Baby Beet and Clementine Salad
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This beet and clementine salad combines tender beets, sweet citrus, creamy goat cheese and crunchy pistachios over fresh greens, all finished with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. It’s bright, balanced and perfect as a winter side or light meal.
Winter salads can be a tough sell, but this one always hits. The combination of earthy beets and bright, juicy clementines is surprisingly perfect, especially when you add creamy goat cheese and a little crunch from pistachios. It feels fresh and vibrant even on the coldest days, which is exactly what I want this time of year.
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“Such a beautiful salad! Even my picky teen was convinced to try it because of the colorful appearance (she added feta for an extra punch). With chicken added, also makes a great entree salad. Will definitely make again (and again and again)!”
Why I Love This Beet and Clementine Salad
- Bright winter flavors: Sweet citrus and earthy beets make this the perfect salad for citrus season.
- Beautiful but simple: It looks impressive, but it comes together in minutes, especially if you use pre-cooked beets.
- Great as a side or meal: Serve it alongside your favorite protein or add one on top to turn it into a satisfying main.
- Balanced texture: Creamy goat cheese, crunchy pistachios and juicy clementines keep every bite interesting.
Ingredients Needed
- spring mix – a simple base of tender greens. You can use any mix you like, but I love the variety and color spring mix adds.
- beets – the star of the salad! They’re earthy, slightly sweet and pair perfectly with citrus. Pre-cooked beets are a great shortcut.
- clementines or mandarin oranges – add bright, juicy sweetness. I love using clementines because they’re easy to peel and naturally bite-sized.
- roasted and salted pistachios – bring crunch and a little salty contrast to balance the sweet citrus.
- quick pickled red onion – don’t skip these! Make quick pickled onions in no time at all and add a ton of flavor and nutrients to this salad.
- goat cheese – creamy and slightly tangy. It ties everything together.
- balsamic glaze or balsamic dressing – I loved the simplicity of drizzling a balsamic glaze on this salad but my homemade balsamic dressing would also be delicious!
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Beet and Clementine Salad
If you’ve already prepped your beets (or are using store-bought beets) this is a super simple recipe! Simply add the package of spring mix to a large salad bowl. Top with chopped beets, clementine pieces, pickled red onion, goat cheese, pistachios, salt and cracked pepper.
Brittany’s Tips
- Don’t toss the salad: If you mix everything together, the toppings tend to sink and the beet juices can tint the greens pink. For the prettiest presentation, layer the ingredients and drizzle the balsamic glaze or dressing right before serving.
- Use pre-cooked beets for a shortcut: Store-bought cooked beets are a huge time-saver. I love using Love Beets when I’m in a pinch and don’t want to roast or boil beets from scratch.
- Season at the end: A small pinch of flaky salt and freshly cracked black pepper right before serving makes all the flavors pop.
How to Serve Beet and Clementine Salad
This salad works beautifully as a winter side, but it’s easy to turn into a full meal.
Serve it alongside simple mains like balsamic salmon, roasted chicken or a cozy bowl of vegetable soup for a balanced dinner. The bright citrus and tangy goat cheese pair especially well with roasted proteins and heartier dishes.
If you’d like to make it meal-sized, top it with crispy baked tofu, tempeh, apple cider vinegar chicken or roasted chickpeas. You can also add a scoop of cooked quinoa or farro for something more filling.
How to Store
This salad is best enjoyed fresh, but you can prep components ahead of time.
Store chopped beets, peeled clementines and pickled onions separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. Keep the greens and dressing separate until ready to serve.
If already assembled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The greens may soften slightly from the beet juices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Feta is a great substitute if you prefer something saltier. For a dairy-free option, simply omit the cheese or use a plant-based alternative.
Balsamic glaze keeps things simple and slightly sweet, but this creamy poppyseed dressing, red wine vinaigrette, white balsamic vinaigrette or creamy balsamic vinaigrette would all be delicious on this salad!
More Salad Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Baby Beet and Clementine Salad
Ingredients
- 1 5 ounce package spring mix
- 3-4 medium cooked beets, chopped
- 2 clementines or mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented
- ¼ cup chopped roasted and salted pistachios
- ¼ cup quick pickled red onion
- 2-3 ounces goat cheese
- salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
- balsamic glaze or balsamic dressing
Instructions
- Add the package of spring mix to a large salad bowl. Top with chopped beets, clementines, red onion, goat cheese, pistachios, salt and cracked pepper. You can toss the salad, but I find that all the toppings sink to the bottom and the liquid from the beets make the salad look kind of messy so I don’t toss it in the serving bowl.1 5 ounce package spring mix, 3-4 medium cooked beets, 2 clementines or mandarin oranges, ¼ cup chopped roasted and salted pistachios, ¼ cup quick pickled red onion, 2-3 ounces goat cheese, salt and fresh cracked pepper
- Drizzle with balsamic glaze or dressing. Alternatively you can serve the salad without the glaze and allow everyone to add their own amount of dressing to taste.balsamic glaze or balsamic dressing
Notes
- Boiling beets: Place washed and trimmed beets in a large saucepan, add water to cover, as well as, a little lemon juice or vinegar. The lemon juice or vinegar help to prevent the beets from bleeding. Bring beets to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of your beets. Drain and place pot under cold running water. Keeping rinsing until beets are cool enough to be handled. At this point the skin will slip right now off. Peel skin off the beets, quarter and set aside.
- Roasting beets: Once beets are washed and trimmed poke 2-3 times with a fork and wrap the full beet tightly in aluminum foil. Roast at 400ºF for 75-90 minutes – on the shorter end if your beets are smaller and on the longer end if your beets are larger! Carefully unwrap the beets and run cool water over them. The skin should easily peel off while you do this.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Such a beautiful salad! Even my picky teen was convinced to try it because of the colorful appearance (she added feta for an extra punch). I used pre-cooked beets, which made this salad easy to throw together, but it’s an impressive-looking dish for guests. With chicken added, also makes a great entree salad. Will definitely make again (and again and again)!
Yay, I love hearing that, Amy! Using pre-cooked beets is such a great time-saver, and feta sounds like a delicious addition. Thanks for giving this one a try and for sharing your tweaks. I really appreciate it!
This is so quick to make and the taste is really good. I used pre-cooked beets and swapped goat cheese with my favourite vegan cheese https://violifefoods.com/ because I’m vegan. My kids loved this salad. Will definitely be making this again!
Ah yay! So happy to hear, Jennifer. Thanks so much for trying out and and coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
This was a lovely combination of flavors and it came together quickly. I used pre-cooked beets, Boston lettuce, and feta instead of goat cheese because that’s what I had. I loved the crunch of the pistachios. Your balsamic dressing was perfect and easy to shake up in a jar. My beet-loving husband was very happy!
Woo!! So happy to hear this salad was a hit, Kathy. Thanks for trying it out and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!