Reset with this healthy beet salad recipe featuring superfoods like carrot, quinoa, spinach, edamame and avocado. This salad is as flavorful and nutritious as its bold colors would suggest.
This beet salad is tender, crisp and irresistible! The light apple cider, lime and herb dressing brings it all together.
Yesterday was not my day. I stayed up too late the night before (will I ever learn?). I ate lasagna for breakfast, forgot several important items on my grocery list, and fell over in yoga class. More than once. Maybe it was a normal day after all.
I managed to piece together this mega colorful beet salad with ingredients from the store and some substitutions based on what I had at home.
It’s a meal-in-a-bowl version of my simple beet and arugula salad that helped me find some much-needed balance during my totally ungraceful day. The recipe comes from a brand new cookbook called Inspiralized, by my friend Ali Maffucci.
Beet Salad Tips
The original recipe called for two beets instead of one beet, one carrot, and chopped mint instead of cilantro. I toasted the nuts (it’s a pain, but adds so much flavor!) and tinkered with the dressing a bit. I love how it turned out!
I don’t have a spiralizer (the contraption that turns vegetables into noodles), so I picked a recipe that didn’t necessarily require one (although, if you’re buying the book, you’ll need a spiralizer as well). I made do with my mandoline and julienne peeler. (This post contains affiliate links.)
All that said, don’t worry if you don’t have any of those things! You can make this salad with a sharp chef’s knife as well. (Or better yet, Charlotte grated the beet and carrot on her box grater!)
Please let me know how this salad turns out for you in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Craving more colorful, healthy recipes? I think you’ll love my cookbook! Here are a few more options on the blog:
- Simple Beet, Arugula and Feta Salad
- Peanut Slaw with Soba Noodles
- Colorful Chopped Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing
- Build-Your-Own Buddha Bowl
- Veggie Sushi Bowls
Colorful Beet Salad with Carrot, Quinoa & Spinach
- Author:
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 to 4 salads 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: By hand
- Cuisine: American
Reset with this healthy beet salad recipe featuring superfoods like carrot, quinoa, spinach, edamame and avocado. It’s as colorful as it is nutritious! Recipe yields two meal-sized salads or four side salads. If you plan on having leftovers, store the greens separately from the other prepared ingredients and toss just before serving.
Ingredients
Salad
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 1 cup frozen organic edamame
- ⅓ cup slivered almonds or pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
- 1 medium raw beet, peeled
- 1 medium-to-large carrot (or 1 additional medium beet), peeled
- 2 cups packed baby spinach or arugula, roughly chopped
- 1 avocado, cubed
Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or cilantro
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup or agave nectar
- ½ to 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- To cook the quinoa: First, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water for a minute or two. In a medium-sized pot, combine the rinsed quinoa and 1 cup water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover the pot, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the quinoa from heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot, drain off any excess water and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool.
- To cook the edamame: Bring a pot of water to boil, then add the frozen edamame and cook just until the beans are warmed through, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- To toast the almonds or pepitas: In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds or pepitas, stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and starting to turn golden on the edges, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large serving bowl to cool.
- To prepare the beet(s) and/or carrot: First of all, feel free to just chop them as finely as possible using a sharp chef’s knife OR grate them on a box grater. If you have a spiralizer, you can spiralize them using blade C, then chop the ribbons into small pieces using a sharp chef’s knife. If you have a mandoline and julienne peeler (this is a pain), use the mandoline to julienne the beet and use a julienne peeler to julienne the carrot, then chop the ribbons into small pieces using a sharp chef’s knife.
- To prepare the vinaigrette: Whisk together all of the ingredients until emulsified.
- To assemble the salad: In your large serving bowl, combine the toasted almonds/pepitas, cooked edamame, prepared beet(s) and/or carrot, roughly chopped spinach/arugula (see note above about leftovers), cubed avocado and cooked quinoa.
- Finally, drizzle dressing over the mixture (you might not need all of it) and gently toss to combine. You’ll end up with a pink salad if you toss it really well! Season to taste with salt (up to an additional ¼ teaspoon) and black pepper. Serve.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Inspiralized: Turn Vegetables into Healthy, Creative, Satisfying Meals by Ali Maffucci.
Make it vegan: Opt for maple syrup or agave nectar instead of honey.
Make it nut free: Opt for pepitas instead of almonds.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Meghan
I absolutely loved this salad – and I don’t normally enjoy beets! However, I slightly modified it by roasting my sliced beets and whole carrots for about 20 minutes. Made a warm, inviting dish. I must add, roasting the almonds is totally worth it!!
