Beet and Vegan Feta Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Vegan feta cheese has arrived, and it’s amazing used in this vegan feta and beet salad that takes minutes to make.

Goat feta cheese was the last thing I gave up before going vegan almost 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.

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.

This is what Violife Just Like Feta looks like. I get it from the refrigerated natural foods section of my local supermarket. By the way, this is NOT a sponsored post; I simply like introducing readers to awesome vegan products.

Or, make your own feta: If you’re a DIY kind of person, you can also make your own tofu feta. You’ll find instructions within this recipe for Olive Bar Medley with Tofu Feta.

Yield: 4 to 6

Beet and Vegan Feta Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Vegan feta cheese has arrived, and it’s amazing used in this classic beet and feta salad that takes minutes to make.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• Mixed baby greens, baby spinach, or baby power greens, as needed
• 1 cup grated carrot (pre-grated is fine, and quite handy)
• 1/2 medium hothouse cucumber, thinly sliced
• 3 medium beets, cooked, cooled, and peeled (see cooking tips following recipe box)
• 3 to 4 ounces vegan feta (about 1/2 package), diced small
• 1/4 cup chopped or sliced toasted nuts (cashews, almonds, or walnuts), optional
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Balsamic vinaigrette (or see your favorite 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

1. Line a large serving platter with baby greens.
2. Scatter the carrot over the greens, followed by the cucumber.
3. 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.
4. Combine the ingredients for the balsamic vinaigrette in a small bottle or bowl and shake or stir. 
5. Serve the salad and pass around the vinaigrette for individual servings.

A few tips on cooking beets

Cooking beets in the 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.

Cooking beets on the 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.

Finishing up the process

Whether you’ve microwaved or cooked beets, once just tender, plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.Once the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them over the trash or compost container, then and dice or slice as desired. To prevent discoloration of your cutting board, you can cover it with a piece of wax paper.

Roasting beets

Roasting beets are delicious, but the prep makes a bit of a mess, since it’s best to peel and slice or dice them while raw. That said, if you partially microwave or cook them ahead of time following the directions above, peeling and chopping will be easier.

Using beets raw

If you have a good knife and don’t mind having your hands died red for a while, simply peel beets and cut into thin pieces or grate for adding to salads. Or, peel beets and cut into chunks for juicing.

If you like this beet salad, you might also enjoy …

Festive beet and carrot salad

See lots more easy vegan salads & sides.