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This beet and spinach salad recipe has goat cheese, fresh raw grated beets, pears, and a quick homemade vinaigrette. It’s simple, bright, and will look lovely on your table!
Try my Maple Roasted Beets and Carrots or Roasted Beet Hummus next.
Why you’ll love it
This easy spinach salad pairs the crunch of raw beets with the irresistible flavor of in-season pears! We’re dressing it up with a simple balsamic honey vinaigrette, and the creamy tanginess of goat cheese ties it all together. The combo of flavors works so well.
If you haven’t tried raw beets, they taste similar to cooked beets but a little milder and more fresh with their signature earthiness. They’re tasty in my Beet and Blood Orange Salad too! This spinach beet salad is nice and light, but pears and cheese keep it interesting.
What you’ll need
- Beets – we’re using them raw
- Pears – I use Bosc pears, but feel free to use any variety you can get
- Spinach – everyone’s favorite dark leafy green
- Goat cheese – this creamy cheese is a tried and true pairing with beets! They make a little magic together.
- Red onions – it’s the best variety to use raw in salads for another crunch
- Dressing – the simple vinaigrette has balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil, Dijon mustard (one of my go-to savory flavor enhancers; it doesn’t make it taste too mustard-y), garlic, and salt & pepper
Pro tip
You can definitely use cooked beets if you prefer. Boil them until tender, use my Instant Pot Beets recipe, or roast them like I do in my Roasted Beet and Kale Salad. Canned/jarred ones work too!
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Here’s the Pyrex glass prep bowl pictured. So handy for salads!
- I use a box grater for the shredded beets.
- Use a garlic press to mince the garlic effortlessly and a mason jar to shake up the dressing.
How to make beet and spinach salad
This is an overview, and full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a mason jar or small bowl, shake/whisk together the dressing ingredients until mixed well. Set aside.
- Peel the beets and trim the ends. Grate them into a large prep bowl. Prep the remaining ingredients, then add to the bowl (leave the pears and cheese till after tossing if you don’t want them pink).
- Toss with the dressing. Taste, and season with extra salt & pepper if needed.
Substitutions and variations
- Try feta or blue cheese if you aren’t a goat cheese fan.
- If you’re not much of a cheese lover at all, you can just leave it out. If you prefer something mild, add in some shredded mozzarella.
- Use sliced apples if pears aren’t in season or you dislike them. Granny Smith or Honeycrisp would be ideal.
What to serve with spinach and beet salad
- This salad makes a light but hearty dinner for two! Pair it with your favorite beverage (some Sweet Tea maybe) and a slice of fresh crusty bread. Sourdough would be perfect.
- It’s also a great side dish for more people. Serve it alongside this bright Tomato Spinach White Wine Chicken, elegant Creamy White Wine Halibut, or my Easy Grilled Pork Chops.
- Pair it with these Summer Tomato Sandwiches for a gorgeous patio lunch.
Leftovers and storage
- As with most salads, I prefer to enjoy this one fresh. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for a day or so, though.
- If preparing it ahead any length of time or you anticipate a lot of leftovers, I’d recommend storing the dressing separately from the salad (and not chopping up the pear until serving) so that it doesn’t wilt.
If you made this beet and spinach salad with goat cheese, please leave a star rating and review below! I love hearing from readers. Or tag me on Instagram.
Beet and Spinach Salad
Ingredients
- 2 medium beets peeled & grated
- 2 pears cored & sliced
- 5 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese (or to taste)
- 2 tablespoons chopped red onion (or to taste)
Dressing:
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing by combining the dressing ingredients in a drinking glass, small bowl, or jar. Stir/shake well. Give it a taste and adjust ingredients as needed (e.g. add more honey or vinegar).
- Peel the beets and cut off the ends. Using a regular box grater, grate them. Prep other salad ingredients and add them to a large bowl. The beets will turn everything pink, so if you don't want that, toss the salad THEN add the cheese and pears on top like I did.
- I like to season the salad itself as well as the dressing with salt & pepper, so add some salt & pepper and then toss with the dressing (shake/stir well first). Serve immediately.
Notes
- Serves 4-6 as a side salad or makes 2 fairly large portions (more main course-sized).
- “Medium” beets is subjective, so I measured it out and my beets were about 1.5 cups when grated. Anything in that ballpark is fine.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This looks really good please send me the website thank you
Not sure what you’re asking. Recipe is right above the comments section.
Just made this tonight with fresh beets, never thought to eat them raw. So light and fresh, great addition to summer BBQ Chicken Kabobs.
So glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Wonderful salad. I used my mandolin to julienne the beets and I do like them raw for the added crunch. I found some candied pecan pieces with maple flavoring when I was shopping for this recipe. What a treat! This will be my go to fall/winter salad. Dressing is delicious. Thanks!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Adele! Love that you added candied pecans… yum! Thanks for commenting.
What can I substitute for the Dijon mustard? I’m not a fan of mustard.
I’d probably just leave it out. There really is no substitute.