Vegan beetroot salad with walnuts is a refreshing side made with tender boiled beetroot, fresh herbs, and a simple balsamic vinaigrette, finished with toasted walnuts for the perfect crunch.
If I’ve got fresh beets, I’m either roasting them, boiling them for this salad, or making a batch of my beetroot chips. There’s just something about the natural sweetness of beets that’s unrivalled.
Simple salads like this one, cold raw mushroom salad, or orange fennel salad pair beautifully with mains such as stews or other larger meals.
Ingredients
The complete list of ingredients with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.
Beetroot: Use fresh beetroot which will be boiled and cooled, avoid using canned. Cut off the stems and leaves and use them to make this delicious sautéed beet greens.
Walnuts: Coarsely chop and toast them in a dry pan for extra depth and crunch.
Scallions and parsley: Finely slice for a fresh, herby bite.
Balsamic vinaigrette dressing: Made with balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, crushed garlic, salt, and pepper. It brings the whole salad together.
Optional - Add some greens, the peppery flavoring of arugula will work fabulously in this beet salad.
Janelle's Tips
Let the beets cool completely before tossing them with the other ingredients. I often boil them the day before and store them in the fridge before preparing them for this salad.
Toasting the walnuts really enhances their flavor – don’t skip it.
Wear gloves when handling the beetroot to avoid stained hands.
Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a ★★★★★ star rating or tag @plantbasedfolk on social media.
Recipe
Vegan Beetroot Salad with Walnuts
Ingredients
- 3 large Beetroots leaves trimmed off, washed and scrubbed
- 2 sprigs Scallion (spring onions) finely sliced
- ½ cup Walnuts roughly chopped
- 1 handful Parsley fine chopped
- 1 clove Garlic crushed
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar substitute with pomegranate molasses
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil extra virgin
- ½ teaspoon Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper to taste
- 6 cups Water enough to boil beets in
Instructions
- Wash the beetroot thoroughly to remove any dirt. Trim off the leaves and stalks without cutting into the beetroot bulbs. Do not cut off the roots — this helps retain their color during cooking.
- Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add the whole beetroots with the skin on. Boil until a knife easily pierces through the center, this should take about 20 to 40 minutes, depending on size.Once cooked, transfer the beets to a bowl of ice-cold water. Rub the skins off using your hands, then chop the peeled beets into bite-sized chunks.
- In a dry frypan over medium heat, toast the chopped walnuts until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and crushed garlic to make the dressing.
- In a large salad bowl, combine the chopped beetroot, toasted walnuts, scallions, and parsley. Pour over the dressing and toss to coat. Serve cold.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
N.B., nutrition info is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. This will vary based on the specific ingredients you use.
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Kathleen
Very yummy, I added one tsp of sugar.
Janelle
That would be really nice Kathleen, so glad you found it yum
J 🙂
Jan
I love the toasted walnuts. The flavor of them against the walnuts is amazing. I also love the little amount of dressing needed.
Joy Reeves
I was pining for something good and different to eat. Now I know what that will be. Yummy
Thankyou
Janelle
It's a wonderful simple beetroot salad. Any time Joy 🙂