Beet Salad With Spinach and Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 07/12/21
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 70 mins
Roasting Beets: 60 mins
Total: 2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

This beet salad is a combination of beets, spinach, and bacon along with pecans or walnuts. For a heartier salad, add some shredded or crumbled cheese. Swiss, cheddar, feta, or goat cheese are all good choices.

The beets may be boiled or roasted in the oven or slow cooker.

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Ingredients

For the Salad

  • Pecan halves, or walnuts, toasted, optional

  • 2 to 3 slices bacon, diced, or 3 ounces diced pancetta

  • 1 pound beets, cooked, peeled, and diced

  • 4 cups spinach

  • 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced

  • Shredded cheese, or crumbled goat cheese or feta, optional

For the Dressing

  • 1 clove garlic, crushed and minced

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon  Dijon mustard, or a similar gourmet mustard

  • 4 tablespoons honey

  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

  • 2/3 cup olive oil

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Beet Salad recipe ingredients
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  2. Arrange the pecans or walnuts in a dry skillet and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly until the nuts are lightly browned and aromatic.

    Beet Salad recipe
     The Spruce

  3. In a skillet over medium heat, fry the diced bacon until crisp or fry the pancetta until browned.

    Beet Salad recipe
    The Spruce

  4. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

    Beet Salad recipe
    The Spruce

  5. Dice the bacon and set aside.

    Beet Salad recipe
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  6. Arrange spinach leaves on 4 salad plates. Top with diced beets, diced bacon or pancetta, red onion, and pecans or walnuts. If desired, top with cheese.

    Beet Salad recipe
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  7. In a bowl or blender, combine the garlic, salt, pepper, mustard, honey, and balsamic vinegar. Whisk or blend in the olive oil in a steady stream.

    Beet Salad recipe
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  8. Drizzle the dressing over the salad or serve on the side.

    Beet Salad recipe
     The Spruce

  9. Enjoy!

Tips

Boiled Beets: To boil beets, first start by washing and trimming the beets, leaving about 2 inches of the stem and root ends. Place the beets in a large saucepan and cover with salted water (about 1 teaspoon of salt per quart). Add a few teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice to the water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for about 40 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the beets.

Roasted Beets: To roast beets, first wash the beets and trim, leaving an inch or two on the stem and root ends. Rub the beets with a little vegetable oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper; wrap in foil and bake at 375 F for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. The time varies depending on the size of the beets. You can also roast the beets in the slow cooker.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
362 Calories
27g Fat
27g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 362
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 34%
Saturated Fat 4g 21%
Cholesterol 6mg 2%
Sodium 487mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 5g 17%
Total Sugars 21g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 15mg 76%
Calcium 186mg 14%
Iron 5mg 29%
Potassium 864mg 18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)