Vegan feta cheese has arrived! And it tastes amazing used in this vegan feta and beet salad, a recipe that takes minutes to make once your beets are cooked. This recipe also gives you the option of making a reasonable facsimile of feta using tofu, if you prefer to DIY!
Beet and feta salad is a classic, so it’s a natural one to veganize. Beets can admittedly be a bit of a pain to prepare, but for those of us who love them, it’s totally worth it. You’ll find a few tips on cooking beets following the recipe box.
Vegan feta brands & where to find them
Goat feta cheese was the last thing I gave up before going vegan more than two decades ago, but the memory of its salty and slightly pungent taste still seems to be intact. And I think that Violife® Just Like Feta has really nailed the flavor (the texture is creamy) and Follow Your Heart® Feta Crumbles has the texture down (as its name suggests).
Good Planet Foods® Greek-Style Feta [store locator] is a brand I haven’t tried yet, and perhaps others will come on the scene. I find Violife [store locator] and Follow Your Heart [store locator] products in the refrigerated natural foods section of my local supermarket as well as in the natural foods store and hopefully you will, too.
Or, make your own feta: If you’re a DIY kind of person or simply can’t get your hands on readymade vegan feta, you can also make a reasonable facsimile with tofu, coming up next!
Make your own Tofu “Feta”
While this isn’t quite as OMG as packaged vegan feta, it’s still quite good! You need:
- 7 to 8 ounces extra-firm (about half of a tub)
or super-firm tofu (about half half of the package ) - 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 If you have a tofu press, use it ahead of time if you’re using extra-firm tofu; even an hour will do nicely. Otherwise, slice the tofu into 4 slabs crosswise. Blot between layers of paper towel or clean tea towels until you get out as much moisture as you can. You need not press or blot super-firm tofu, which makes it ideal for this preparation. Likewise, cut it into 4 slabs.
2 Cut the slabs into 1/4 inch dice. Place in a shallow container and toss with the lemon juice and oil. Let stand for 30 minutes to an hour. Drain off any liquid that may form, then use as directed in the recipe.
A few ways to cook beets
- Microwave: Microwaving is the easiest and quickest way to cook beets. Rinse the beets and place beets in a deep microwave-safe container with a little water at the bottom — not more than a half inch or so deep. Cover and microwave for 2 to 4 minutes per beet (2 minutes for small beets, 3 for medium, 4 for large). This is a general guideline; best to start with less time and check for doneness, then add a minute or so.They’re done when you can just pierce them—and when cooking beets, try not to overcook.
- Stovetop: It’s best to use beets that aren’t too large if you want to cook them on the stovetop — otherwise, it takes quite a long time. Rinse beets and cut away all but an inch of the stalks. Place in a large deep saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a slow boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer until just tender. How long this will take depends on the size of the beets. Check after 15 minutes, but don’t poke too many test holes into them, or they’ll bleed too much! Drain and let cool when done.
- Oven roasting: Wrap beets (best to use medium or smaller beets for this process) snugly in foil. Place in a casserole dish with about 1/2 inch of water. Bake in a 400ºF oven for 40 to 60 minutes, or until the beets can be pierced through easily with a knife. Unwrap carefully, allow to cool, then peel and use as directed in recipes.
Finishing up the process: Whether you’ve microwaved, cooked, or roasted the beets, wait until cool enough to handle. Peel them over the trash or compost container, then and dice or slice as needed. To prevent discoloration of your cutting board, you can cover it with a piece of wax paper or parchment.
Using beets raw: If you have a good knife and don’t mind having your hands dyed bright pink for a while, simply peel beets and cut into thin pieces, dice, or grate for adding to salads. Or, peel beets and cut into chunks for juicing or to spiralize.
Explore more …
- Festive Beet and Carrot salad
- Russian Beet Salad (“Vinegret”)
- Summer Plum and Beet Salad with Pecans or Walnuts
- Greek Salad with Artichokes, Chickpeas, and Vegan Feta
- Vegan Feta and Watermelon Salad
Beet and Vegan Feta Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Vegan feta cheese has arrived, and it’s amazing used in this classic beet and feta salad that takes minutes to make.
Ingredients
- Mixed baby greens, baby spinach, or baby power greens, as needed
- 1 cup grated carrots or petite-cut baby carrots
- 1/2 medium cucumber, (or 2 Kirby cukes) thinly sliced
- 3 medium beets (red and/or golden), cooked, cooled, and peeled (see cooking tips following recipe box)
- 3 to 4 ounces vegan feta (about 1/2 package), diced small (see Note)
- 1/4 cup chopped or sliced toasted nuts (cashews, almonds, or walnuts), optional
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Balsamic vinaigrette (or use your favorite bottled dressing)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon agave
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
Instructions
- Line a large serving platter with baby greens.
- Scatter the carrot over the greens, followed by the cucumber.
- Dice the beets fairly small — somewhere between 1/2 and 1 inch. Scatter them over the cucumber, followed by the vegan feta, optional nuts, and pepper.
- Combine the ingredients for the balsamic vinaigrette in a small bottle or bowl and shake or stir.
- Serve the salad and pass around the vinaigrette for individual servings.
Notes
Note on vegan feta: See the suggested brands of prepared vegan feta, or easy instructions for making your own (you'll need about half of it for this recipe; save the rest for another use), both above the recipe box.
See lots more easy vegan salads & sides.
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