Roasted Summer Beet Salad Recipe with Cracked Olives
A flavor-packed summer beets recipe with roasted beets, toasted almonds, cracked green olives, and lemon vinaigrette—not to mention it’s a texture lover’s dream! Enjoy on its own or pair it with your favorite summer dinner.
As the days get longer, the produce gets brighter, and honestly, our salads could use a shakeup. Summer beet salads are my jam!
If you find yourself falling into the same old pattern of roasted beet salad with goat cheese and greens, it’s time for something different. This recipe delivers a uniquely delicious summer beet salad. The sweet, earthy fresh beets, salty olives, and crunchy almonds create a beautiful, hearty salad.
My favorite thing about this beet salad is the beautiful contrasting textures. Roasted beets offer a satisfying bite, while the olives add a salty pop and the almonds bring the crunch. It’s the perfect combination!
From there, it’s all about the light citrus dressing: balsamic for sweet tang, lemon zest and lemon juice for a hint of tartness, and fresh green onions for a vibrant flavor boost. This recipe is versatile by design, so grab whatever sounds good from your pantry and enjoy!
It is a great addition to any picnic, dinner party, or summer barbecue. Just like my Tomato Cucumber and Avocado Salad, there’s no lettuce to wilt so make it ahead for the busy week or mid-week lunches. This is seriously one of the best beet salad recipes. 😋
Beet Stats That May Surprise You
Beets are more than just a pretty color! Here’s what you might not know:
- Beets are a nutritional powerhouse. They help boost your daily values of fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and nitrates, which help lower blood pressure and improve athletic performance.
- Beets were more than just food in the ancient world. Beet juice was used for medicinal purposes and even as a beauty product!
- Beets aren’t JUST the roots. Beet greens are edible, delicious, and pack even more nutrients than the roots. Use them as you would spinach or kale!
✨ Make one of these 17 Summer Vegan Pasta Recipes to go with this beet salad! ✨
Ingredients
- Beets. Any kind of beets (golden beets, for example, work for this salad). I’m using red beets. If you wanted to combine different colored beets just know red beets will bleed and discolor the others when you toss them with the dressing.
- Whole almonds. Raw almonds get toasted along with the beets, then chopped for major crunch.
- Balsamic vinegar. Adds sweet tanginess, plus beets and balsamic go great together.
- Lemon zest. Fresh punch that adds so much brightness.
- Lemon juice. Fresh-squeezed lemon juice is key. Use the zest from 1 lemon then squeeze out all the juice.
- Olive oil. I always use California olive oil simply because it is fresher than imported olive oils.
- Scallions. Mix the white part in with the beets and sprinkle the greens on top for color.
- Green olives. I like using buttery, rich green olives like Bella di Cerignola or Calvestrano.
- Kosher salt. Morton kosher salt is what I use to test all of my recipes.
- Cracked black pepper. Fresh ground pepper is always best.
- Cilantro. A big handful of fresh chopped cilantro is the perfect finishing touch.
How To Make This Recipe
step one
Roast the beets. Cooking beets is really easy. Place beets in a baking dish, coat with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast at 425°F on the middle oven rack for 45-50 minutes. You can also wrap them in foil and place on a baking sheet to roast.
step two
Toast almonds. Place almonds in a small baking sheet or baking dish and place in the oven with the beets. Toast until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
step three
Peel and slice beets. Once beets are cool enough to handle, remove the skin by running a paring knife down the side of the beets, trim, and cut into wedges.
step four
Make the dressing. In a large bowl combine the vinegar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and salt and pepper.
step five
Toss and serve. Add the beets to the dressing along with the remaining ingredients. Toss to coat. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Arrange on a large platter and serve! A delicious way to enjoy this salad is with my Vinegar and Spice Baked Baby Back Ribs or my Double Pork Pork Burger.
*MAKE-AHEAD TIP: Make this salad up to 5 days in advance. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to eat.
✨ Your summer needs a great cocktail. Try one of these 12 Summer Gin Cocktails to sip in the sun! ✨
Variations
I truly believe the secret to becoming a happier cook is to explore new flavors, and trust your instincts! This salad is a great place to start.
- Add cheese. Creamy goat cheese is a natural with beets or feta cheese would also be good.
- Toss in vibrant greens. Like peppery arugula or baby spinach.
- Use a different nut. Pistachios, hazelnuts, or walnuts would be good.
- Mix up the herbs. Don’t like cilantro? Use Italian parsley, chives, or basil.
Summer Beets Recipe FAQ’s
- The tastiest way to eat beets? That totally depends on your preference! Roasting concentrates sweetness, boiling offers a softer texture, and pickling adds a delightful tang.
- Are beets better boiled or baked? Roasting generally brings out more flavor, especially for salads, but boiling is faster if you’re short on time.
- What pairs well with beets? Citrus to offset the earthiness, goat cheese for creaminess, balsamic vinegar for its tang, herbs like dill or mint add freshness, or up the umami with miso like with these Miso-Roasted Beets and Carrots.
- Why do you put vinegar in beets? Besides adding flavor, vinegar helps beets retain their bright color.
Top 5 Most Popular Healthy Recipes
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Try This Beet Salad!
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Roasted Summer Beet Salad with Green Olives
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds beets scrubbed clean and dried (about 6 medium beets)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil plus 1 teaspoon more for roasting beets
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1/4 cup whole raw almonds
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest, from 1 lemon
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced (green and white parts separated)
- 1/2 cup brined green olives, pits removed and coarsley chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425°F. Place beets in a baking dish, drizzle with the 1 teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat. Cover dish with foil and place in the oven.
- Roast beets until knife tender, about 45-50 minutes, depending on the size of beets. Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Peel off skin by scraping a pairing knife along the surface. Trim the ends and cut into wedges.
- While beets are roasting, place 1/4 cup almonds in a small oven safe pan and place alongside the beets in the oven. Toast until fragrant, about 10 minutes, shaking occasionally. Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Coarsley chop nuts; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the 3 tablespoons vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest, and 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Slowly add the 3 tablespoon oil while whisking continuously until combined.
- Add roasted beets, toasted almonds, the white parts of 4 scallions, the 1/2 cup chopped olives, and half of the chopped cilantro to vinaigrette and stir to coat.
- Arrange salad on a platter and sprinkle with the green parts of the scallion and the other half of cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
- Citrus: Use orange zest instead of lemon zest.
- Make-ahead: Make the salad up to 5 days in advance and store in the fridge until ready to eat. Stir before serving.
- Handling Beets: Beet juice can stain, so you might want to wear gloves while peeling and cutting them.
- Serving suggestion: Serve it alongside pork burgers, skirt steak, or salmon.
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