar, so if you want to reduce the amount of sugar, use unsweetened dried cranberries or half the amount of craisins.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro, without stems, adds a fresh and bright herby flavor to the salads. If you don’t like cilantro, you can use parsley or mint instead.
- Pistachios: Shelled pistachios add a crunch and a nutty flavor. Feel free to use almonds, walnuts, or pecans instead. You can use salted or unsalted nuts depending on your preference.
- Feta Cheese: It’s best to buy a block of feta cheese and crumble it yourself. Not only is it less expensive, but the cheese is creamier and has a better flavor.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations & Dietary Modifications
- Lighten It Up: Decrease the calories in this beet salad recipe by using half the amount of craisins and only 2 tablespoons of oil.
- Try It with Pomegranate Arils: If you don’t want any of the added sugar of craisins, use pomegranate arils instead for a similar bright, sweet flavor, but slightly different texture.
- Add Protein: Make this salad a meal by adding protein right into the salad. You can use cold Instant Pot shredded chicken or keep the dish vegetarian and add chickpeas as the protein.
- Make It Vegan: Use a dairy-free feta cheese or nutritional yeast to make this salad vegan.
How to Make Beet Salad with Feta
This cold beet salad with feta is easy to assemble, so long as your beets are already cooked. You can cook them yourself, or use precooked or canned beets. Toss everything together, and you have a delicious salad to serve with dinner or take to your next potluck.
- Step 1: Chop Beets. Dice the cooked and skinned red and golden beets into ½-inch cubes and place them into a large mixing bowl.
- Step 2: Add ½ of the Ingredients. Add the red onion, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, fresh orange juice, orange zest, craisins, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Toss to coat the beets with the liquids and seasonings and to disperse the onions and craisins throughout the salad.
- Step 3: Add the Remaining Ingredients. Right before serving, add the cilantro, pistachios, and feta cheese crumbles. Toss the salad again and taste to make seasoning adjustments.
- Step 4: Transfer and Garnish. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl or large platter and garnish with more feta, pistachios, and cilantro.
Expert Tips
- How to Cook Beets: If you don’t want to use precooked beets, you can cook them yourself. Boil whole beets for 20-50 minutes, depending on the size of the beet, until they are fork-tender. Then place them in cold water so you can easily remove the skins. You can also roast them, covered in foil, in a 425°F oven for 45–60 minutes.
- Red Beets Stain, Store Separately: Red beets are notorious for staining things red. If you plan on making this salad in advance and storing it, store the red beets separately so they don’t stain everything else. Toss them together with the other ingredients when you’re ready to serve the salad.
- Storage Directions: Keep leftover beet and feta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. You cannot freeze this salad without ruining the texture.
Serving Suggestions
Beet salad with feta and pistachios is a unique but simple side dish that works for both casual and elegant events. You can make it for your next backyard cookout, or a dinner at home, or share it with your family and friends at the holidays.
The flavor pairs with many protein dishes and stands by itself as well. Everyone will request this side dish again and again.
- Pair your cold beet salad with simple but delicious chicken dishes, like these healthy lemon garlic chicken thighs or everything bagel chicken breasts.
- The ingredients in this beet and feta salad also pair well with seafood and fish like this mustard salmon in the air fryer.
- If you want to make this beet salad with feta for the holidays, keep the meal simple and make an Instant Pot turkey breast to go with it.
Beet Salad with Feta Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can save yourself prep time by using canned or precooked beets. Just be sure to drain them and pat away any excess moisture.
Pairing beets with sweet or acidic ingredients helps mask and complement the earthy taste of the beets. The red wine vinegar, orange juice, garlic, and feta cheese in this salad all help reduce that earthy flavor.
Sharp, pungent cheeses pair best with beets. This salad uses feta cheese, but you could also use goat cheese or blue cheese.
More Delicious Root Vegetable Recipes
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Beet Salad With Feta
Ingredients
- ¾ pound Red Beet, cooked, peeled and diced
- ¾ pound Golden Beet, cooked, peeled and diced
- ⅓ cup Red Onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon Garlic, minced
- ¼ cup Olive Oil, or oil of choice
- 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar, or champagne vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 4 tablespoons Orange Juice from an orange
- Zest of Orange
- ½ cup Craisins
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 1 cup Cilantro, roughly chopped (no stems), or Italian Parsley
- ½ cup Pistachios, roughly chopped
- ¾ cup Feta crumbles
Instructions
- Remove the skin from the beets and dice into 1/2-inch cubes and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the red onion, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, orange juice, zest, craisins, salt and pepper. Mix well with the beets.
- Add the cilantro, pistachios and feta crumbles. Toss again. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
- Serve in a bowl or large platter garnished with more feta, pistachios and cilantro.
Notes
- Boil beets whole for 20-50 minutes until they are fork tender. Place them in cold water so you can easily remove the skins and chill them for the salad.
- Cover beets in foil and roast them in the oven at 425°F for 45–60 minutes. Let them cool completely and chill them before using them in the salad.
- Store the red beets separately from the other ingredients to avoid staining the whole salad red before you’re ready to serve it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
