Pickled Beet Salad with Feta Cheese and Walnuts

This scrumptious pickled beet salad with feta cheese and walnuts is quickly and easily prepared in less than 10 minutes. A great side dish with delightfully wonderful flavor combinations. Vegetarian, healthy, and simply just oh-so-delicious recipe.

Canned ingredients are a fantastic choice for quick and convenient recipes without sacrificing nutrition. In this recipe, pickled beets add a tangy and vibrant element to the dish.

Ingredients

What will you need for this simple beetroot salad? Only very few everyday pantry items:

• Feta Cheese: The feta cheese’s slight saltiness harmonizes wonderfully with the pickled beet’s tartness and provides the dish with a beautiful touch of creaminess. Alternatively, you may also use goat cheese instead of feta.

• Walnuts: Add a little crunch to your salad by crumbling up some walnuts and tossing these in as well. Not only do they provide a perfect counterbalance in terms of texture, but they also deliver a mighty punch when it comes to healthy fats.

• Green onions: The slight pungency of spring onions is the ideal match for this dish’s flavor palate, while also rounding it out flawlessly. Opt for chives if you are shooting for a milder taste, or use “regular” onions if you want a more intense flavor.

Topped off with a delicious dressing made with olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, water, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper, and your salad is ready to hit the stage!

Instructions

The pickled beet and feta salad is remarkably easily prepared.

Using a strainer, thoroughly drain your pickled beets and let them sit in the strainer for a minute or so to remove as much excess liquid as you can. Be careful with the red liquid, though.

Slice your feta cheese into bite-sized cubes, or simply crumble it by hand.

Then, chop and crumble the walnuts as well.

Now, cut your green onions into small chunks or rings. If your scallions are quite “chunky”, cut them in half lengthwise beforehand.

An easily prepared dressing made with olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, water, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl or a salad dressing shaker and mix well.

Pretty much any Mason jar-style container with a screw-top lid will work just fine.

Toss your pickled red beets, feta cheese, walnuts, and green onions (or chives) into a large bowl. Drizzle your flavorful dressing over your salad ingredients, combine well, and season with salt and black pepper.

That’s it! You’re done! It barely took 10 minutes to get this delicious salad on the road.

Variations

Here are a few ideas of how to customize the beet salad recipe:

• If you simply have enough time on your hands, opt for using fresh red beets instead of pickled ones. Let them simmer for about 30-45 minutes, set aside for cooling and then peel and cut them into chunks.

• Don’t really fancy green onions? How about chives instead? Chives are a bit milder in taste. For a richer and more intense flavor, use regular onions in place of scallions.

• Looking for a “special guest” to add to your dish? How about an apple (chopped finely)? The apple’s sweetness will blend in marvelously with the other components of your salad. You should definitely give it a try at some point! 😉

• Substitute the traditional feta with goat cheese or another similar cheese to complement your beet salad.

• You can enhance the flavor of walnuts by roasting them. Alternatively, use another nut altogether, like pine nuts, if you prefer those.

• Arugula, baby spinach, spring mix, chickpeas, or parsley would also make great culinary companions for the beet salad.

• Do you prefer a creamier dressing instead of the simple oil-vinegar vinaigrette? Add some Greek yoghurt or a bit of sour cream to it.

• Aiming for a vegan dish? As an alternative to feta cheese, you can use any other plant-based substitute to your liking.

Perfect Pairings

This flavorful beet feta walnut salad works well with pretty much any entrée. Whether you intend to serve it as an appetizer for a main course, a traditional snack, on a buffet, at a party, or a barbecue….. you won’t miss the mark by serving this one!

Also great for snacking in-between meals. Having a hearty late-afternoon salad for a change might be considered an unusual snack, but hey, why not? You’ve got to spread those wings and fly every once in a while. 😉 And this salad checks all the boxes when it comes to health! So, have at it and enjoy!

Of course, you may also enjoy your delicious salad as a main course. To make sure your belly is happy and full, best to add another ingredient to the dish. How about a fresh baguette from your local bakery? Or a yummy slice of whole or multi-grain bread to go with your salad? Maybe even throw it in your toaster to add another element of crunch. The sky is the limit.

Furthermore, this salad is meal prep-friendly, making it a great lunch item to take to the office or school/college.

Storage and Shelf Life

The tasty pickled beet salad with feta cheese is best enjoyed freshly prepared – you’ll have it done in no time anyway. However, you may also prepare it ahead of time.

You may store the salad in an airtight container kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. Allowing the salad to rest overnight will allow all ingredients to fully develop and intensify their flavors thus making it taste even better.

Visually the salad might look like it had a little meet and greet with Rocky Balboa, but the taste will most certainly be a culinary “knockout”.

More quick and easy salad recipes

Looking for similar simple and healthy salad recipes? Try these:

chickpea cucumber tomato feta salad

lentil salad with feta

cucumber feta avocado salad

radish and apple salad