This beetroot and sweet potato salad with arugula and goat cheese is perfect for the holidays. It has a nice balance of sweet and savory flavors, and looks so pretty with its jewel toned bites of roasted beets and sweet potatoes. This salad is an easy, delicious way to start off a Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Eve feast.
What to serve with this beetroot and sweet potato salad
If you’re looking for a main course to pair with this salad, try this delicious vegan lemon garlic pasta. It’s easy to make, budget friendly, and perfect for entertaining.
Ingredients and substitutions
Beetroot and sweet potatoes add sweetness, texture, and gorgeous color to this salad. You can substitute butternut squash or acorn squash instead of sweet potatoes if you prefer.
Arugula adds a peppery flavor that balances the sweetness of the dressing and root vegetables nicely. You can substitute baby spinach or any other type of fresh raw greens you like.
Goat cheese adds creaminess, tang, and decadence to this salad which makes it holiday feast-worthy. You can substitute feta, burrata, or vegan cheese if you prefer.
The dressing is a simple mix of apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, fresh chives, maple syrup, and salt and pepper. You can substitute lemon juice instead of vinegar, honey instead of maple syrup, and finely chopped onion or garlic instead of chives. If you do opt to substitute garlic or onions instead of chives, you can reduce the amount to one teaspoon instead of two.
How to make it
Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, then prep the beets and sweet potatoes. Rinse and peel the beets, then chop them before measuring. I opted to leave the peel on the sweet potatoes, but you can peel them before chopping and measuring if you prefer.
Next you’ll line two sheet pans with parchment paper and add the chopped sweet potatoes and one tablespoon of olive oil to one pan. Add the chopped beets and one tablespoon of olive oil to the other pan. Then use your hands or a spoon to mix, making sure that the sweet potatoes and beets are thoroughly coated in oil.
Bake the sweet potatoes and beets for 30 minutes, then stir them in their pans before continuing to bake for an additional 20 minutes or until they’re fork-tender and golden brown around the edges.
To make the dressing, add the extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, finely chopped chives, salt, and pepper to a container with a tight fitting lid. Be sure the lid is closed tightly, then shake well. Alternatively you can add the dressing ingredients to a mixing bowl and use a whisk to mix well but I find it’s quicker and easier to just give it a good shake.
When the beets and sweet potatoes are finished baking, allow them to cool to room temperature before adding them to a large mixing bowl along with the arugula and dressing. Gently toss to ensure everything is well coated in dressing.
Divide the salad evenly onto six plates (you can scale the recipe up if you’re feeding a crowd), then add one heaping tablespoon of goat cheese, broken up into smaller dabs, on top of each serving.
Optional addition
To add an extra layer of flavor and crunch to this beetroot and sweet potato salad, sprinkle a handful of toasted pecans, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds on the individual plates just before serving.
Preparing it in advance
You can prepare the salad dressing and roast the sweet potatoes and beets up to three days in advance. Then all that’s left is to toss and plate the salad, and top with goat cheese immediately before serving.
More salad recipes to try
- This maple vinaigrette is easy to make and delicious tossed with any type of fresh greens.
- This sweet baby kale salad is simple, elegant, and tasty.
- This vegan watermelon salad with cucumber and mint is refreshing and flavorful.
Beetroot and Sweet Potato Salad
Equipment
- Parchment paper
- Sheet pans
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or substitute lemon juice)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or substitute honey)
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped chives (or substitute 1 teaspoon of finely chopped onion or garlic)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For the salad:
- 6 cups arugula
- 3 cups chopped raw sweet potatoes
- 3 cups peeled and chopped raw beets
- 1/2 cup goat cheese (or substitute feta, burrata, or vegan cheese)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
For the dressing:
- Add 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 teaspoons finely chopped chives (or substitute 1 teaspoon of finely chopped onion or garlic), salt, and pepper to a container with a tight fitting lid, then shake well to mix (alternatively you can add the ingredients to a mixing bowl and use a whisk to mix well).
For the salad:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Like two sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Add the chopped sweet potatoes and one tablespoon of olive oil to one of the sheet pans and add the peeled and chopped beets and one tablespoon of olive oil to the other sheet pan.
- Use your hands or a spoon to toss the sweet potatoes with the oil, then do the same with the beets.
- Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, then flip the sweet potatoes and beets in their pans and continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes or until they’re fork-tender and slightly caramelized around the edges.
- Allow the sweet potatoes and beets to cool to room temperature, then add them to a large mixing bowl along with the arugula and salad dressing.
- Mix gently but thoroughly to ensure all the salad components are coated in dressing.
- Divide the salad evenly onto plates, then add one heaping tablespoon of goat cheese, broken up into smaller dabs, on top of the individual salad servings.
Notes
- To add an extra layer of flavor and crunch to this beetroot and sweet potato salad, sprinkle a handful of toasted pecans, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds on top of each individual serving.
Nutrition
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- These slow roasted onions are a delicious side that goes with a wide variety of mains.
- This vegan black bean dip is loaded with flavor and easy to make.