Beets and creamy goat cheese salad with crunchy, sweet pecans with a honey balsamic vinaigrette is like a symphony in your mouth.

Beets and Goat Cheese Salad

I know beets can be polarizing – people seem to either love them or hate them. I, personally, am a fan. If you’re not sure about beets, this Beet and Goat Cheese salad with Candied Pecans over baby greens is a great place to start. Some people say beets taste like dirt but trust me – once you combine them with sweet, crunchy pecans and creamy goat cheese and then drizzle them with a sweet and tangy dressing, you’ll have a different opinion. For another favorite beet recipe, try this Turmeric Braised Chicken with Golden Beets and Leeks.

How to Cook Beets

If you’ve never cooked beets before, you have a few options. Whichever method you choose, you’ll need to prep your beets for cooking. Just cut off any green tops and rinse under water.

• Boil: For this salad, I boiled my beets for 45-50 minutes until tender. 
• Roasted: To oven roast, wrap the beets individually in foil and bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes.
• Instant Pot: Put the beets on top of the steam rack and pour in one cup of water. Cook on manual mode for 20-30 minutes for larger beets, quick release.

Cook times all depend on the size of the beets. To check that they’re done, pierce them with a knife or skewer. If it goes through easily, the beets are ready.

Once cool enough to handle, peel the skins off by rubbing a paper towel over them. Be careful – beets stain very easily! You may want to wear an apron while peeling and cutting beets.

Beet Salad Variations:

• If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, swap it with feta.
• If you can’t find candied pecans at the supermarket, you can make them at home.
• Use walnuts instead of pecans.
• Sub baby greens for arugula. 
• Use a mix of red and golden beets to make the salad even more colorful.

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