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A beet and pear salad on a plate, on a lace table cloth.
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5 from 4 votes

Thanksgiving Salad with Beet, Pear and Apple Cider Vinaigrette

This roasted beet and pear salad is a perfectly seasonal and colorful salad recipe for Thanksgiving! 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Cooling time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: International
Servings: 5 people
Calories: 343kcal

Equipment

  • apple peeler
  • sharp knife and cutting board
  • mixing bowl
  • foil-lined baking sheet
  • container for dressing

Ingredients

For the Salad

  • 16 oz. beets - about 2 bunches small beets, any variety
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ shallot - small
  • 1 anjou pear - firm
  • 5 oz. arugula
  • 2 oz. walnuts - crushed
  • 2 oz. dried cranberries
  • 2 oz. feta - crumbled

For the Apple Cider Vinaigrette 

  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. honey dijon mustard 
  • ½ tsp. honey

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 400 F. (200 C.) Peel 16 oz. (453 mL) of beets. Slice bigger ones in quarters and smaller ones in half. If you have large beets, aim for a size of a large strawberry, halved.
  • Toss sliced beets in a bowl with 2 tbsp. olive oil. Lay beets onto a foil-lined baking sheet, and bake for 30 minutes. Once done, cool beets in a refrigerated container for 20-30 minutes.
  • Once beets are cool, slice ½ small shallot thinly, and separate the rings. Slice sides off of 1 firm Anjou pear, then thinly slice from top to bottom.
  • Mix vinaigrette. Add 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tbsp. sesame oil, 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp. soy sauce, 1 tsp. honey dijon mustard and ½ tsp. honey to a jar and mix.
  • Assemble the salad. Add 5 oz. (141 mL) arugula (a standard package) to a bowl, then add 2 oz. (56 mL) crushed walnuts, 2 oz. (56 mL) dried cranberries, sliced shallots, sliced pears, roasted beets and a sprinkle of crumbled feta. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve!

Notes

If making ahead of a party, you can prep the salad, but leave the dressing and sprinkle of feta till just before serving. Otherwise the salad and cheese will get soggy.
Nutrition facts are an estimation.

Nutrition

Serving: 6ounces | Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 267mg | Potassium: 499mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 751IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 2mg