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This beet and spinach salad recipe has goat’s cheese, fresh raw grated beets, pears, and a homemade honey balsamic vinaigrette. It’s healthy and will look lovely on your table!

Try my Easy Waldorf Salad or Spinach Salad with Bacon and Eggs next for another delicious salad everyone will devour.

beet and spinach salad with pears, goat cheese, and a balsamic vinaigrette in a beige salad bowl

I was debating how to prepare the beets for this salad, and I decided to use them raw. It’s not the most common thing, but I’m no stranger to raw beets in recipes. Back in 2018 I came up with my Spiralized Raw Beet Salad with Blood Oranges. 

This spinach beet salad is nice and light, but the cheese and pears do make it more interesting and filling. This is the type of salad you could serve at a summer dinner party.

Raw beets taste similar to cooked beets, but I would say a little milder and more fresh if that makes sense. And the crunch is nice! They still have their signature earthiness.

Love beets? You may also like my Roasted Beet Hummus.

collage of grated beets in a glass bowl and two golden pears for beet and spinach salad recipe

Can I use cooked beets?

Of course! You can cook them how you usually do, boil them until tender, cook your beets in the Instant Pot (click for my recipe), or roast them (I have instructions in my Roasted Beet and Kale Salad). Canned beets are actually pretty good as well. I like the Aylmer brand here in Canada. 

Can I sub anything for the goat’s cheese?

Try feta or blue cheese. Or, if you’re not much of a cheese fan you can just leave it out. If you prefer something mild, add in some shredded mozzarella. 

Can I swap the pears for something else?

Sure, try sliced apples. I used Bosc pears, but feel free to use any variety of pears.

spinach beet salad in a glass prep bowl

I hope you will enjoy this spinach and beet salad. It makes a great side dish for several people or a nice light dinner for two. 

More fresh & delicious salads to try:

close-up of beet spinach salad in a bowl

Questions about this beet & spinach salad? Let me know in the comments below!

beet and spinach salad with pears, goat cheese, and a balsamic vinaigrette in a beige salad bowl
5 from 3 votes

Beet and Spinach Salad

By Natasha Bull
This beet and spinach salad recipe has goat's cheese, fresh raw grated beets, pears, and a homemade honey balsamic vinaigrette. It's healthy and will look lovely on your table!
Prep: 25 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
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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.
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 208mg, Potassium: 577mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 3666IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 96mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Hi! I’m Natasha.

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8 Comments

  2. 5 stars
    Just made this tonight with fresh beets, never thought to eat them raw. So light and fresh, great addition to summer BBQ Chicken Kabobs.

    Reply

  3. 5 stars
    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!

    Reply