Beet Lentil Salad

🥗 Beet & Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese 🧀

Looking for a hearty, healthy salad that's perfect for fall or any time of year? This Beet and Lentil Salad with goat cheese, toasted walnuts, and a Dijon vinaigrette is a beautiful, satisfying salad that's packed with flavor. Earthy lentils meet sweet roasted beets, creamy goat cheese, and crunchy walnuts all tossed with a tangy Dijon dressing that brings it all together.

It’s the kind of salad that works just as well for an everyday lunch as it does on a holiday table. Simple ingredients, nourishing, and just elegant enough.

🥄 Why You’ll Love This Salad

• ✅ Hearty and wholesome with lentils and roasted vegetables
• ✅ Naturally gluten-free + vegetarian
• ✅ Great for meal prep — stores beautifully
• ✅ Balanced and flavorful — sweet, savory, creamy, crunchy
• ✅ Elegant but effortless — for weeknights or gatherings

📝 Ingredient Notes

(See Recipe Card for Details)

🔥 How to Roast Beets

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Peel and cube the beets into evenly sized pieces.
3. Toss with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt, then spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
4. Roast for 25–30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and starting to caramelize.
5. In the last 5 minutes of roasting, drizzle the beets with honey, toss gently, and return to the oven. The honey will slightly glaze the beets and intensify their sweetness.
6. Let cool slightly before adding to the salad.

🌰 How to Toast Walnuts

1. After removing the beets, reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
2. Spread walnuts on a small baking tray and place in the warm oven.
3. Toast for 3–5 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden.
4. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Remove and let cool.

🥣 How to Make the Salad

1️⃣ Cook the Lentils

• Rinse lentils under cold water.
• Simmer in water (2–3 inches above lentils) for 15–20 minutes, until just tender.
• Drain, cool slightly, and season with ¼ tsp salt.

2️⃣ Make the Vinaigrette

• Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
• Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

3️⃣ Assemble the Salad

• In a large bowl, combine cooked lentils, roasted honey-glazed beets, and the spinach-kale mix.
• Add most of the vinaigrette and toss gently.
• Top with goat cheese and toasted walnuts.
• Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette and season to taste.

🍽️ How to Serve This Beet & Lentil Salad

This salad is as versatile as it is beautiful. Here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy it:

• 🌿 As a light main course — perfect for lunch or a simple vegetarian dinner
• 🐟 As a side for your favorite holiday meal (like Thanksgiving or Christmas)
• 🥣 In a veggie bowl — combine with roasted sweet potatoes, hummus, quinoa, or cauliflower rice for a plant-based bowl

🌿 Tips & Variations

• Use du Puy lentils if you can’t find beluga – they’re just as hearty and flavorful.
• Swap goat cheese for feta or leave it out for a dairy-free version.
• Use arugula instead of spinach or kale.
• Mix in pomegranate seeds or dried fruit like figs for seasonal brightness.

💬 Final Thoughts

This beet & lentil Salad is one of those recipes that’s both refined and rustic — equally at home at a dinner party or in a weekday lunchbox. The roasted beets, hearty lentils, and creamy goat cheese make for a perfect mix of flavor and nutrition.

It’s a salad that keeps well, travels well, and can be made ahead of time,  so don’t be surprised if it becomes one of your go-tos for the season.

📌 Save or Share This Recipe

If you try it, tag @gourmandeinthekitchen on Instagram — I’d love to see your version. 💕 Pin it, print it, and come back to it again and again.

More Beet Recipes:

• Beet Sweet Potato Salad
• Candied Beets
• Beet Slaw

Continue to Content

Yield: Serves 4

Beet Lentil Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Hearty, wholesome, and full of flavor — this Beet & Lentil Salad is a fall favorite. Roasted beets, creamy goat cheese, toasted walnuts, and earthy lentils tossed in a Dijon vinaigrette.

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Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 1 cup/172g black beluga lentils (or French green lentils/du Puy)
• 3–4 medium beets, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 Tablespoon/15ml olive oil, for roasting
• 2 teaspoons/14g honey (added during roasting)
• ¼ cup/28g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• 2 ounces/56 goat cheese, crumbled
• 3 ounces/85g baby spinach and baby kale mix
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For the Vinaigrette:

• 3 Tablespoons/45ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons/30ml balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon/5ml Dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon finely minced shallot
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• Pepper, to taste

Instructions

Roast the Beets:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Toss cubed beets with olive oil and a ¼ teaspoon of salt. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Roast for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway, until nearly tender.
4. In the last 5 minutes, drizzle with honey and toss gently to coat. Return to the oven until glazed and caramelized. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Toast the Walnuts:

1. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) after removing the beets.
2. Spread walnuts on a small baking tray and place in the oven for 3-5 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden.
3. Watch closely to prevent burning. Remove and let cool.

Cook the Lentils:

1. Rinse lentils under cold water. Place in a saucepan with 2-3 inches of water to cover.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until just tender but not mushy.
3. Drain and let cool slightly. Season with a ¼ teaspoon of salt.

Make the Vinaigrette:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, salt, and pepper until emulsified.

Assemble the Salad:

1. In a large bowl, combine the cooked lentils, honey-roasted beets, and
   spinach-kale mix.
2. Pour in most of the vinaigrette and toss gently to combine.
3. Top with crumbled goat cheese and toasted walnuts.
4. Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette to taste and season with salt and pepper.

Notes

🧊 Storage

Store lentils and roasted beets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Add, spinach, kale, goat cheese, walnuts and dressing just before serving for best texture.

🌿 Tips & Variations

·       Use du Puy lentils if you can’t find beluga – they’re just as hearty and flavorful.

·       Swap goat cheese for feta or use a vegan alternative for a dairy-free version.

·       Add a handful of arugula or spinach to bulk it up into a full entrée salad.

·       Mix in pomegranate seeds or dried fruit like figs for seasonal brightness.

Dietary Notes:

Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan Option (swap honey for maple and use a vegan cheese), Dairy-Free Option (use a dairy-free cheese), Egg-Free

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Raw Unfiltered Honey, Pesticide Free, Fair Trade, Non GMO & Non Glyphosate, 16 Ounce Squeeze Bottle (Pack of 1) (00280721)
• 
  Amora Strong Dijon Mustard from France - 2 plastic bottles - 265 grams each, 9.35 Ounce (Pack of 2)
• 
  Earthbound Farm Organic Power Greens, 16 Oz
• 
  SIMPLI Organic Black Lentils, 12 OZ

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 169Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 248mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 9g

Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.

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