Why You Will Love This Salad?
You will love this beet salad with feta because it is simply delicious and so easy to make! Flavors of fluffy quinoa, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and more are mixed to create the best flavor combinations! This recipe is great for putting on the brunch, lunch, or dinner table during the holidays! Enjoy this beetroot and feta salad with balsamic dressing for Christmas, New Year’s Day, and many other special occasions. I love how versatile this salad is! If you don’t have any baby beets handy, then you can easily use regular beets. So easy! Great for meal prepping and midweek lunches at home or work. Make this salad ahead of time to make sure you have a couple meals covered–it keeps three to four days in the refrigerator! Healthy, vegetarian, and made with fresh ingredients that you will feel good about! This beetroot salad with feta cheese is gluten-free and a great option for whenever you are trying to eat more veggies and grains.
Ingredients
For the Salad
Beets – I like to use both red and golden beets for this salad for extra color and variation. Make sure the beets are peeled and diced after you cook them.Quinoa – Use cooked or leftover quinoa for this salad. Make your quinoa in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop.Feta – Feta cheese cubes give this salad the slight tanginess it needs which tastes wonderful with the rich beets. Instead of cubes you can use crumbled feta.Cranberries – Dried cranberries provide some sweetness to this beet salad with feta. You can also purple or golden raisins instead of dried cranberries.Microgreens – You can use any kind of microgreens. The microgreens can typically be found in the produce section next to the herbs and leafy greens. Feel free to swap microgreens with fresh parsley, cilantro, peppery rocket leaves, or fresh dill.Pumpkin Seeds – Also known as pepitas, pumpkin seeds provide some nuttiness to the salad and gives it extra nutrition. You can also roast the seeds.
The Dressing
Olive Oil – I like to use a nice extra virgin olive oil because of its pure flavor. It is worth it to use a nice brand of oil for this dressing.Balsamic Vinegar – Bright balsamic vinegar is the key ingredient to the dressing. You can also experiment with red wine vinegar. Apple Cider Vinegar – Apple cider vinegar adds more tanginess to the dressing and gives it plenty of flavor. Maple Syrup – You can use either maple syrup or honey as the sweetener. You will want a little bit of sweetness to go with the tangy flavors. Dijon Mustard – Just a little bit of Dijon mustard is used to enrich the flavors and make it a little creamy. Salt and Pepper – This dressing doesn’t need much–just a little salt and pepper. Season to your preference.
How to Make Beets Salad with Feta Cheese?
Serve this salad as a side dish or the main course any day of the week. The leftovers are delicious and a great way to have some meals prepared! First, in a small bowl, combine the oil, vinegars, sweetener, mustard, salt, and pepper with a whisk. Whisk until it is fully mixed and place in the refrigerator until ready to use. Next, clean and rinse the beets with water and place them in a large pot to boil with water for 45 to 50 minutes until you can easily pierce them with a fork. Rub the beets under cool running water to remove the skins. Cut the beets into quarters if using baby beets or dice them into ½-1 inch cubes and place them into a large bowl. Add the cooked quinoa, feta cubes, and cranberries to the bowl with the cooked beets. Be sure to save some red and golden beets separately for the top. Drizzle the salad with the chilled dressing and gently toss it together. Top the salad with microgreens and pumpkin seeds. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
You can boil, steam, roast or even pressure cook beets on high pressure in the Instant Pot.Using a pair of gloves while peeling the cooked beets will be faster and will also keep your hands from the red beet stains. You can also go for store-bought cooked beets when in short of time.The golden beets and feta cheese stain with deep colors when tossed with the red beets. Be sure to save some cheese and golden beets for a nice display. To make it vegan, swap feta with suitable vegan cheese options.
Serving Ideas and Storage
Serve this salad with your favorite proteins such as fish, chicken, beef, lamb, and more. This beetroot salad with feta is a great appetizer before main course, soups and lunches. Some toasted sourdough on side works great. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Other Delicious Salad Recipes
Warm Roasted Purple Potato SaladMarinated Tomatoes SaladWatermelon Feta SaladWinter Fruit SaladHealthy Onion Cucumber Tomato Salad
If you made this recipe for my Simple Beetroot Salad with Feta and Quinoa please be sure to rate and review it below! If you’d like more deliciously easy recipe inspiration, follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or YouTube. You can also get all of my newest content delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for my email newsletter.
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