Beet and feta salad with crunchy walnuts is a robust salad with all healthy and colorful elements. This is a fantastic combination of sweet, tangy, salty and crunchy with nutrition packed ingredients. With just a few tweaks, you can easily make this a delicious vegan meal too.
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In my eyes, a salad is the best way to celebrate seasonal produce. Winter, for me, is the season that screams nature and produce. My husband often mocks me for thinking that winter is synonymous to vegetables and fruits.
Loaded with nutrition packed ingredients like pear, beets and walnuts, this salad is a true celebration of winter’s finest.
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Why this recipe is a must-try?
- Uses seasonal produce.
- At best, this is such an easy throw everything together kind of a salad. You don’t have to chop mounds of veggies or fruit.
- Makes for a filling meal when paired with some toast or a smoothie.
- Looks very pretty and is also economical. ( Check tips to make this budget-friendly)
- Naturally gluten-free, you can also make this salad a vegan salad
Ingredients
For this colorful recipe, we will use a simple balsamic dressing along with other fresh components. Here is a quick overview.
- Beets- You can use both red or golden beets for this recipe. Cooking beets in the Instant Pot will help you cut down on the prep time.
- Pears– I love Packham pears. Juicy, firm and just the right amount of sweet, these are perfect for salads.
- Onions- Red onions are best in this salad. Considering that this is a salad that has too many sweet elements, we need the crunch and pungency to balance this.
- Walnuts- Definitely not everyone’s favorite nut but packed with nutrients like copper, folic acid and Vitamin B6, this dish is an amazing stealthy way to get those walnuts in. Other nuts that will work here are pecans and almonds.
- Feta cheese– This is my favorite cheese, ever. Resembling Paneer in texture, this tangy and salty cheese is a fine addition to winter and summer salads, alike.
- Arugula (Rocket)- Crisp, slightly pungent and peppery, these add a beautiful spicy element to this salad. I strongly recommend that you do not use any other salad greens other than these here.
Please refer to our healthy balsamic vinaigrette recipe to know how I make the dressing for this salad.
Nutrition Information
Since we will add feta cheese to this salad, it is not a vegan recipe, originally. However, this salad is naturally gluten-free. It is also free from soy.
Variations
Vegan -friendly
To make this a vegan salad, skip the feta cheese or use vegan feta. Another option is to use silken tofu.
Nut-free
Simply skip the walnuts and add in some roasted chickpeas for the crunch. Delicious twist, this!
Other than this, try one of these to give this dish a refreshing twist, every time you make it-
- Toss in some citrus for some zing. Think mandarin segments or if you are brave enough, add some pomelo. You will need ½ cup of mandarin orange segments for this recipe.
- Keep the dressing simple. Toss all the fresh produce with the cheese and nuts together in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil. Finish with a crack of black pepper and salt.
- Switch the pears with apples. Granny Smith apples are great when paired with beets and other elements here.
- Make it OMEGA rich by including 1 tablespoon each flax seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. Toast the seeds for a pleasant crunch.
- For a different flavor profile, add some shaved fennel here. You will need ¼ cup of shaved fennel for this.
Pro Tips
- Cut down prep time by buying canned beets instead of cooking them from scratch.
- Make this salad budget-friendly- switch the feta to some ricotta or cottage cheese. Skip the walnuts and add some toasted almonds instead.
Recipe Notes
- I do not recommend making this salad ahead of time. Pears discolor, just like apples. For this reason, put this together just before you sit down to eat.
- To cut down on prep and hands on time, you can make the dressing ahead of time and refrigerate.
- Wash the rocket leaves and give them a good spin in the salad spinner. This will help get rid of any remnant moisture. No soggy salad, ever!
- Toast the walnuts until fragrant. Yes, this is an extra step. But toasted walnuts are another level of amaze.
- You can also use our sweet and spicy pecans in this salad instead of walnuts.
Method
Step 1
Make the dressing by following this Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing recipe.
Step 2
Cook the beets in the Instant Pot. Prep the remaining ingredients while the beets get cooked.
When the beets are done, allow them to cool. Chop the cooled beets into 1 inch cubes. Set aside.
Crumble the feta and keep it ready. Core the pears and slice them thinly.
Step 3
Toast the walnuts in a preheated air fryer at 180 C (350 F) for 2 to 3 minutes. Alternatively, you can do this in a preheated cast iron skillet on very low heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 4
Place the rocket, sliced onions, sliced pears, chopped beets, walnuts and feta in a large mixing bowl.
Drizzle ½ cup of the dressing over the assembled ingredients.
Toss together gently using a pair of salad servers.
Dig in.
📖 Recipe
Beet, Feta cheese and Walnut Salad
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Sharp paring knife
- 1 chopping board
Ingredients
- 8 oz Packham pears cored and thinly sliced
- 5 oz fresh rocket leaves (arugula)
- ½ cup Instant Pot beets cooked in the instant pot
- ⅓ cup toasted walnuts
- 2 oz feta crumbled
- ⅓ cup red onions thinly sliced
Dressing
- ½ cup Balsamic Vinaigrette
Instructions
- Make the dressing by following the Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing recipe. Refrigerate till ready to use.
- Cook the beets in the Instant Pot. Prep the remaining ingredients while the beets get cooked.
- When the beets are done, allow them to cool. Chop the cooled beets into 1 inch cubes. Set aside.
- Crumble the feta and keep it ready. Core the pears and slice them thinly.
- Toast the walnuts in a preheated air fryer at 180 C (350 F) for 2 to 3 minutes. Alternatively, you can do this in a preheated cast iron skillet on very low heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Place the rocket, sliced onions, sliced pears, chopped beets, walnuts and feta in a large mixing bowl.
- Drizzle ½ cup of the dressing over the assembled ingredients.
- Toss together gently using a pair of salad servers.
- Dig in.
Notes
- I do not recommend making this salad ahead of time. Pears discolor, just like apples. For this reason, put this together just before you sit down to eat.
- To cut down on prep and hands on time, you can make the dressing ahead of time and refrigerate.
- Wash the rocket leaves and give them a good spin in the salad spinner. This will help get rid of any remnant moisture. No soggy salad, ever!
- Toast the walnuts until fragrant. Yes, this is an extra step. But toasted walnuts are another level of amaze.
- You can also use our sweet and spicy pecans in this salad instead of walnuts.
For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes
Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.
Nutrition
Some Salad Inspiration
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