Beet Salad with Spinach and Honey-Mustard Lemon Dressing Recipe
A vibrant and refreshing Beet Salad featuring tender cooked beets, fresh baby spinach, sweet mandarin oranges, crunchy toasted pine nuts, and tangy crumbled feta cheese, all tossed in a luscious honey-mustard lemon dressing. This salad beautifully balances earthy, sweet, and zesty flavors, making it a perfect light meal or side dish for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes (if cooking beets fresh)
- Total Time: 1 hour (including beet cooking time)
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Beet Mixture
- 1.5 lb cooked, peeled, and sliced beets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey (plus extra honey if desired)
Salad Base
- 5 oz baby spinach
- 2 cups mandarin orange segments (about 3 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented)
- ⅓ cup sliced red onions
- ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
- 4 oz crumbled feta cheese
Honey-Mustard Lemon Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the Beets: Use cooked and peeled beets, which can be prepared 1 to 3 days in advance by roasting in the oven or boiling. Slice the cooked beets for the salad.
- Coat Beets with Olive Oil and Honey: In a small bowl, toss the sliced cooked beets with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon honey. Add an additional tablespoon of honey if a sweeter beet flavor is desired.
- Make the Dressing: Combine the extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, and freshly squeezed lemon juice in a mason jar or small bowl. Whisk vigorously with a fork or seal and shake the jar until the dressing is well emulsified and smooth.
- Assemble Individual Salads: For presentation, arrange the salad in individual bowls. Start by adding baby spinach, then top with mandarin orange segments, toasted pine nuts, and sliced red onions. Drizzle the honey-mustard lemon dressing over these ingredients and toss lightly to combine gently.
- Add Beets and Feta Cheese: Place the honey-coated beets on top of the tossed salad, then sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over each bowl. Finish by seasoning with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Alternative Serving Method: Alternatively, combine the baby spinach, mandarin oranges, pine nuts, and sliced red onions in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine evenly. Top with the honey-coated beets and crumbled feta cheese before serving.
Notes
- Cook the beets ahead by roasting (wrap in foil and roast at 400°F/200°C for about 45-60 minutes until tender) or boiling (boil whole beets for 45-60 minutes until tender). Allow to cool, peel, and then slice.
- To toast pine nuts, lightly heat in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant. Let cool before adding to salad.
- Beets can stain other salad ingredients; serving in individual bowls helps maintain the visual appeal of the salad.
- Adjust honey in the beet coating and dressing to achieve your preferred balance of sweetness.
- This salad is best served fresh but refrigerated leftovers can keep for up to 2 days.
Keywords: Beet salad, spinach salad, honey-mustard dressing, mandarin oranges, feta cheese salad, healthy salad, Mediterranean salad