★★★★★
Kate
Your warm version sounds great, Meghan! Happy this one changed your mind on beets.
Vivian bremer
I made this last night. Instead of raw beets, I roasted it for 30 mins because I love the earthy taste of roasted beets. Everything else I kept the same. I loved it, the texture was amazing. Although, I’m a carnivore, I didn’t miss the meat and felt quite full. I literally could eat this everyday, it’s that good! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe. I loved that it’s also so good for you!
Kate
Some earthy roast beets sound excellent with this, Vivian. I’m so happy it satisfied!
Caitlin
After making a root veg stew last week, I had an extra beet rolling around in my crisper and I had no clue what I was going to do with it and I was worried it would end up going bad. This recipe is delicious. I subbed chickpeas for the edamame because I needed to use some up, added extra lime juice in the dressing, and cut the sweetener in half. Perfection!
★★★★★
Kate
Sounds delicious, Caitlin!
Graciela Albiar
I made the beet salad for dinner tonight and it was absolutely delicious! My husband loved it, too!! I used mint leaves in the vinagrette and topped off the salad with crumbled goat cheese. The recipe is definitely a keeper!!
Thank You!!
Kate
Goat cheese sounds *amazing* with this, Graciela! Thanks for commenting.
Francoise Levinson
I made the colorful beet and quinoa salad tonight and it was delicious . My husband really liked it too. I cannot wait to have the leftover for lunch tomorrow, I will just add some fresh avocado . I use pumpkin seeds which I toasted in the mini oven as i did not want to use another pan! I have made quite a few of your recipes and they are always a nice surprise. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for the kind comment, Francoise! Fresh avocado sounds delicious with this salad.
Ophélie
I have been cooking a lot lately, trying many different healthy recipes found on blog such as yours and I have to say this is THE BEST salad I have ever tasted. It has it all : colours, crunchiness, softness, many different tastes in one bite, it is amazing. I have already served it a couple of time paired with homemade carrot falafels and it’s been such a success both times! Thanks for sharing :). Next on my list is your Lebanese Lemon-Parsley bean salad which I can’t wait to test! cheers.
★★★★★
Kate
This is so kind, Ophélie! Thank you so much, I’m so glad it was a hit. Those falafel sound delicious!
Winnie
Hi,
I’ve always used canned beets. But this recipe, I bought fresh beets. I’m wondering if I need to boil the beets first before chopping them? A friend told me that I supposed to boil them first before eating the beets. Any advice? Thanks so much!
Kate
Hi, Winnie! You can eat beets raw, no need to boil them before chopping. You’ll want to make sure you peel it, though. :)
Meghan
Like everyone else has said, I could eat this salad every day! I made it last night then had to make it again for dinner tonight.
I used roasted pepitas and cilantro in the dressing, and used an ample amount of beets. I also added some medium tofu and extra cilantro (because I can never get enough cilantro!) My boyfriend and I were absolutely blown away! The flavors blend so well together even though I added so many beets and cilantro. Thanks so much for posting this recipe! This will definitely be staple meal in our house now!!!
★★★★★
Jason
I’m a guy who doesn’t really cook. But my sister-in-law made this and it blew my mind. Best salad I’ve ever had. I plan to make it a staple in my weekly diet. Like – every day. I can eat the same thing daily if I like it enough. This one is there with so much health in such a tight package of amazingness.
Thank you. Some grilled chicken breast on the side and I have myself the perfect meal
★★★★
Jason
Oh and – sorry I had to make a non vegetarian comment :-/
But seriously great recipe.
Kate
Awesome! I’m so glad you loved this so much, Jason.
Melanie
I made this with kale and garbanzo beans instead of spinach and edamame. It was so delicious! I love the shredded beets and carrots! I’ll need to find some edamame and make it exactly as written sometime soon!
Kate
Yum! That sounds like a delicious variation, Melanie.
Melinda blonshine
Oh my goodness – this is the most delicious salad!!! I have been following Kate for almost a year now but as a busy mom of 3, hadn’t found the time to try any of the many recipes that I had bookmarked. I made this salad today and it totally rocked my world! So yum and worth the effort. I definitely will find the time to make many more of your recipes soon!
Kate
Oh, I’m so happy to hear this, Melinda! I’m so glad you were able to try this.
