gluten-free | dairy-free
This gluten-free roasted beet salad layers sweet roasted beets over peppery arugula with toasted walnuts, crumbled blue cheese, and a honey-balsamic vinaigrette—the dish that turned a lifelong beet-hater into a beet lover. Note: the blue cheese (we use a sheep’s-milk Roquefort) means this one isn’t dairy-free as written; leave the cheese off and it’s naturally dairy-free.
Since childhood, Rich has always hated beets, and I have loved them. Neither of us like the fact that we hate any food or ingredient, but sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we still end up hating certain foods.
When we discovered a trio of fresh beets at the Boyne City Farmers Market, Rich was open to the idea of trying beets again. I was thrilled and had to come up with a recipe so good, it would turn Rich into a beet lover. Well, I would have been happy if he just liked them.
We had a trio of beets: red, yellow, and candy-striped, each bringing a slightly different flavor. The yellow beets were the mildest, and we both predicted, if he did end up liking beets, it would be the yellow ones.
Although I am dairy-free, I can tolerate sheep and goat-based cheeses. I don’t eat them very often, but absolutely love it when I get to indulge in a delicious cheese. For this recipe, I chose a sheep-based Roquefort, really the only Bleu cheese I have found that is not cow-based.
Recipe notes
Any beet variety will work in this recipe. We loved combining the three, which gave the dish great color and a variety of beet flavors.
Depending on your oven, the beets may take less or more than an hour to roast. Make sure to check them as they roast.
We chose to cut the beets into chunks, but you can also slice them for your salad.
Any Bleu cheese will work in this recipe: Danish Bleu, Gorgonzola, Roquefort. Or, you can also use plain or flavored crumbled goat cheese.
- We loved the flavor the arugula brought to this salad and you can use your favorite greens if you prefer.
We used a “high-end” olive oil and balsamic for the vinaigrette, but your everyday versions will work just fine. Using our “good” ingredients made me remember we had them and reminded me to use them more often, especially when they are one of the stars of the dish.
Now, go eat something amazing!
Gluten-Free Roasted Beet Salad with Blue Cheese & Walnuts
The Ingredients
For the Beets
- 9 medium beets, red, yellow, candy-striped or all three
- 9 sprigs thyme, fresh
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper
For the Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp honey
For the Salad
- 6 oz Roquefort cheese, or Bleu, Gorganzola, or goat cheese
- 10 oz arugula, 2 packages
- 5 oz walnut, pieces
- Maldon sea salt, optional
The Process
Roast the Beets
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Create three sheets of foil, one for every three beets, and large enough the encompass the beets and seal at the top.
- Trim the tops and bottoms from each beet and place on a sheet of foil.
- For each beet, drizzle olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add a sprig of thyme. Then, wrap the foil upward towards the top of each beet and seal completely, yet loosely.
- Place in a 400-degree oven and roast until tender, about 60 minutes. Test the beet doneness by poking one with a skewer. The skewer should be able to slide through the beet somewhat easily.
- Remove the beets from the oven. Open each beet foil pack and let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Using a paper towel, rub the skins off each beet. Cut the beets into bite-sized pieces (can be larger pieces or smaller pieces, whichever you prefer) and add them to a mixing bowl.
Make the Vinaigrette and Toast the Walnuts
- While the beets are roasting, combine all the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl and mix to combine.
- Also, add the walnuts to a small skillet and heat on medium to toast. They are done as soon as you smell them. Watch them closely; they will burn quickly if left on too long. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Prep the cheese, by crumbling it into a small bowl.
Make the Salad
- Add arugula to each salad plate/bowl and top with beets. Drizzle vinaigrette over, add crumbled Roquefort and toasted walnuts. Add some flakes of Maldon sea salt if desired. Enjoy!!