If you are looking for salad recipes to add to your winter menu, why not give this kale and beet salad a try! Packed with winter vegetables and fruit, this easy salad can be enjoyed with or without homemade walnut dressing.
This kale and beet salad is also naturally:
- gluten-free
- vegan
- dairy-free
Winter is the perfect time to make this kale and beets salad. It’s packed with nutrients that our bodies need a lot during this time of year so that we can stay healthy. The veggies and fruits used in this beetroot salad are also in season which makes them fresher, tastier and more affordable.
Tip: Healthy salads don’t have to taste bland. The key to making tasty salads is balance. You need to keep all the flavors balanced. You don’t want one ingredient overpower the rest of them. Add a tasty dressing and you have a tasty and nutritious meal/side ready in no time.
How to cook beets
Peeling and cooking beets is easy when you know a few tricks. I like using my electric pressure cooker and if you would like too, my recipe for Instant Pot Beets explains in detail all tips and tricks you need to know.
To save time, you can buy cooked beets from your local store, if you like or if you have such option.
Can you eat raw beets in a salad?
Yes, you can. If I use them raw, I like cutting them into thin strips. That way they add some crunchiness to a salad but don’t overpower it with their earthy flavor.
Tips for making kale and beets salad:
- Celery can be omitted completely, if you don’t like it or don’t have it on hand.
- I used 4 small beets that I cut into bite-size pieces. You can use more/less, if you like. Also, feel free to cut them into slices or dice them.
- If you don’t like walnut dressing, omit it or use any dressing you like (homemade or shop-bought, it doesn’t matter as long as you like it). You can also substitute it with just olive oil and salt and pepper. As you can see, I used those in the recipe but in a small amount only. Add more, if using them instead of dressing.
- Seeds are delicious addition to this kale and beets salad. Feel free to choose any kind you like.
What can I do with lots of beets?
If you for some reason end up with way too many beets to consume at once, here is what you can do. You can cook them ahead and store them in a fridge (in air-tight container) for up to 5 days and use them in various dishes.
If you need some inspiration, here are some recipes using beets that I have on my blog:
- Roasted Beet Hummus
- Beet Salad with Feta Cheese
- Dark Chocolate Beet Brownies
- Oven Roasted Beet Soup
- Immune Boosting Beet Juice
Kale and Beet Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- 4 ounces Fresh Kale , stems removed (120 grams)
- 4 Small Cooked Beets , see note 1
- 2 Oranges
- 2 Carrots
- 1 Celery Stalk , see note 2
- A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- A pinch of Salt
- A pinch of black pepper
- ½ cup Walnuts , roughly chopped (50 grams)
- Seeds of your Choice, see note 3
Walnut Dressing:
- ½ cup Walnuts (50 grams)
- ¼ cup Water
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons honey or Maple Syrup
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
Instructions
For the salad:
- Tear the kale leaves into small pieces and place them in a serving bowl. Massage them with your fingers for about 2-3 minutes. This will make them softer.
- Cut the beets into bite-size pieces, peel the oranges and cut them into segments. Peel the carrots and with the same peeler, peel them into long strips. Thinly slice the celery.
- Add all these ingredients into the serving bowl and mix well. Now add a generous drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and mix again. Throw in walnuts and seeds and give it one last mix (or don’t).
- Serve with walnut dressing or dressing of your choice.
For the walnut dressing (optional):
- Blend the walnuts in a food processor until meal-like texture. Add water, olive oil and honey and blend everything well. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice, mix and taste. Add more water, if too thick. You should get about ½ cup of dressing. For the salad, you will need about a ¼ – ⅓ cup.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Beets – you can use more or less.
- I got ½ cup of sliced celery. You can use less or omit this completely if you don’t like celery.
- Seeds – I used mixed seeds – chia, sunflower, pumpkin seeds but you can use any kind of seeds you like.
- Dressing – if you have a recipe for dressing that you like, go ahead and use it. Or use your favorite shop-bought dressing. You can also omit it completely and dress the salad with olive oil only and season with salt and pepper.
Jill says
Beets are one of my favorite things to add to a salad. Loving the sound of this walnut dressing too – have to try it!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks, Jill!
Jacqueline Debono says
This winter salad looks so colorful and tasty! I love the sound of your walnut dressing! On my to make list!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
That’s great to hear, Jacqueline! :)
Julie says
Not a lot of people like beets. They are one of my favorite things. Thanks for sharing!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
You are welcome, Julie!
Tonje says
Yum! This salad was absolutely perfect. I served it as a side dish, and it was a huge success. Will be making it again for sure.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks for your feedback, Tonje!
Demeter says
This is anything but a boring salad. It has so much flavor and I love that you added beets. It’s so delicious!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks, Demeter!