Nicole
Thank you for reminding me of this salad! I wanted to make it long ago, but had forgotten about it. And it is too tasty to be forgotten! I made this last night to go along with our salmon, and it was a huge hit with my family. They were grateful for another salad alternative. I loved every bit of this salad/dressing and will definitely be making it more often! Thank you Kate!! And congratulations on your cookbook success, can’t wait to get my copy!!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m so glad this popped up again for you, Nicole! I love this one, too. And I hope you love the cookbook!
Leanna
I took this salad to church today and received RAVES. It is so good. The only suggestion I would make would be to add the honey last to the dressing and just add to taste. It was a little sweet for me without adding additional lime juice. Also I used both mint and cilantro. Definitely a keeper. Thank you.
Kate
Great! I’m so happy this was a hit, Leanna.
Leigh
For the first time, like ever, I didn’t harass my kids to eat dinner. When they didn’t eat this, I was secretly celebrating because I wanted to eat the entire thing myself. Your recipes are always good, but this was OFF THE HOOK.
★★★★★
Kate
Hahaha! This made me laugh, Leigh. I’m glad you had this all to yourself!
Melanie
Six stars. Forgot the avocado until having it as leftovers and it was heavenly either way. Beautiful, too – will definitely make for company!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Melanie! I hope your company enjoys it.
Laura
This was very easy to make and just tasted great! I will definitely do this more often. Thank you Kate!
★★★★★
Kate
Perfect! Thanks, Laura!
Pam Allard
I had cooked beets so I did a small dice. Otherwise followed the recipe. It was delicious and so nice for a main on a hot day! Thank you!
Kate
Great! I’m glad to hear this works with cooked beets, too.
Tess
What a hit! I made this for a grad party for my nephew. Someone actually licked the bowl. I skipped the avocado and added an orange and some grated rind. I’m making it again today.
★★★★★
Kate
Haha! That’s amazing. I’m so glad it was such a hit!
Susie
I made this and loved it! Super easy, tasty and nutritious!
★★★★★
Liz
This salad is wonderful! I’ve been trying to eat more raw foods and this nearly raw salad is awesome. I knew it was going to be good but it still blew my expectations out of the water, and my fiance loves it too! I used mint for the dressing and almonds.
★★★★★
Sue
I just got my farm box with all these veggies except the spinach! I’m going to substitute kale (it always seems to be in abundance). Looks good!
Kate
Let me know what you think, Sue! Enjoy :)
Norah
Could the salad be made a day in advance? Would it be better that the dressing be added right before it’s served or mixed in with it sitting in the fridge until the next day? My friends absolutely love this salad it’s a huge hit thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
I recommend to make this salad at the same time it is going to be served to get the freshness, but I have had it for leftovers before. If you do want to make it ahead, leave off the dressing until ready to be served as you noted. Thanks so much for your review, Norah!
Hayley
I’d love to try this recipe! I’m currently half-way through Whole30 program and can’t have sugar. Do you have a suggestion for the dressing? I’m thinking it would be too tart if I just omitted the sweetener. Thanks in advance!
Kate
Hey Hayley! I’d omit the sweetener and add vinegar to taste (you’ll probably want to use less of it, since the sweetener won’t be there to help balance the flavors).
Marta
Yet another delicious salad! It was fresh and tasty and vibrant. My husband, not a huge beet fan, really enjoyed it, and even wanted leftovers for lunch! I used cilantro b/c I didn’t have any mint. I thought it would be weird with the beets and classic vinaigrette, but it totally fit in and complemented the earthy beets. Good job, Kate. :)
★★★★★
Kate
Well, thank you Marta! I am happy your husband enjoyed it as well. Thanks so much for your comment and review!
yvesdrop
5 stars plus+++
wow this is really good, it will definitely be one of my regular salads.
cant wait to make it at x-mas and introduce it to my family. i didnt have all the ingredients listed so i made a few modifications.
i substituted:
– edamame for chick peas
-apple cider vinegar for red wine vinegar
-i used one carrot and one beet
-i used both mint and cilantro
-also i made the quinoa with veg, broth
and i used the maple syrup.
thank you so much for posting this wonderful recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
You are sweet! Thank you.
yvesdrop
hi
i made this recipe this morning and had it for lunch it was still a little warm, i refrigerated the rest, and now as i am writing this, i am eating some for supper, chilled, right out of the fridge. it is still delicious, i thought the spinach might be a little wilted, but no, it tastes amazing.
wow, back in the fridge after supper and i’ll have the rest tomorrow.
this might be the best salad i ever had!
