Kale Beet Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts

This kale beet salad is so colorful and pretty – so you’ll be happy to hear that it tastes as amazing as it looks! Sweet and tender beets are paired with tangy, creamy goat cheese with the crunch of candied walnuts, melding into crisp, hearty kale leaves. It’s coated with a honey balsamic vinegarette that sneaks its way into all the corners and grooves of the kale, so each bite is full of flavor!

This kale beet salad is one I turn to as soon as fall rolls around and I start craving warm, roasted beets — though I happily make it any time of year. The earthy sweetness of the beets pairs beautifully with hearty, slightly bitter kale, and together they strike that perfect cozy-but-fresh balance I love.

The real wildcard here is the maple candied walnuts. They add just the right sweet crunch and somehow manage to steal the spotlight every time. A word of warning from experience: once you start nibbling on them, it’s very hard to stop. I usually make a double batch so there are extras on hand — some for the salad, some for “quality control.”

Honey balsamic dressing

Adding a bottle of store-bought salad dressing to your shopping cart might seem like a convenient shortcut, but achieving a delicious homemade dressing is a super easy and straightforward process. The key is gradual incorporation of oil – you want to slowly whisk it in. If you add everything to a bowl and stir it around, you’ll get an oily, runny dressing rather than a creamy consistency.

Put everything EXCEPT the oil into a bowl, giving it a little whisk. Then, slowly add the oil in a small and steady stream while whisking constantly – the whole thing should take just one minute. If the oil starts to build up, stop pouring it in and whisk the dressing vigorously. If you’re familiar with making homemade mayonnaise, it’s the same process, minus the egg yolk.

The salad dressing will last in the fridge for at least a week, which means you can always make a larger batch and use it for other salads.

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Kale Beet Salad Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 40 minutes mins

Total: 50 minutes mins

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This kale beet salad is so colorful and pretty – so you'll be happy to hear that it tastes as amazing as it looks! Sweet and tender beets are paired with tangy, creamy goat cheese with the crunch of candied walnuts, melding into crisp, hearty kale leaves. It's coated with a honey balsamic vinegarette that sneaks its way into all the corners and grooves of the kale, so each bite is full of flavor!

4

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 ½ lb beets (peeled and quartered – or cut into bite-sized pieces if you're using large beets)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 cup walnut halves
• ▢ 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ ⅛ 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 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 Fahrenheit. 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 with a fork.
  1 ½ lb beets, 1 tablespoon 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 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, ⅛ 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

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 503kcal (25%), Carbohydrates: 46g (15%), Protein: 10g (20%), Fat: 35g (54%), Saturated Fat: 4g (25%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Sodium: 314mg (14%), Potassium: 1064mg (30%), Fiber: 7g (29%), Sugar: 30g (33%), Vitamin A: 6756IU (135%), Vitamin C: 89mg (108%), Calcium: 177mg (18%), Iron: 3mg (17%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

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