Roasted Beet and Kale Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts
This healthy Roasted Beet and Kale Salad is ridiculously delicious. It's tossed in a maple balsamic dressing and dotted with roasted beets, maple candied walnuts, and goat cheese. When I make this for friends, they always ask for the recipe. You DEFINITELY want to make this one!

Hello, friends. I'd like to introduce you to some longtime favorites of mine. Please meet roasted beets, maple candied walnuts, and goat cheese. And all that green stuff they're sitting on top of, that would be kale. But of course! I love kale.
I know I know I'm one *those* people. Thanks for sticking with me even though I'm nuts for kale.
I just love the way kale's hearty texture stands up to the rest of the salad, rather than shrinking into the background as flimsy, delicate greens tend to do. And it doesn't wilt so there's no rush to eat it since it won't turn to slimy mush. I also love how the dressing sneaks its way into all the corners and grooves so each bite is super loaded with tastiness.
Roasted beet and kale salad is everything a salad should be.

When I'm eating this beet and kale salad my mind goes something like this:
ā OMGeee these candied walnuts are INSANE!
ā This dressing! This dressing! This dressing!
ā Man I love roasted beet. Why don't we eat them every day?
ā Yes to goat cheese! (If Boursin's in the salad, I get even happier.)
ā Oh kale, how I love you so.
Trying to figure out which part of the salad I love the most is impossible. It's all about the way each part works together that makes it really special.

Those maple candied walnuts are definitely near (or at) the top of the ‘what's the best thing about this beet and kale salad list'.
They're sweet and crunchy and have a delicious maple flavor. They're also a tiny bit spicy from the pepper, which works perfectly to balance their sweetness.
The only problem with them is that it's hard not to eat all of them before they go into the salad. Don't even try to sneak a bite of one first. Seriously, just don't. Do that and you'll have to make more candied walnuts.
If you're having a party, keep the walnut recipe on hand and put them out for your guests to snack on. Trust me, they won't last long!

Salad dressing question for you … do you make your own?
If you're not, this is a great time to start. Back in my store-bought salad dressing days I always thought that making my own would be difficult, and the few times I tried it just never turned out. The recipe for this salad dressing is my go-to make it all the time dressing. It'll last in the fridge for at least a week so you can make a bigger batch and use it on lots of different salads.
The biggest trick you need to know is to slowly whisk in the oil. Don't just dump everything into a bowl and stir it around. If you do that you'll end up with oily, runny dressing. What you're looking for is creamy.
What you're going to do is put everything EXCEPT the oil into a bowl and give it a little whisk. Then slowly add the oil in a small steady stream while whisking constantly. If you're familiar with making mayonnaise it is the same process, only minus the egg yolk. The whole whisking the oil in slowly thing will only take you about a minute.

You'll notice that in the recipe instructions I've said to peel the beets before they go in the oven. What? Why??
Here's why I do it that way: I really really don't like overcooked veggies. I like all my vegetables (with potatoes being the only exception) to have a slight bite to them when I eat them. What I've found is that by the time beets are cooked so their skins rub off easily they are overcooked. And honestly, it only takes a minute to quickly peel them. It's no biggie.
What about the red-stained hands, you say? By the time you finish washing up the dinner dishes any evidence of your beet peeling will be gone.
Happy roasted beet and kale salad eating!!

If you love this Roasted Beet and Kale Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts as much as I do, don't forget to give it a 5-star rating in the comments below!