★★★★★
Kate
It is a great salad to have leftover! I don’t usually say that about a spinach salad, but this one works well. I am happy you thought so as well. Thanks so much for your review!
kay guidera
anyone try cheese in this salad?
Kate
I haven’t. I really like it without cheese. But love to hear what others think!
Eileen
I added grilled haloumi cut into strips and plan to try soft feta as a avocado substitute! The haloumi addition was delicious! I also added some kale. I took this salad to a bbq and it was very popular :)
★★★★★
Holly Middleton
Kate– Thank you for a lovely dinner party, featuring this salad! The recipe is infinitely tinker-able, which makes it even better. Here’s how I tinkered:
§ Used a bag of Trader Joe’s Power Greens (kale + spinach + chard), rolled, sliced & “massaged,” because kale is easier to digest that way, and it didn’t seem to hurt the spinach & chard. (Massaging does reduce the bulk of greens, so you might want more.)
§ Used Trader Joe’s cooked & peeled beets (saves a lot of time).
§ Added broiled cherry tomatoes & broiled sliced multicolored bell peppers.
§ Also added on top: mandarin segments & feta cheese
§ I found the vinaigrette tasted too acidic at 2.5 parts lime/vinegar to 1 part oil. So I made it with a little less acid than oil (2.5 to 3).
Everybody loved this salad–making it again!
★★★★★
Mirka
Just made it! (only omitted the olive oil). It is PERFECT! Thank you :)
★★★★★
Kate
Perfect! Thanks for the review, Mirka.
Nicole
I didn’t have edamame or cilantro and this salad was still absolutely delicious without them!!! Also, I had golden beets and Apple cidar vinegar so that’s what I used. This is a keeper. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great to hear! With them though, it’s even better. I appreciate the review, Nicole.
Margaret
I had all ingredients except the edamame, cut the dressing recipe in half, and it was still delicious! We eat a lot of salads in spring/summer, and this new one will be a definite repeat. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Margaret! Thanks for the review.
Shahimah
I am so making this for dinner. I just got my gallbladder removed and now doctors told me that my liver is ‘deranged’ (like whatever that means) and I totally need to change my diet. So I am looking at some recipes that contain superfoods that are said to be good for the liver but still delicious enough for me to keep my sanity. This beet salad seems to have all the ingredients I’m searching for and I’excited to try it tonight. This will be my first time eating quinoa though so I hope it will be as yummy as it looks. Thanks Kate!
Kate
Let me know what you think!
lisa insalata
Hello, the dressing calls for way too much acid to pair with only 2 tbs. oil. I added at least 3 more tbs. olive oil to balance the acidity of the vinegar and lime juice. Otherwise, it was very good!
Kate
If you like, you can always increase the oil amount. I like the tanginess it provides.
Annika
This salad is absolutely amazing! I received among other things in my farmer’s delivered veggie box a few days ago some beets and the cutest little carrots. This recipe was perfect since I had all the other ingredients at home already. I skipped the almonds because I was making the salad to take with my for lunch at work this week and they just seem to kind of disappear in the salad when it sits for a few days. The salad is so tasty and delicious. And really pretty since everything turned red after I mixed it up. I didn’t add the avocado until today and everything else held up really well. I am already looking forward to lunch tomorrow when I get to eat this yummy and healthy salad again.
★★★★★
Kate
Fresh produce its the best! Thank you, Annika for sharing. I appreciate the review.
Cheryl
I just stumbled upon your website searching for “gluten free/vegetarian recipes”. What a delightful collection you have on here! I’m excited to try so many of these!
Kate
I’m happy you stumbled on it too! Let me know what you think as you try out recipes.
Bethany
What could I use instead of edamame?
Kate
You could omit, or try snap peas instead. I haven’t tried it, so let me know what you think!
Bethany
I ended up just using extra carrots, but it was delicious! I probably doubled the amount of cilantro, but I really like cilantro. And I liked the amount of acid – I wasn’t sure about lime juice and vinegar, but it totally worked.
★★★★★
Mary Janack
Pet peeve is people who rate a recipe while admitting they haven’t yet made it. This give a false overall rating in my mind. That being said, I went ahead with this recipe even though I had reservations about the sweetness in the dressing on top of sweet veggies like beets and carrots. But it was really tasty and I served it in local organic lettuce leaves. My vegan friends raved about it and since beets are a superfood, it will become part of my rotation.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you still gave it a try, Mary! Thanks for your comment and review.
