This Roasted Beet Quinoa Salad with Maple Dijon Dressing is an easy side or main dish with a bright, vibrant color! This beautiful salad bowl makes enough for a crowd and is a great choice for meal prep!
I have been getting beets in my CSA box regularly. I have found that very few people will eat a side of roasted beets, but if I put them in a salad, voila! My whole family will eat them.
I was inspired to make this quinoa salad bowl because I love easy ways to meal prep hearty salads at the beginning of the week and add protein to them for quick lunches or dinners. Quinoa holds up well in the refrigerator and is filling itself. This makes for a perfect meal prep option!
Looking for more salad options? Try this Sun-Dried Tomato and Kale Pasta Salad. This salad is also great for meal prepping because of the sturdy kale. Or, try this Grilled Street Corn and Chickpea Salad. This is one of my favorite summer recipes and can be a complete meal thanks to the protein-rich chickpeas.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for meal prep!
- Feeds a crowd! This large-portion salad is great to serve as a potluck side dish.
- Vibrant colors. The dark red beets and bright green arugula are the perfect of freshness.
Ingredients
Head to your local farmers market or grocery store to grab these ingredients:
- Quinoa is the grain basis for this recipe. I like to cook my quinoa in water or vegetable broth. This keeps the recipe vegetarian.
- Red beets are roasted in extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. This adds a sweet flavor and a pop of color to the recipe.
- Chopped walnuts, crumbled goat cheese, and dried cranberries add crunch and hints of sweetness to the bowl.
- Fresh arugula makes this a salad by adding the greens.
- The dressing is made with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and garlic. The mustard and balsamic vinegar balance out the sweetness of the maple syrup giving the dressing just enough tang.
The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
Variations
- Base. Swap the quinoa for rice, orzo, or couscous.
- Vegetables. Swap out the red beets for sweet potatoes, butternut squash, or carrots. These have similar textures to beets and can easily be roasted.
- Nuts. Substitute the walnuts for pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, or sunflower seeds.
- Cheese. Replace the goat cheese with salty feta cheese or parmesan cheese.
- Dried Fruit. The dried cranberries can be replaced with pomegranate seeds or raisins.
- Greens. Substitute the peppery arugula with chopped kale, spinach, or other leafy greens.
- Dressing. Use your favorite creamy balsamic dressing. Alternatively, substitute the Dijon mustard with a spicy brown mustard, and the maple syrup with agave nectar or honey.
- Additions. Add fresh herbs such as fresh dill or thyme. Or, add sliced green onions for extra flavor.
Equipment
- Large baking sheet
- Food processor or bowl and whisk
- Large bowl
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Bake the beets. Toss the raw beets (with the skin on) with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Wrap each beet tightly with tin foil. Cook beets at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes or until the beets are soft. Allow beets to cool and then remove from tin foil. Chop into small pieces.
Step 2: Make the quinoa. Cook quinoa according to package directions with either water or vegetable broth. Set aside.
Step 3: Make the dressing. Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and garlic to a food processor. Pulse until the dressing is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4: Assemble salad. Add the cooked quinoa, roasted beets, arugula, chopped walnuts, goat cheese, and dried cranberries to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with the dressing. Gently stir together until the dressing is combined with the quinoa.
Storage
This salad can be stored refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If planning to store, leave the arugula out and add when you are ready to serve. If not, the greens will become wilted.
Top tip
Double the Maple Dijon Dressing recipe so that you can have homemade dressing ready to go!
FAQ
This salad is great for meal prep! Simply make the quinoa salad according to the recipe directions (including adding the dressing). Store the salad in pre-portioned containers or serve throughout the week. You can also add a protein like grilled chicken or salmon over top to make this salad a complete meal. You may want to leave the greens out of the salad and add when you are ready to eat in order to prevent the greens from wilting.
No, you do not need to wrap the beets in foil when baking. Cooking the beets in foil helps to retain moisture in the beets. However, you can roast the beets without the foil or you can peel the beets prior to roasting and roast without the tin foil.
Serve this quinoa salad warm just after mixing all of the ingredients together or at room temperature.
Related
Looking for other salad like this? Try one ofthese:
Pairing
These are my favorite drinks to serve with quinoa salad:
Roasted Beet Quinoa Salad with Maple Dijon Dressing
Equipment
- Large baking sheet
- Food Processor
- Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup Quinoa
- 1 bunch Beets about 6 beets
- 1 tablespoon EVOO
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
- 1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts
- 1/4 cup Goat Cheese
- 2 cups Arugula
- 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries
Maple Dijon Dressing
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 clove Garlic
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the beets with the Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper. Wrap each beet in tin foil. Bake for 40 minutes until beets are soft.
- Allow beets to cool. Use a paper towel to wipe the skin off of beets. Chop into bite-size pieces.
- Cook quinoa according to package directions until light and fluffy.
- To a food processor, add the Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Maple Syrup, Dijon Mustard, Garlic Clove, Salt and Pepper. Pulse until smooth.
- In a large bowl, toss together quinoa, arugula, walnuts, goat cheese, beets, and dried cranberries. Drizzle with dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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