Pickled beets, crisp apples, shredded carrots, green onions, and blue cheese infused balsamic dressing over mixed greens is a fresh combination without a lot of fuss.
.Let's be honest. I love beets, but cooking them takes a little while and sometimes you just don't need the fuss. This easy pickled beet salad features the earthy taste of red beets without the hassle of cleaning and cooking fresh beets.
This flavorful salad uses simple, affordable ingredients and tastes like a million bucks.
The simple salad dressing is made with three simple ingredients. It is made creamy by shaking blue cheese crumbles vigorously along with the oil and balsamic vinegar in a jar.
Serve along side a simple main dish like Creamy Prawn Risotto or a Tri Tip Sandwich with Peppers and Onions. Top with your favorite protein like Cast Iron Grilled Chicken Breast or Italian Grilled Chicken Thighs for a quick and easy meal.
Jump to:
Ingredients
Pickled Beets- These are an inexpensive and time saving option for using beets in a salad. They come in both a can and jar ready to use and stored in a tangy brine.
Apples- Sweet firm apples like Honeycrisp or Gala apples are delicious in this salad. Green apples like Granny Smith are nice for a little more tart flavor.
Mixed Greens- You can keep it simple with the box of cleaned mixed greens. I love to add some peppery arugula to the mix as well.
How to Make It
Blue Cheese Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Start by making the salad dressing. Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, blue cheese, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small container with a lid, like a mason jar. Secure the lid and shake the dressing to emulsify.
Prepare the Salad
- Place cleaned mixed greens into a large salad bowl.
- Dice canned beets and apples into ¼ inch pieces. Grate the carrots and chop the green onions (just the green tops). Place it all in the bowl and dress before serving.
- Toss the salad until all of the greens are nicely coated with the vinaigrette and serve as a simple side dish.
Substitutions
There are no real rules for making salads so if you are missing an ingredient or prefer something different, give it a try.
- Feta Cheese can be used instead of blue cheese. The tangy notes pair well with the beets and sweet balsamic dressing. The small curds will also break up the in the vinaigrette to make it creamy.
- Apple cider vinegar can be used in place of balsamic since it is a bit sweet.
- Red onions can be added either instead of or in addition to the green onion for some extra bite.
Diana's Tips for Success
Use a jar and shake the vinaigrette for a really well mixed dressing. Vigorous shaking will make sure that those little pieces of blue cheese crumble will dissolve and make this dressing thicker than a traditional vinaigrette and a bit creamy.
Top tip
Take the time to trim the skin. A nicely trimmed thigh will cook up with perfectly crisp skin all over.
Storage
Unfortunately, mixed greens don't really last once they have dressing on them. However, the prepped ingredients for this salad can be stored for quick assembly.
Wash mixed greens and store them with fresh herbs and green onion in an airtight container, like a food storage bag, with a few clean paper towels to extend their life.
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- Kale and Quinoa Salad
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📖 Recipe
Easy Pickled Beet Salad Recipe
Equipment
- Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Large Bowl
- Jar with Lid
Ingredients
Pickled Beet Salad
- 4 Cups Mixed Greens
- ¾ Cup Pickled Beets diced
- ½ Cup Carrot grated
- ½ Cup Sweet Apple diced
- ¼ Cup Green Onion diced
Blue Cheese Balsamic Dressing
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoon Blue Cheese crumbles
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by making the salad dressing. Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, blue cheese, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small container with a lid, like a mason jar. Secure the lid and shake the dressing to emulsify.
- Place cleaned mixed greens into a large salad bowl.
- Dice canned beets and apples into ¼ inch pieces. Grate the carrots and chop the green onions (just the green tops). Place it all in the bowl and dress before serving.
- Toss the salad until all of the greens are nicely coated with the vinaigrette and serve as a simple side dish.
Notes
- There are no real rules for making salads so if you are missing an ingredient or prefer something different, give it a try.
- Feta Cheese can be used instead of blue cheese. The tangy notes pair well with the beets and sweet balsamic dressing. The small curds will also break up the in the vinaigrette to make it creamy.
- Apple cider vinegar can be used in place of balsamic since it is a bit sweet.
- Red onions can be added either instead of or in addition to the green onion for some extra bite.
- Use a jar and shake the vinaigrette for a really well mixed dressing. Vigorous shaking will make sure that those little pieces of blue cheese crumble will dissolve and make this dressing thicker than a traditional vinaigrette and a bit creamy.
- Bonus- Using a jar to make the dressing means it is already in a storage container. Pop it in the fridge to use for up to one week.
Nutrition
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Sara says
This was a delicious salad! Love how easy this was to make, especially the dressing!
Patty at Spoonabilities says
The apples and blue cheese in this salad are the star of the show for sure! This was truly the most delicious salad I've had in ages. I will be making this over and over again.
Aimee Mars says
Easy, refreshing and all around a hit! I made this for a party and there wasn't much left. That is a big statement considering it was next to cheese dip 🙂
Dana says
This is super tasty! And it's beautiful, too. Makes a great centerpiece at the table!
Beth says
This is an easy, festive, flavorful salad that I will enjoy all year round! I love salads and may or may not eat this for breakfast too - yum!
Tavo says
This pickled salad was fantastic! I enjoyed it very much! I'll make it again soon!
Justin says
Had this at a restaurant and wanted to try it myself, so easy and delish!
Nancy says
I am eating this as I type. The dressing is perfect for me. I did add red onion instead of green. I also put a little extra blue cheese on top. I absolutely love it.
Diana Reis says
So glad you love it. Great call on the red onion and extra cheese. You really can't go wrong making things the way you like it. A salad recipe is really just a little bit of inspiration. I can't get enough of this salad. I love beets so much, I reach for the pickled ones any time I'm not up for stained hands, and that is often.