HKmomma
This is an amazing salad. I actually made it without quinoa because I was in a hurry and forgot–and it was still perfect. My beets were also roasted (but cold) because I had extra from another recipe. Seriously fantastic!!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing! I really appreciate the review.
Alix Macey
I loved this salad!
I didn’t have just quinoa, but the package I had, had sprouted brown rice, hulled millet, split peas, quinoa and wild rice. I cooked this up, and added the beetroot (no carrot), roasted broccoli, toasted pine nuts and avocado. I didn’t have cilantro, so I made the dressing as you suggested – but added chopped basil instead.
Oh my word, it was wonderful! Thank you so so much for sharing. I love your site. <3
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing and for your review! I’m glad it worked with your substitutions.
Sam
I was skeptical to try this because I’m not a huge fan of beets – but this recipe has made me completely rethink my palate! I just finished my salad and I want to make another one! Thanks so much for sharing!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Sam. Love to hear that.
samantha steven
This turned out absolutely DELICIOUS!! First time with quinoa for my 2 little ones:) Thank you! Definitely a keeper! I read a lot about quinoa and its health benefits are really interminable. One has to go include it in their diet.
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Samantha! Thanks for sharing.
Crystal Z Barrett
So very good. It convinced my previously beet-hating husband that he might just like beets – in the right context.
★★★★★
Kate
Yes! They need to be prepared just right. Thanks for your review, Crystal.
Annie
Great recipe Kate! I LOVE the homemade dressing! I used 4 tsp of maple syrup cuz I need to cut back on sugar and it came out so well, I will be making this instead of store-bought salad dressing. At first I thought this was more like a spinach salad but although there is spinach in it, it is definitely a beet salad with lots of goodies. I like avocado so I used 1 small avocado for half the salad. My husband (and I) had it last night and loved it! I have a picture of it but don’t know how to upload it. The website wants to use my camera but the salad is long gone. Oh well…. I assembled half the salad last night so we have more for today.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Annie!
Ellie Jade
Thank you for this vibrant, gorgeous recipe. It is a wonderful mix of healthy and visually appealing and complements many dishes.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Ellie!
LaVerne
I made your colorful beet and carrot and quinoa salad with spinach and both my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I love you web site and refer to it often to make something new and healthy and delicious. We have never been disappointed.
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful! I’m happy to hear that, LaVerne. Thanks for your review.
Eloise Bevan
This was so good! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe! I added some radishes too (seeing as they were in my fridge) and they added a nice bite along with the edamame! Going to make on the weekly :)
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Eloise! Thanks so much for your comment and review.
Mark
Just made this recipe. I am always roasting beets but discovered that quite a bit of their nutrients can be lost while cooking. Raw, I discovered , maintains them as well as being delicious! ( and don’t toss out the tops as they have even more vitamins in the leaves )
I and my wife just loved this dish even though I was missing the edamame. Didn’t let that stop me and I will be making this regularly. Not only for its nutritional benefits but because it is just so delicious!
Thank you .
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Mark!
Alicia
Added feta cheese to it and its amazing! I love the combination of beetroot and feta. I used a stick blender to whizz the ingredients for the dressing, worked super well Thankyou!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Alicia!
retromamma44
I would have rated this higher but for the dressing. Found the dressing almost “inedible” However the vegie/quinoa/combo is great and made my own vinaigrette to go with it.
★★★
Kate
I’m sorry you felt that way! Thanks for sharing.
melanie brashear
This could be my favorite salad recipe I have ever made. I absolutely love it!! I use pickled beets…because I like them and it is quick. One afternoon while planning to make your spring rolls for an afternoon gathering I just ran out of time and instead added the mango to this left-over salad and rolled it up- SOOO delish!! Thanks again. You are my go to gal for great fresh recipes
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Melanie!
Anja
So yummy! I replaced the spinach with kale softened with some of the olive oil, lime, and salt. We had it with a piece of roasted salmon, it was a perfect dinner.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Anja!
Eileen
This salad was amazing! I made it for a BBQ and everyone loved it. I switched the avocado for grilled haloumi as my sister is pregnant (so no soft cheese) and husband is allergic to avocado. I also added some curly leaf kale.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Eileen!
Elizabeth
Is the beet raw or cooked? Can’t wait to try this salad!
