Baby Greens with Goat Cheese, Beets and Candied Pecans

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. And see more salad recipes here.

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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