This delicious raw beetroot and feta salad with apples is a crisp autumn or winter beet salad with a simple vinaigrette.
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Betsy: I made this a few months ago for a family potluck picnic with ten of us. I used one red beet and three golden blush beets I had on hand. I couldn't have been happier with the finished salad! Not only delicious, but the extra color made it visually beautiful. My chives had browned, so I used a bit of Italian parsley instead.
This simple raw beetroot and feta salad with apples and sunflower seeds is so good you’ll keep making it.
If you haven’t tried raw beetroot, you should! Cooked or roasted beets are great, but raw ones are something special - crisp, refreshing, sweet, and earthy.
This salad is the perfect way to enjoy them. The beets' sweetness pairs beautifully with the apples' tang and the feta's saltiness. Toss in roasted sunflower seeds, and it’s pure heaven.
Check out Beetroot and Feta Salad with Balsamic or Salad a la Russe; they are both prepared with cooked beets.
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What do fresh beets taste like?
Many avoid raw beetroot, fearing the earthy taste they've heard about - some even say beets taste like dirt! They don’t! Once you try them, you’ll love their crisp sweetness.
That "earthy" flavor comes from geosmin, a natural compound produced by soil microbes. It’s the same compound that gives freshly plowed fields their scent and is also found in spinach, lettuce, and mushrooms.
Try these Beetroot Crepes or Pink Beetroot Pasta, too.
Recipe ingredients
For raw beets, you'll need about 12.5 oz/ 350 g, which can be one large beet or 3-4 small ones. It's best to weigh them, but a little more or less is perfectly fine. This Roasted Beetroot with Chickpeas also starts with fresh beets which are then roasted in the oven.
Feta: For the best flavor, use high-quality feta from a block, preferably in brine. Bulgarian, Turkish, or Greek feta are all great options. Feta from a block has a creamier texture and better flavor than pre-crumbled versions.
Apple: One red, crisp apple.
Sunflower seeds add a great crunch to this salad. Be sure to toast them in the pan before sprinkling over the salad. Alternatively, you can use other seeds or nuts like pine nuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, or pumpkin seeds - just toast them in the pan as well.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make raw beetroot salad?
Roast the sunflower seeds: Heat a large non-stick pan on medium heat and roast the seeds for a few minutes until golden and fragrant.
Shake the pan often so that the sunflower seeds can become golden on both sides without burning. Don't leave the pan unattended; stand by and shake it often.
Prepare the beetroots: Wash them to remove any dirt. Peel them with a vegetable peeler. Wear latex gloves if you are worried about staining your skin. Slice them very thinly with a chef's knife. For more accurate slices, use a mandoline. (the Amazon affiliate links open in new tabs). Set aside in a bowl. Keep the beetroot and apple slices separate.
Prepare the apple: Quarter it, remove the core, and cut the quarters into thin slices. Immediately toss them with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice; this will help prevent the apple from getting brown. Set aside.
Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, and sugar. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper.
Assemble the raw beetroot salad with feta: Toss ⅓ of the dressing with the beetroot slices and another ⅓ with the apple slices separately to prevent the apples from turning pink. Arrange everything on a platter, crumble the feta on top, sprinkle with sunflower seeds and chopped chives, and drizzle with the remaining dressing.
Benefits of eating raw beets
Raw beetroot is packed with nutrients like fiber, folate, iron, and vitamin C, making it great for immunity, digestion, and overall health. Low in calories and rich in nitrates, it may aid weight loss, support heart health, and even enhance athletic performance.
Its anti-inflammatory properties, potential mental health benefits, and antioxidants may also help in cancer prevention.
Storage
The raw beet and feta salad is best served immediately.
However, you can refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
Raw Beetroot and Feta Salad
Equipment
- Mandoline or chef's knife
- Serving platter
- Small bowl
- Nonstick pan
Ingredients
Beetroot feta salad:
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
- 12.5 oz beets Note 1
- 1 red crisp apple
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup feta
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil sunflower or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- fine sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Roast the sunflower seeds in a non-stick pan on medium heat until golden. Shake the pan very often. Remove the seeds from the pan immediately and leave to cool on a plate.2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
- Prepare beets: Wash and peel them using a vegetable peeler (Note). Slice the beets very thinly, or use a mandoline for more regular, nicer slices. Place in a bowl. Set aside.12.5 oz beets
- Quarter and core the apple. Slice thinly. Place the slices in another bowl and toss gently with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Set aside.1 red crisp apple + 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Make the dressing: Mix oil, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper to taste.2 tablespoons vegetable oil + 2 tablespoons lemon juice + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar + fine sea salt and black pepper
- Toss the beetroot slices with ⅓ of the dressing. Toss the apple slices with ⅓ of the dressing.
- Assemble beet salad: Arrange beetroot and apple slices on a serving platter. Crumble the feta cheese on top and sprinkle with the sunflower seeds and chives. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve as suggested above.½ cup feta + 1 tablespoon chopped chives
Notes
- How many beets? 12.5 oz/ 350 g can be one large beet or up to four smaller ones.
- Use latex gloves to avoid stains on your hands.
Betsy says
I made this a few month ago for a family potluck picnic with ten of us. I used one red beet and three golden blush beets I had on hand. I couldn't have been happier with the finished salad! Not only delicious, but the extra color made it visually beautiful. My chives had browned, so I used a bit of Italian parsley instead.
This Thanksgiving, no one is likely to eat this at the big dinner, so I'll make this for the next day, where "light fare" will be welcome.
TruthNote: only two in my family will eat beets, at least roasted &/or pickled. This summer, though, I picked up two converts who found this salad was quite tasty. (sigh) -Food by food, expanding the healthy palates of young family.
Adina says
Hi Betsy. It's nice to read your comment. I would love to use different colored beets as well, but they are so difficult to find, your salad must have been gorgeous. I've also managed to convert a friend to eating beets years ago, with another similar raw beet salad. It's funny, we don't often talk about food, but it seems to me like every time she tells me about what she cooked recently, it was something with beets. I have to smile every time. I am still waiting for my kids to start eating beets, though... they are not quite there yet. 🙂
Kelly | Foodtasia says
Oh yum, Adina! I'm so craving this beet salad! Our supermarket always has fresh beets, but I always cook them. I didn't even know they could be eaten raw! I guess I do drink the raw beet juice! This salad looks so delicious and the feta goes so perfectly with the beets!
angiesrecipes says
A perfect Fall salad!
Priya says
I am loving beetroot these days!. beetroot and feta is a new combo to me. Will try this for sure.