Kate
Hi Elizabeth, the beets are raw!
Linda Greenberg
can i used can beets?
Kate
Fresh beets work best here, but if that is all you have, it should be ok. I would adjust the dressing to taste since canned beets tend to me more salty.
Deb
Delicious! I make extra dressing to have on hand for other quick salads once this is all gone.
★★★★★
Aly
So light and delicious! I didn’t have edamame on hand, so I used garbanzo beans instead and it was very tasty.
Thanks for this next go-to salad recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy to hear you loved it, Aly!
Susan
Delicious and perfect. I followed your recipe and the end result was perfection! My family ĺoved it so much, i was asked when l’ll make it again.
Kate
That’s great, Susan! Thanks for sharing.
Maria
This has become a summer staple in our home. However, I omit the quinoa. It was hearty enough without it. I make a big batch, lay it out in segments – just like your photo – and let eveyone pick the balance of ingredients they want in their bowl of salad. i.e my hubby doesn’t like avocado (what?) so he omits it but like extra mint.
Also, I make twice as much dressing so I have more for another batch. Just so refreshing! Love this recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I’m glad you like it. I appreciate your review!
Jillian
Another winner recipe that I’ve been making for my family for some time now. Sometimes I add chopped roasted potatoes. It’s delish both ways!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for your review, Jillian!
Aldyn
Having just discovered the genius of our roommate’s spiralizer, we had fun with a liberal variation on this. We subbed roasted chickpeas for edamame, bulgur for quinoa, added some cabbage since we had lots to be used, and added a bit of tahini to the dressing for some more umami (I felt it was a bit too sweet and I didn’t even use all of the honey it called for). Would have added a bit of feta if we had some. We make a lot of epic salads at home, but this is definitely a new favorite.
★★★★★
Kate
I like it! Thank you for sharing, Aldyn.
Patti
This recipe is a winner. I recently fell in love with roasting beets. Eat them like candy. So this recipe intrigued me because I had never made a recipe with raw beets. Sooooo delicious. It’s incredible. I agree the roasted almonds are worth it. I have fresh mint from the garden. So perfect!!! And so healthy. Thank you for this recipe!!!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Patti!
Sarah
Do you have to skin the beets?
Kate
I prefer to for this one, yes!
Kemberly A McLain
This recipe is delicious!!!!!!! My husband is having some uric acid issues so we are on a “eating” journey to try and heal with food. This one has all the ingredients he is allowed to eat and the flavors are just so playful and satisfying!! I did everything as the recipe said, only adding a sliced red onion. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it and this recipe works so well with your family, Kemberly!
Kayla
This was EXCELLENT. Followed recipe exactly. Wouldn’t change a thing and will definitely be making again!
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful, Kayla! Thanks so much for sharing.
Jan G.
I love beets; my husband doesn’t like them at all. But I made this recipe despite his skepticism. I loved it, and he grudgingly admitted that it was good. (He ate it all up without any complaints – an admittance that he actually really liked it!) :) It’s a great way for me to get those healthy beets into him! I used both beets and carrots (and used them both raw as written). I added some goat cheese that I had on hand, and that gave it a little saltiness without adding salt. I gave it a couple of twists of freshly ground pepper at the end as you had suggested. Next time, I may add just a bit more freshly chopped spinach because I love spinach, too, and I loved the color it added to the beautiful red beets. Thanks for another great recipe, Kate!
Kate
I’m glad you still made them anyway, Jan! I appreciate your comment.
Margaret Stratton
Nutrition information contains no nutritional information. It looks healthy, but would like to know how many servings and calories per serving.
Kate
Hi Margaret! I’m sorry for the frustration. We are currently working through an issue with the nutrition information appearing. I appreciate your patience and apologize.
Karen B
Love this crunchy, tasty salad. This is my “go-to” winter salad for sure. Thank you so much for this. However, I’m not so pleased with the dressing. It’s missing something. Not sure what but I just make my own up and the salad is excellent!
★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing! I’m sorry you don’t love the dressing. I appreciate the feedback.
Brianna
I made the colourful beet salad for lunch the other day and it was fantastic! The toasted almonds added a nice crunch and the mint in the dressing gave a wonderful freshness. This recipe is a keeper!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! Thanks for sharing, Brianna.
Isra
How long Does it last in the fridge? Can I keep it for up to 6 days? Looks amazing was wondering if I could meal prep it!!
