Healthy Beet Salad with Feta Cheese and Walnuts

This beetroot salad with walnuts and feta is a delightful and nutritious dish that combines the earthiness of the beets with the creamy, salty goodness of tangy feta cheese and the texture of crunchy walnuts. You can enjoy it as an excellent light lunch or a great addition to your dinner plate. It goes great when paired with homemade bread or pita chips.

The Beauty of Beets

When it comes to creating a salad that's as visually stunning as it is delicious, beetroot salad with walnuts and feta cheese is a winning combination. In this blog post, I'll explore the world of beetroot salad and show you how to make this delectable dish in your kitchen. Trust me, it is easy-peasy! Whether you want to serve it as a main dish or a great side dish, this delicious, vibrant salad will not disappoint. 

This walnut beetroot feta salad is on the menu in my house very often. There are several variations to make a yummy beet salad. But this one with feta cheese deserves special coverage. It is fresh, delivers a vibrant burst of colors, is full of nutrients, and is very easy to make. What else could you ask for 😏? 

My mom regularly made beet and lemon juice when I was a kid. To be quite honest, I was not very impressed with the taste. But I had to drink it anyway, as she always bragged about the benefits of beets. I was impressed with the rich pink color, though. It took years to learn to love the taste of beets. I can see the same pattern with my kiddos. They are not very impressed with the taste, but I keep offering beets in various forms, hoping they will like them one day. 

Health Benefits of Beets

The benefits of beets are plentiful. Numerous research studies show that beets are good for heart health as they naturally lower blood pressure due to the high nitrate content in the plant. This helps keep the blood pressure in check and thus prevents many diseases we suffer from today due to poor diets, including strokes and heart attacks.

Beets are rich in folate (vitamin B9), which belongs to the B group of vitamins. They are essential in converting the food we eat into energy - or, more scientifically, converting carbohydrates into glucose and energy through glycolysis. A natural vitamin B9 is called folate and is consumed via food; a synthetic form is called folic acid. 

In either case, vitamin B9 is essential for proper brain function and is particularly important in rapidly growing cells and tissues, such as in infants, adolescents, and during pregnancy. So, my mom was right when she forced me to drink beet and lemon juice when I was a kid!

According to USDA, 0.5 cups (85 g) of slices of cooked beets will provide about 17% of the daily recommended value of folate for adults. In addition to folate, other beneficial ingredients come from beets, such as manganese, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, etc.  

Beets Offer Vibrant Color in Food Coloring

The vibrant color of beets comes from the natural pigment called betalain. This pigment gives a nice color, has high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities, and has potential therapeutic application.

Betalains from beets are also widely used as colorants in the food industry. Many years ago, I stopped using store-bought dyes for Easter eggs and instead used natural vegetable dyes. It is as simple as boiling the eggs with beets in the same pot to end up with a nice violet tint.

Ingredients You'll Need in this Beet Salad Recipe

• 1 lb beetroots, roasted or boiled until tender
• ½ cup of walnuts, chopped
• ⅓ cup of crumbled feta cheese - as an alternative, you can add goat cheese. 
• 1-2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar - you can use red wine vinegar instead
• 1 clove of garlic, minced 
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh herbs (such as fresh parsley, fresh mint, or fresh dill) for garnish 

Crafting the Perfect Beetroot Salad

1. Prepare the beetroots: For raw beets, wash them and cut off the beet greens and stems. You can peel them before cooking if you prefer. Then, either roast beets or boil them until they're tender. Roasting at 400°F (200°C) for about 45-60 minutes or boiling for 30-45 minutes should do the trick. To check for doneness, insert a knife or fork into a beetroot; it should go in easily when they're done.
   • Allow the beetroots to cool to room temperature, then peel and cut them into thin slices (please see the video).
   • Or you can buy cooked and peeled beets at the grocery store.
2. Make the balsamic dressing: Whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Adjust the seasoning to your taste.
3. Assemble the salad: Combine the beetroot slices, chopped walnuts, and crumbled creamy feta cheese in a large bowl.
4. Drizzle the salad dressing over the salad and gently toss everything together to ensure the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
5. Garnish with fresh parsley. 
6. Transfer the beetroot salad to a serving dish and serve immediately, or refrigerate it for a little while to allow the flavors to meld. It's a great dish to prepare in advance for gatherings, picnics, or dinner parties.

How to Eat Beet Salad with Feta Cheese

When paired with other tasty ingredients, beets will be an excellent food choice for any occasion, just like this delicious beetroot walnut feta salad. And, if you want to have more protein in your meals, you can always opt out of eating meat and add proteins from plant sources, just like walnuts. 

So, this beetroot feta walnut salad is nutritious enough to be a complete main course due to the powerful protein source of walnuts. Of course, if you still want to eat meat, it could be a great addition to any meat courses. I usually pair my beet salad with feta cheese with homemade bread or pita chips. And both options offer an incredible feeling of satiety. 

The Versatility of Beetroot Salad

This simple beetroot salad is a treat for the senses and a versatile dish. You can customize it to your liking by adding ingredients like baby spinach, romaine lettuce, arugula, other salad greens, or citrus fruits for extra freshness. Some prefer adding honey or maple syrup to the dressing for a hint of sweet flavor. The possibilities are endless, and you can make this salad your own.

So, the next time you're in the mood for a dish that's as impressive on the plate as it is on the palate, give beetroot salad with walnuts and feta a try. Its simple ingredients, vibrant colors, earthy taste, and flavors will make it a standout addition to your culinary repertoire. 

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• Healthy Beet, Carrot, and Apple Salad with Walnuts
• Greek Salad with Heirloom Tomato and Feta Cheese
• Easy Lemon Feta Orzo Salad (Mediterranean Orzo Salad)
• Chicken Caesar Salad (No Anchovies)
• How to Make Easy Best Avocado Spread with Feta

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📖 Recipe