Roasted Beet and Citrus Salad with Feta

Roasted beets, juicy citrus segments, thinly sliced shallot, salty feta, and salad greens come together in this colorful Roasted Beet and Citrus Salad with Feta. The salad is finished with a bright apple cider vinegar and citrus vinaigrette that balances the earthy sweetness of the beets and brings all of the flavors together. This is the kind of salad that looks impressive on the table and is quite simple to make. The beets can be roasted ahead of time, and the vinaigrette takes just a few minutes to shake together. It works especially well as a gorgeous side dish for a holiday meal, dinner party, or a simple weeknight dinner served with grilled chicken or salmon when you want something fresh and colorful on the plate even in the middle of winter!

I've always liked beets. I even liked them when they came straight out of a can, poured into a pretty bowl for a holiday meal. I think my grandmother and I might have been the only two people who ate them back in those days. Thankfully, beet cuisine has come a long way since then. Beet salad, in particular, is so versatile and delicious. And the added advantage? Accessibility! Both beets and citrus are widely available in grocery stores all year, making this bright and colorful salad a can't-miss, even in the dead of winter. The combination of beets and feta cheese might even win over the beet haters in your house. It certainly did in mine (okay, not all of them, but even one was a win).

Recipe at a glance

• What we're making: Roasted beets with salad greens, fresh citrus, shallot, feta, fresh herbs, and a tangy apple cider vinegar vinaigrette.
• Why it works: Roasting concentrates the natural sweetness of the beets, and juicy citrus adds acidity and freshness. Creamy-salty feta and sharp shallot keep the salad from tasting one-note.
• Best citrus to use: A combination of tangerines, oranges, grapefruit, mandarins, blood oranges, or Cara Cara oranges gives you a nice mix of color and flavor. This salad can be a choose-your-own-adventure with whatever citrus is available.
• Make-ahead friendly: Roast the beets and make the vinaigrette up to a few days ahead. Assemble the salad shortly before serving.
• Dietary note: The salad is naturally vegetarian and gluten-free.

Looking for more winter salad recipes? Another winter salad that would go well on your holiday table is my Marinated Italian White Bean Arugula Salad, and it's no-cook! Or this beautiful Butternut Squash Feta Salad with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette. Try my Loaded Chicken Bacon Club Sandwich Salad with Avocado for a full meal!

What makes this Beet & Citrus Salad great?

• There are plenty of beet salads out there, but this combination works because every major ingredient has a job.
• Beets have a deep, earthy sweetness that becomes even more pronounced when they're roasted. That's delicious, but a salad made with only sweet ingredients can feel heavy.
• That's where the citrus comes in. The acidity and juiciness of fresh citrus brighten the roasted beets, while apple cider vinegar gives the vinaigrette enough tang to cut through the sweetness. Feta adds saltiness and creaminess, and thinly sliced shallot (or red onion) gives the salad a little bite.
• The result is a salad with several flavors and textures happening at once: sweet roasted beets, bright citrus, salty feta, crisp onion, and a tangy vinaigrette.
• The key is not to drown those ingredients in dressing. The beets and citrus already bring plenty of flavor, so the vinaigrette should accent them rather than overpower them.

Ingredient Highlights

For the Roasted Beet & Citrus Salad with feta

• Roasted Beets provide earthy sweetness and a tender texture. Use medium-sized red beets or a combination of red and golden beets. Medium beets roast more evenly and are easier to cut into attractive wedges.
• Fresh citrus fruits add brightness, acidity, and juicy bursts of flavor. Use any combination of tangerines, oranges, mandarins, grapefruit, blood oranges, or Cara Cara oranges. I especially like mixing a sweeter citrus with something more tart. You don't need to track down four different types of citrus to make a good salad. Two varieties are plenty, and even one really good orange can work. Here is a helpful article about varieties and how to select citrus.
• Shallot or red onion adds crunch and a little sharpness. Slice it very thinly so it adds flavor without taking over every bite. Shallot has a slightly milder flavor than red onion.
• Feta cheese adds a salty, creamy contrast to the sweet beets and citrus. Block feta that you crumble yourself tends to have better texture than very finely pre-crumbled feta.
• Salad greens provide the base. There are so many soft salad greens that would work in this. Choose your favorites! I like a combination of arugula and dandelion greens for an earthy, slightly bitter combo that is perfect with the sweet components. But baby spinach, spring mix, baby kale, green leaf, Boston, butter lettuce, or bibb are all good options! 
• Fresh herbs can be used but are not mandatory. Fresh parsley or mint works particularly well. Use whichever fits the rest of your meal.
• Apple cider vinegar vinaigrette ties everything together without making the salad overly sweet.
• Optional nuts or seeds add a welcome crunch. Toasted walnuts, pistachios, pecans, pine nuts, or pumpkin seeds (pepitas) are all great on this salad.

For the Apple Cider Vinegar Vinaigrette

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• Fresh lemon (or orange) juice
• Dijon mustard
• Honey or maple syrup
• Garlic
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

The small amount of citrus juice in the dressing reinforces the fresh citrus in the salad, while Dijon helps the vinaigrette emulsify and adds savory depth.

The honey or maple syrup is there for balance, not to turn this into a sweet dressing. Start with a small amount and adjust after tasting.

See the recipe card below for quantities.

Step-by-Step Instructions for RoAsted Beet & Citrus Salad with Feta

1. Step 1: Roast the beets: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the beets well and trim off the leafy tops, leaving the skin on. Place the beets on a piece of aluminum foil inside a rimmed baking sheet or in a baking dish and drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Fold the foil into a tight packet around the beets and roast until a knife slides easily into the center. The exact cooking time depends on the size of your beets. Smaller beets may take around 40 minutes, while larger ones can take an hour or more. Don't rely on the clock alone. The knife test is what matters.