Kate
It should last 3-4 days. Although, once the dressing is on the spinach it will start to break down. If you plan to keep this for a few days, I would recommend dressing it as you eat it so it holds up better. I hope this helps!
Susala
I’m in the midst of making this salad and just realized that I can’t use Dijon mustard because one of the guests coming to dinner tonight is allergic to garlic and onion. Can you please suggest how to adapt the dressing recipe? I’ve already got all the other ingredients in it all the other ingredients in it. I used agave, about half as much as you suggested because I figure I can always add more later if I want to. Would be very grateful if you’d reply before 3 PM California time. Today is January 10, 2020. Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
Hi, sorry for not getting back to you when you needed. How did it go? You could omit, although the flavor is important for it. You could always not toss it and have them dress their salad as it works for them!
Christi
This was SO GOOD!! I didn’t think raw beets could taste so good. The dressing was also amazing. It was a bit sweet for my taste, so I think I will just cut the maple syrup in half Next time…because there will be a lot of next times with this one. Anyway, thanks so much for this recipe. It was so lovely…I even sent it to my mom to try! Looking forward to trying more things in your site!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! Thank you for sharing, Christi. Beets are surprisingly good.
Claire
Made this last night with pepitas – what a wonderful hearty salad! I admit to a few small tweaks to the dressing: zested the lime, because I can’t have citrus around and not zest it, and cut the sweetener to line up with my love of sour. It’ll make an excellent packable lunch. Kate, you really have a way with salads!
Deb
It’s awesome. Couldn’t stop eating it. Served it with cauliflower mashed potatoes. YUMMY
stefanie
Can this recipe be made with cooked beets? instead of raw ones?
Kate
Sure, if that is how you prefer them!
Tina Cameron
So delicious, I roasted the beetroot and carrots, cut into chunks, cooked in olive oil with freshly ground cumin sprinkled over them and then pulled it all together with the warm quinoa. ☺️
★★★★★
Elise
This may have been the best salad I have ever eaten! It was also beautiful and full disclosure, we used canned beets ad eliminated the edamame, turned out great. Thank you so much for a great salad recipe!
★★★★★
Kiki
This looks so beautiful and yummy! Can I used canned beets? If so how would the directions change? Thanks Kate!!
Kate
Hey Kiki! I’ve not tried that, but if you can successfully grate the canned beets, I don’t see why not! I don’t know that you’d need to use the whole can’s worth of beets (maybe just half).
E
You might want to update the qinoa/ water ratio so the water quantity is consistent with the serving size
★★★★★
Audrey in Orlando
Perfect quinoa bite and pop; no mush! Kate, you’re the Quinoa Whisperer❣️
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! Thank you for your comment, Audrey.
Janet K
Is the nutritional information for the whole salad or just a serving? It seems low for the whole thing considering the ingredients, but I wanted to check.
Great salad btw. I make it often for family gatherings since we have several vegetarians in our clan. It is always a hit.
★★★★★
Kate
Hi! The nutritional information is per serving. You can find more about my nutritional information on the blog.
Hana
I made this for lunch today and adapted it based on what I had – it was DELICIOUS!
I added cooked lentils (didn’t have any edamame and worked well as a substitute protein), used lettuce instead of rocket, added some radish, spring onion and a dollop of hummus (what meal is complete without it?!) and I roasted the beetroot.
The real highlight of this dish is that delicious dressing. I will be putting it on everything! Thanks for the inspiration!
My boyfriend, who dislikes beetroot, quinoa, and basically everything I try to feed him, absolutely loved this, so thank you!
(I stumbled upon this recipe when checking your instructions on how to cook quinoa! I got lazy so I threw mine in the Instant Pot and it came out beautifully so I thought I’d share: 1 cup quinoa (rinsed), 1 and 1/4 cup water, in the IP for 1 minute on high pressure, with 5 minute natural release. Still had some bite to it but absorbed all the water and fluffed up perfectly!)
Thanks again!
★★★★★
Kate
I love it! Thank you for sharing how you made this salad, Hana. Thanks for taking the time to comment and review!
Tracey
Amazing!!! Huge hit everyone even non beet fans enjoyed it. Topped with a piece of oven roast salmon. Family want it again later this week. Thank you.