Roasted Beet and Kale Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb. beets, peeled and quartered (or cut into bite sized pieces if you're using large beets)
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup walnut halves
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ā teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 4 packed cups of curly kale, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
- Optional: ¼ cup goat or Boursin cheese, a diced avocado makes a great vegan and paleo alternative to creamy cheeses in salads!
The Dressing
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey, use maple syrup for vegan
- 1 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, grated on a Microplane or very finely minced
- A pinch of sea salt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the beets on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle the oil over top. Use your hands to toss them in the oil. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until they can be pierced using some pressure with a fork.1 ½ lb. beets, 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- While the beets are roasting prepare the rest of the salad. Add the walnut halves to a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Let them cook until they are fragrant and start to brown in places, shaking the pan frequently. Pour over the maple syrup and sprinkle with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Let them cook, stirring constantly, until the maple syrup has almost evaporated, about 1 minute. Remove the walnuts from the pan and place them on a piece of parchment paper, separating them from each other as much as possible.1 cup walnut halves, 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, ā teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients EXCEPT the oil in a medium-sized bowl. Slowly add the oil in a thin steady stream while whisking the dressing constantly. If the oil starts to build up at all stop pouring it and whisk the dressing vigorously. It will take you about 1 minute to whisk in the oil. Taste the dressing and season it with extra salt, to taste.3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, ½ teaspoon dijon mustard, 1 clove garlic, A pinch of sea salt, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Add the kale, candied walnuts, and, if using, the cheese or avocado to a large bowl. When the beets come out of the oven let them cool slightly then add them to the bowl too. Pour the dressing over top and toss well so that everything is coated.Optional: ¼ cup goat or Boursin cheese, 4 packed cups of curly kale
this is one of my favorite go to salads, especially in the fall. In place of the boursin I sometimes use feta or goat cheese and usually always add the avocado.
I’ve made this several times now. I love it!
The salad is good and the tips in the recipe are very useful. The dressing is very tasty. I used the air fryer instead of the oven to make crispier beets. I guess is a good idea to skip the maple in the walnuts to make the salad less sweet. I will keep the rest as it is.
This was a delicious salad. I had beets and kale in my farm box this week so It was the perfect recipe. The walnuts added a wonderful sweet crunch. We used goat cheese as suggested. The family loved it!
Perfect recipe. My mom would always make this recipe and I made it on my own finally and itās just as great.Ā
Was inspired to make this when I picked up fresh beets and kale at my local farm. I used feta instead of goat cheese as I didnāt have goat cheese and it was amazing. It was so good, non beet lovers loved this salad and went back for more. Will definitely make this again!
Thanks. Ā Itās the best! Ā And youāre right; friends have asked for the recipe.
I loved this salad. I added some quinoa because I had some on hand already cooked. I didnāt candy the walnuts either, but I was fine without the added sugar. The dressing is good too.
So delicious and pleasing to the eye. Ā The maple candied walnuts are divine. Ā The goat cheese delivers creaminess. Ā The red of the beets and the vibrant green of the kale are magnificent. Ā I felt so good eating this salad. Ā
Wow! I do not care for any of these ingredients (kale, beets, walnuts) separately, but together these are delicious! this is going into my permanent book of recipes. The dressing is delicious as well! I did not have goat cheese, so I used feta, which is normally strong tasting ā the dish overall tamed the cheese. Thanks for a great recipe!
Love it! That’s so awesome to hear, Michelle!
Excellent salad…definitely a keeper. Only had pickled beets on hand..still yumtious.?
Pickled beets sound wonderful, too!
Can you make the beets the day before?
The recipe looks amazing! It’s going to part of my Oscar Party menu (inspired by Marriage Story).
They can be!
Delicious! I used avocado instead of feta and served with spiced chicken breast. The maple walnuts were so good. Thanks, I’ll be making this again.
I’m so happy to hear that the recipe was a hit, Emma!
This is an amazing recipe. My dressing turned out darker than your dressing did. I drizzled in slowly but maybe I didn’t do it right. Ummmm any suggestions? Thank you!
Perhaps it was just the lighting in the picture. It can sometimes cause things to look lighter/darker than they do in person. I’m sure that you did everything right!
Ever since I’ve made this salad, I make it again and again and again. It is simply delicious. If any of my friends want to try a new salad…I make them this one! Never thought candied walnuts were so easy!
That’s so wonderful to hear!!
So fricken delish! I love love love this salad ⦠substituted cheese for avocado ? ⦠OMG
