Arugula Beet Salad with Candied Walnuts and Goat Cheese

Instant Pot Beet Salad on white plate with beets and walnuts on black background

Arugula Beet Salad with Candied Walnuts and Goat Cheese

5 from 7 votes

This beautiful and tasty Arugula Salad with beets, toasted candied walnuts, goat cheese and arugula has a delightful balsamic vinaigrette dressing and is perfect as a side salad or as a standalone lunch salad. Cooking the beets in the Instant Pot is the most convenient and easy way to cook beets.

Servings salads

Ingredients

Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic minced
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar

Candied Walnuts

1 tablespoon ghee or butter
1 cup walnuts chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Beets

6 medium beets

Salad

6 cups arugula
2 oz goat cheese crumbled
Candied walnuts
Beets
Balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing

Instructions

Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Combine balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, black pepper and sugar in a small bowl.
Stir with a whisk and set aside.

Candied Walnuts

Combine butter or ghee, walnuts and brown sugar in a small frying pan.
Saute until sugar has melted and walnuts are toasted.
Cool on a silicone mat or parchment paper and set aside.

Instant Pot Beets

Rinse the beets and trim the stems of the beets, leaving about 1 inch. (Leave the roots intact.)
Fill inner pot with 1 cup water.
Place beets in a steamer basket in the inner pot.
Pressure cook for 15 minutes on High Pressure.
Do a quick release of pressure and open the Instant Pot. [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]
Press Cancel to turn of Instant Pot. Open the lid and when cool enough to handle, remove steamer basket from inner pot.
Cool Instant Pot beets completely.
Cut off both ends of each beet.
Peel beets with a vegetable peeler or remove skin by hand.
Cube beets into ½ inch pieces.

Stovetop Beets

Fill a large pot with water and add the beets to the water.
Bring the water to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
Cook beets until tender, about 45 minutes to one hour. Carefully drain the beets and allow to cool.
Cut off both ends of each beet. Peel beets with a vegetable peeler or remove skin by hand. Cube beets into ½ inch pieces.

Air Fryer Beets

Peel and cut the beets into 1 inch pieces.
Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).
Toss the beets with a tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Air fry the beets for 20 to 25 minutes or until the beets are cooked through, shaking the basket halfway through.

Assemble Individual Salads

Start with a layer of arugula.
Sprinkle goat cheese and candied walnuts.
Add beet pieces.
Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing.

Notes

Substitute pecans for walnuts if you wish.

Nutrition