★★★★★
Pearly
This salad was delicious!! I had beets, spinach, and mint in my box from the Farmer’s Market so this recipe was perfect!! I roasted the beets and grated the carrots and beets. It was perfect!! I didn’t have almonds on hand, so I used the Trader Joe’s Honey Roasted Sliced Almonds instead. My husband added some goat cheese and loved it with that little addition. Thank you for this recipe :) I love beets and will definitely make this again!
★★★★
Zoe
Super yummy. I didn’t have any cilantro or mint for the dressing so I used basil instead, and it was also delicious! I think I’ll even add more when I go for leftovers. Thanks!
★★★★★
Al
So good!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Al!
Kathy Thome
I used golden beets and their greens, almonds, mint and fried chickpeas in place of edamame. This was delicious. The vinaigrette ties everything together so nicely. And the variety of ingredients is well balanced. Thank you. The link for your recipe was on my CSA newsletter…I’m so glad I used it!
★★★★★
Andrea
Hi Kate, this recipe sounds delish as always.What do you think about subbing kale for spinach?
Kate
Hi Andrea, I think that would be great!
Amy
This salad is so so good. I used my food processor to shred the beets and carrots which made it super quick. Per a comment below, I added goat cheese and it was fabulous. The vinaigrette truly shines. I will definitely be making it again!
Glennis
This was delicious! Sadly didn’t have cilantro/mint available but the salad still tasted great. I will definitely add this to my regular meal rotation…the perfect summer meal :-) Thanks for sharing!!
★★★★★
Deborah
Really lovely!
★★★★★
Suzanne Brenton
I made this last night and everyone loved it! Colourful, crunchy and the perfect side for a BBQ!
★★★★
Delores Cooper
Made this salad this evening. OMG, it is crazy good. Even my husband who wants animal protein with all meals was satisfied with this salad without meat on the side.
Amazing flavor. Thank you C&K.
Beth
This is so delicious, tastes just like summer! I searched for a beet, carrot salad recipe since that is what I had growing in my garden and I’m so glad I landed on this one. I used raw veges shredded fine, luckily I also have arugula and mint growing in my garden. I was missing edamame but I don’t think it impacted the flavor and I agree with the others toasting the almonds is a must! Look forward to having the leftovers for lunch.
★★★★★
Amanda
Hiya! I’ve had this recipe bookmarked for a long time and finally made it as a last minute side salad for dinner this week. I was missing a few ingredients so I followed it as closely as possible with what I had. My boxed salad mix was baby lettuces, I didn’t have a raw beet so I subbed a cooked one, I was out of almonds so I toasted some walnuts, and my avocados weren’t ripe so I left them out. I had to add a but of lemon juice to the dressing because my line only produced about a tablespoon of juice. It was still delicious! Can’t wait to try it again as written. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Liv
I just made this for dinner and it was delicious! Had to substitute lettuce instead of spinach, but it was still great. Fairly simple in concept but the toasted almonds make it perfection.
★★★★★
Suzanne from Ottawa
This salad is wonderful! I swapped the spinach for kale as I have an overabundance of it, and it was amazing! As good the next day as it was freshly made!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you loved it, Suzanne!
Carol
Can I just shred the beets and carrots in my food processor?
Kate
Sure! Make sure to use the right blade. I hope you love it!
Vicki
This salad is so good. It’s one of those salads that becomes more than the sum of its parts and transforms into next level deliciousness. It was easy too! I replaced edamame with frozen peas (just barely cooked) and lime juice with lemon juice because that’s what I had on hand and it turned out great. Fresh beets are a revelation. Thanks so much for another amazing recipe. This one I’m taking to my next potluck for sure.
★★★★★
Carol
We made this for the first time, and enjoyed it so much we made it twice in the same week! Delicious combo of flavors. Dressing is unique and wonderful. Shredding the carrots and beets in the food processor worked fine and saved a lot of time.
Eileen
We loved the pantry-friendly salad. I used my food processor to grate the carrot and beet, and I put the lime zest in the dressing. We loved the sweetness of this salad. My only reservation is that once it was mixed, this salad was all bright pink—the edamame and carrot didn’t stand a chance. This recipe was four main-dish salads for us.
★★★★★
Janet I Diaz
Hi Kate, I tried this recipe, and like you I used what I had around the house. I had fresh garden beets and carrots. Instead of spinach, I chopped up carrot and beet greens along with fresh Dandelion from my Yard. The carrot tops were a little minty at first, but toned down after the salad sat in the fridge for a few hours. I also added turkey and feta cheese which made it the main dish. I thought the avacado really took the salad up a notch.
★★★★★