This Roasted Beet and Apple Salad is a favourite at our house. Sweet earthy beets, tart apples, bitter walnuts, lemon, and apple cider vinegar combine all the flavour elements and some nice crunch in this delicious dish. We love this salad all year. But it’s especially welcome during the fall and winter months because apples are newly harvested and the heartier flavour of beets and walnuts make it so satisfying.
About Beets
Beets are a root vegetable that grows well in cooler climates and keeps well in cold storage. Beets contain the highest sugar content of any of the vegetables, so they go well with tart and bitter foods. The blood-red colour of beets is because of betalains, a powerful group of antioxidants. We commonly eat the root, and the leaves and stems are edible, too.
Beets are a versatile ingredient and you can use it in soups, like this Beet Soup – Ukrainian Borscht or you can even make hummus with beets: Roasted Beet Hummus
Why Roast the Beets?
You could boil or steam the beets for this salad (which would no longer be called “roasted beet & apple salad). However, you won’t get the same depth of flavour. Roasting the beets really caramelizes the sugars and brings out the natural sweetness of the beets. Roasting the beets also means that they retain their ruby colour, and all of the nutrients that go with it.
Are Beets Good For You?
You bet beets are good for you! Beets are a rich source of antioxidants, fibre, folate, potassium, B complex vitamins, and minerals, all good for your heart. Walnuts & olive oil are good fats, rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids. Check out the many benefits of eating beets here on Health.com.
So, this roasted beet and apple salad is not only delicious, but it’s also good for you.
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Try Some More Beet Salads
Beets go well with other ingredients is a salad too. They’re great with citrus, like in this Beet Salad with Grapefruit or Beet Pistachio & Orange Salad Or with grains: Wild Rice Roasted Beet Salad.
How To Make Roasted Beet and Apple Salad
Roasted Beets combined with crisp apples and walnuts in a simple cider and lemon vinaigrette. A delicious, healthy and satisfying salad.
Preheat oven to 400°
With cooking spray, lightly spray a piece of foil large enough to loosely wrap quartered beets.
Place beets on the oiled side of the foil, and loosely wrap to make a sealed package.
Put foil-wrapped beets on a baking sheet in the center of the oven and roast 30-45 minutes until tender.
In the last 5 minutes of roasting time, spread walnuts on the baking sheet alongside the roasting beets to toast.
Remove beets and walnuts from the oven, remove beets from foil, and allow to cool.
When beets are cool, slice the quarters into thinner wedges.
Make the dressing, by whisking lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, parsley, and salt together in a bowl.
Add apple slices, beet slices, and walnuts to the bowl and toss with the dressing.
Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve chilled
Beets can be roasted ahead of time, (maybe when you have something else in the oven) cooled and kept in the fridge until ready to make the salad.
Roasted veggies are always tasty and healthy! beautiful pictures 🙂
Thanks so much, Suki! I love roasted veggies, beets in particular.
I have apples and beets in the cold room… and I think I have a few walnuts left from all the Christmas baking… I just decided this will be supper tonight! Roasted beets = YUM !!!
All of my favorite foods in one bowl 🙂 Thanks for sharing Colleen ♥
Hi Maria, Isn’t it the best when you see a recipe and realize that you have all the ingredients? Enjoy 🙂
Ahh the power of beets. They can stain your hands and please your taste buds all at the same time. Love the salad, Colleen! Looks delicious!
Thanks Nicole! Yes they can stain your hands, and cutting boards, too, but beets are worth it 🙂
Roasted beets are the best! I am looking forward to trying this salad, Colleen. The crunch from the apple and walnuts would be lovely with the texture of the beets. Thank you for sharing 🙂 Cheers and happy 2018 to you!
Happy 2018 to you Denise! I hope you enjoy this salad, it’s so good!
I’m obsessed with the colour of this! I need a bowl asap!
Hi Carmy. I love the colour, too. And it’s so delicious 🙂
Great idea for a seasonal salad. I get stuck in a bit of a salad rut this time of year, so am looking forward to trying this. (Plus I always have the ingredients on hand!)
Hi Mary, I know what you mean about the salad rut! 🙂 We need heartier salads at this time of year and this one fits the bill.
Beets and apples are so good together! What a bright looking salad.
Thanks Kimberly! I agree, beets & apples are a perfect pair. ?
What a wonderful and delicious recipe for beets! The National Garden Bureau has designated 2018 as the Year of the Beet and this recipe is one of the reasons why. Beets are a nutritious, easy-to-grow, delicious, power veggie! They can be grown easily by just about anyone in gardens, containers and patio pots. Yum! Looking for more recipes on beets!
Hi Gail, I’m totally on board with 2018 Year of the Beet! You’ll find quite a few beet recipes here because I also grow them and love to cook with them. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
My daughter absolutely loves beets. She loves apples too. I am thinking she would love this recipe. I will have to try making it next week.
Hi Trisha, If your daughter loves beets, and loves apples, too, (I’m with her all the way!), then she is going to LOVE this salad! It’s simply delicious. Enjoy!
Looks delicious! Where did you find those adorable salad bowls?
Hi Nelwyn! Thank you. I have been racking my brain, but honestly can’t remember, because I’ve had these for years, and I’m pretty sure they were a gift. They came with a large salad bowl and a little rack for the individual ones, if that helps. 🙂