2. Step 2: Cool, peel, slice & chop: Let the roasted beets cool enough to handle. The skins should rub off fairly easily with your fingers or a paper towel. If a stubborn spot doesn't want to cooperate, use a knife. Cut the beets into wedges or bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice shallots or red onion and coarsely chop nuts for garnish. Tip: If you're using red and golden beets, keep them separate while cutting. Red beets will happily turn everything around them pink.

Tips That Make a Difference

• Don't skip roasting the beets: Boiling will cook them, but roasting gives the beets a more concentrated flavor and keeps them from becoming waterlogged.
• Use more than one type of citrus when you can: A mixture of citrus gives the salad more visual appeal and a more interesting flavor. But if you can find only one great variety at the store, that will work beautifully!
  • Try:
    • Naval orange + grapefruit
    • Blood orange + naval orange
    • Cara Cara orange + mandarin
    • Mandrin + tangerine
• Slice the shallot thinly: This is one ingredient where size matters. Thick chunks of raw shallot or red onion can overwhelm the delicate citrus. A very thin slice gives you the flavor and crunch without requiring a glass of water afterward. Soak the slices in a bowl of cold water for ten minutes, then lay them on a towel and blot them dry. This takes some of the sharp, raw onion edge off without cooking it.
• Taste the feta before adding more salt: Feta varies quite a bit in saltiness. Since the vinaigrette contains salt and the feta is naturally salty, taste the finished salad before adding additional seasoning.
• Apple Cider Vinegar Vinaigrette: I like apple cider vinegar here because it has enough acidity to brighten the beets without being quite as sharp as some stronger vinegars. The combination of apple cider vinegar, fresh citrus juice, Dijon, olive oil, and a small amount of honey creates a dressing that is tangy, lightly sweet, and savory.
  • If your citrus is particularly sweet, you may need very little honey.
  • That's one of those places where tasting is more useful than blindly following the measurement.

Substitutions & Variations

Easy Substitutions in Roasted Beet & Citrus Salad

• Beets: Golden beets can replace red beets, or use a combination of both.
• Feta: Goat cheese is an excellent alternative if you prefer a softer, creamier cheese.
• Shallot: Red onion can be used. You could also add shaved fennel to this salad.
• Honey: Maple syrup works well in the vinaigrette.
• Apple cider vinegar: Red wine vinegar can work in a pinch, although the flavor will be slightly sharper and less fruity.
• Fresh herbs: Parsley, mint, or a small amount of fresh dill all work nicely.
• Nuts: Walnuts, pecans, pistachios, or pumpkin seeds can be used depending on what you have.

Variations

• Roasted Beet, Orange, and Goat Cheese Salad: Replace the feta with goat cheese and use sweet oranges for a particularly creamy, bright combination.
• Beet and Citrus Salad with Avocado: Add sliced avocado just before serving. The creamy avocado is especially good with the acidic vinaigrette.
• Make It a Meal: Add grilled chicken, salmon, or another simple protein to turn the salad into a light main course.
• Dairy-Free: Simply leave out the feta or replace it with your favorite dairy-free cheese alternative.
• Gluten-Free: The ingredients in this roasted beet salad are naturally gluten-free, but always check packaged ingredients such as Dijon mustard or prepared toppings if you're cooking for someone with celiac disease or a serious gluten intolerance.

What Can Go Wrong in a Roasted Beet & Citrus Salad?

• My beets are taking forever to roast: They're probably larger than average. Beets vary considerably in size; roasting time can be unpredictable. Test them with a knife rather than assuming they're done because the timer went off. For consistently faster roasting, cut very large beets in half before roasting.
• My salad tastes too sweet: Add more acidity. A small splash of apple cider vinegar or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice can bring the flavors back into balance. You can also add a little more feta or red onion for savory contrast.
• My red beets turned everything pink: That's not really a problem unless you wanted distinctly colored ingredients. If you want to keep the colors separate, use golden beets, roast red and golden beets separately, and assemble the salad without tossing everything together.
• The shallot/red onion is too strong: Slice it more thinly. Use the soaking trick listed above.
• My citrus tastes bitter: The white pith is probably the culprit. Take a little extra care when removing the peel and pith. A sharp knife makes this much easier.

Equipment Needed

You don't need much special equipment for this beet salad recipe.

• Sheet pan or baking dish
• Aluminum foil
• Sharp chef's knife
• Small paring knife
  • A sharp paring knife for segmenting citrus is especially helpful. A dull knife makes the job harder and tends to leave more of the pith behind.
• Cutting board
• Small bowl or jar for vinaigrette
• Large serving platter or shallow bowl

Storage Instructions

Can I make this ahead?

Yes, with a little planning.

The beets can be roasted and refrigerated up to 3 days ahead, and the vinaigrette can be made several days in advance and refrigerated.

The citrus can also be segmented ahead of time and stored in an airtight container, but no more than 24 hours ahead of time, so they don't lose too much texture and juice.

For the best texture, wait to assemble the salad until shortly before serving. Assemble right before serving.

If you're serving this for a holiday meal, doing the beet roasting and vinaigrette the day before makes the final assembly much easier.

Storing Leftover Beet and Citrus Salad

• Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• The citrus and beets will continue to release some liquid as they sit, so the salad won't have quite the same texture as it does when freshly assembled.
• For that reason, if you're intentionally making this ahead, keep the components separate and assemble only what you'll eat.
• I don't recommend freezing this roasted beet & citrus salad. (Or any salad, really.)

For more information about storing leftovers, visit this USAD page.

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