the walnuts! To die for ! A must must try ā„ļø
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for coming back to let us know!!
I’m sorry… This BY FAR is the best recipe on the internet. I’ve made it over 30 times and have turned my healthy hating family into Kale. It is so delicious. Thank you. ā¤ļø
That makes me so happy to hear! Horray!!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve made it several times now using lettuce instead of kale, and my whole family loves it! My kids ages 3-9 gobble it up. Thanks for helping me freshen up my salad routine!
I love it! Such a great feeling when the little ones gobble up salad!!
Followed this recipe and loved it !! I almost went the easy way out with store bought dressing thinking t can’t make that much of a difference but oh it does! Glad I made the dressing as well!
Homemade dressing is the best, isn’t it?!
Excellent salad. Walnuts clumped together and remained sticky so I stuck them in the dehydrator for 30 minutes. Perfect and will make many more times.
Good call with the walnuts!
Very tasty salad! It was a hit at our family gathering!
I’m so happy to hear you liked the recipe!!
This salad is great! I used red kale and added crasins to augment the colour of the beets. I will make it again for sure!
Great call on the red kale! I so rarely see in the market I shop at. It’s so pretty!!
I made this for a potluck dinner with friends and every bit of it went – I used goat cheese which was awesome. I’ll definitely be making it again & probably just the dressing by itself for other salads!
<3 divine recipe, lovely work Kristen!
I used a yellow beetroot that made it look even prettier, mixed some romaine with raddiccio instead of kale and added extra salt, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and some pumpkin seed oil to have more of a less sweet dressing. Loved the "whisk in" the oil tip to have a creamy dressing.
Big fan of you over here, thanks for all of the delicious recipes you share!
I’m so happy you liked it! Yellow beets are so pretty. I wish they were easier to find near me!
How much maple syrup goes into the dressing? I don’t see it listed among the ingredients.
I’ve used honey in the dressing (2 tablespoons) but you can definitely swap maple syrup instead. š
Are you sure the calories on this are correct? After uploading to MFP it seems way off– the walnuts alone add 400 calories to each serving!
Hey Megin!
We’re actually in the process of redoing all the nutritional info. Originally, we got the information from My Fitness Pal, but the information there is by user input and not often correct. The actual calories count is closer to 330 calories per serving, if counting 4 servings. Walnuts have 183 calories per serving.
This salad + dressing is fantastic! Second time I’ve made it this weekend. We used pickled beets, almonds instead of walnuts, and added in some sliced shallots.
I’m so happy you like it, too. It’s one of my fav kale salads.
Hi. I just made this and I am not serving it until tomorrow so I am assuming I should wait and add the dressing before I serve it. I also want to add pears, and perhaps red onion. I too can not stop eating the walnuts, made extra doe snacking!
Do wait until just before you serve it to add the dressing. Pears and red onion sounds like a great addition!
I just finished making this for thanksgiving dinner and it looks great! I love how the walnuts turned out, and the dressing has a nice kick to it. Vibrant and perfect for a fall day. Thank you!
What a perfect salad for Thanksgiving! Hope you had a wonderful dinner!
Also wanted to mention that I buy pre-cooked beets. Cuts down on cooking time.
Great idea!
great salad! I used some form of Mexican curly kale, which looks like baby curly kale.
Delicious! Yet so simple. Thanks for the fabulous recipe.
You are so welcome!!
Have you ever made this with lacinato kale? That’s what I have on hand but noticed you specifically said to use curly leaf kale…
I really love the way the dressing gets into all the little grooves in the curly kale, but if you have lacinato on hand you can definitely use that instead. š
This salad is amazing…peeling and cubing the beets prior to cooking is such a great idea..the dressing superb and gets in all the little curls of the kale!!Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you like it! It’s so much easier to peel the beets first, isn’t it?! š
I am wondering if you could let me know where I could find metal salad bowls like the one in the picture here!?
That bowl is from Ikea. I have a whole bunch of them … from the biggest (giant) size to the smallest. Of the 4 sizes they have, the one in the picture is their second largest.
I use them mostly as mixing bowls, and sometimes as serving bowls. I couldn’t live without them!
This recipe looks fantastic! I created a link within my post on beets to this.
Thank you!!
I just made this salad for dinner and it was fantastic! The maple candied walnuts are ridiculous! I kept snacking on them while I was roasting the beets and thought I wouldn’t have enough to finish the salad! Flavorful, healthy, satisfying – this will be on regular rotation in my house.
I’m so happy you like it! I know what you mean about the candied nuts … they’re so hard not to devour before dinner. š
OMG that dressing though!!! Love the two types of vinegar..I”ve never done that before.
I’m so happy to hear you like it! It’s totally one of my favourites!!
Kristen, this recipe is fantastic. It is an easy salad that I have been making for week night dinners but it is elegant enough to serve to company. Thank you for this new staple of a recipe, I love it <3