Beetroot and Feta Salad (with Balsamic Dressing)

Roasted beetroot and feta salad with balsamic dressing and crunchy pine nuts on top. This vibrant salad is perfect as a light lunch or side dish.

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close up beet and feta salad with balsamic, basil and pine nuts.

This simple beetroot and feta salad is a delight. The beetroot’s earthy and sweet flavor, the creamy and salty feta cheese, and the perfectly balanced dressing will convince you that beets are a vegetable you should eat more often.

An easy recipe made with just a few simple ingredients, a healthy, flexible, and delicious salad that is perfect for any occasion. This beet and feta salad is made with cooked beets, but if you like, you can try this other version – the Raw Beetroot and Feta Salad.

Recipe ingredients

listed ingredients for beet and feta salad with pine nuts and balsamic dressing.

Fresh beets: You will need about 1 lb/ 450 g. I had 3 small-to-medium beets, but their size can differ a lot. A large or extra-large beet can sometimes weigh close to 1 lb.

Feta: My absolute favorite is Turkish feta in brine. 4 or 5 round cheeses are immersed in brine and sold in huge tubes. If you can’t find this sort, rest assured that Greek or Bulgarian feta is also delicious. Use your favorite kind, but never use pre-crumbled feta.
- Sheep, goat, or cow milk feta are all great.
- Check out another favorite vegetable and feta recipe: Shopska Salad.

Pine nuts: They are delicious, and I love their crunchy-creamy texture. However, you can replace them with other nuts or seeds (See below – Substitutions and Additions).

Ingredients for the dressing: Balsamic vinegar (white or red), extra-virgin olive oil, clear honey, fine sea salt or Kosher salt, and ground black pepper.

How to make beetroot feta salad?

Roast beetroots: Wrap beets in foil (1) and roast them on a baking sheet in the oven until fork tender. Let them cool, peel and slice them thinly. Alternatively, boil, steam, or pressure cook the vegetables (See below).

Toast the pine nuts without adding any fat to the pan (2). Transfer them immediately to a plate and let them cool.

Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or a small jar.
Arrange the thin slices on a platter (3). Pour ½ of the dressing evenly on top (4).

collage of two pictures of slicing beets and arranging them on a plate.

Add crumbled feta (5).
Only add the pine nuts and the basil before serving (6).
Serve the beet feta salad with the remaining dressing.

image of two pictures of layering beet slices and feta on a platter.

Substitutions and additions

Substitute red beets with golden beets or any other color you can get.
Substitute feta salad with crumbled goat cheese.
Substitute the pine nuts with other toasted nuts or seeds like crunchy walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, sunflower, or pumpkin seeds.
Add some finely chopped red onion or finely sliced green onions.
Add 1 teaspoon of creamed horseradish to the salad dressing. Or a tiny sprinkle of chili flakes.
Add a finely sliced apple to the salad.
Sprinkle this beautiful salad with pomegranate seeds.
Use other fresh herbs instead of basil, for instance, fresh dill or parsley.
Mix the salad with cooked buckwheat, quinoa, farro, or other grains for a more substantial meal.
Add chopped rocket leaves, baby spinach, or other greens. If you can, buy the beets with their greens on, wash the leaves, chop them and the thin stems, and add them all to the salad. If you decide to add greens, it’s easier to chop the beets into small cubes and toss the salad in a large bowl.

Other ways of cooking beets for this recipe

My preferred method is roasting, but it takes quite a long time. To speed up the process, you can boil, steam, or pressure cook the beets.

Boiling: Wash them well, place them in a pot, cover them with water, and bring them to a boil. Cook them on low heat until fork-tender; depending on their size, it can take anything between 30 minutes and 1 hour.

Steaming: Place them in a steamer basket and steam them between 35 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size. Check if they are tender.

Pressure-cooking: This is the fastest method. Pour one cup of water into the instant pot. Halve very large pieces and place the beets on the rack. Seal the pot, and cook the vegetables under high pressure. Release the pressure naturally.
- Small beets will need about 15-20 minutes, medium ones about 30 minutes, and large ones about 40 minutes.

roated beetroot salad with cheese and nuts close up on a plate.

Expert Tips

The most important tip: Use good quality feta cheese from a block of cheese. Please don’t use pre-crumbled feta for this recipe (or any recipe, actually).
If you use only one huge beet, it’s preferable to cut it into wedges before roasting; otherwise, it will take forever until it gets tender.
Use salt with care; feta cheese is already salty.
Wear gloves when you peel the beets to avoid staining your hands.

Recipe FAQ

How to store raw beets?

Remove the beet greens. If they look fresh and nice, use them and the thin stems for making soup or add them to the salad.
Don’t wash the vegetables before storing them. Keep them in the refrigerator’s vegetable crisper; they will keep for at least two weeks.

Can I use precooked beetroot?

Yes, buy the vacuum-packed ones, don’t use those pickled with vinegar sold in jars.

Are the skins edible?

They are, but I always peel them.

Can I make the salad in advance?

You can cook the beetroot up to 3-4 days in advance. Peel them and keep them refrigerated in an airtight container.

How to store the salad?

Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
The salad is unsuitable for freezing, but you can freeze the cooked beets (without other ingredients or dressing) for up to 3 months.

What to serve the salad with?

This simple beetroot salad with feta and balsamic dressing makes a wonderful light and healthy meal when served on its own with some crusty bread on the side. Try it Spelt Bread – No Rise, No Knead Bread, Easy Yogurt Soda Bread, or Buckwheat Bread.

Serve it as a side dish with Cast-Iron Chicken Breast or Crispy Cast-Iron Chicken Thighs, Spicy Pork Roast, Grilled Chicken Halves, or Pan-Fried Marinated Chicken Breast.

To make the meal vegetarian, serve the beet salad with Butternut Squash Fritters, Oatmeal Patties, or Broccoli and Cauliflower Balls with Cheese.

vintage platter with salad made with roasted beets, feta cheese, and balsamic vinegar.

More beetroot recipes

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