Glazed Beet & Apple Salad with Honey Lemon Vinaigrette

“I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: ‘O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands.'”

-Daniel 9:4 NLT

As summer starts to fade into fall, I love finding ways to bring the last of the late-summer produce together with some of the ingredients that are beginning to take center stage. This Glazed Beet & Apple Salad does exactly that.

The salad is naturally sweet and earthy from the beets, which are boiled until tender, peeled, and diced. I make a quick glaze with honey, butter, chicken stock, and lemon juice. The glaze gives the beets a glossy coating and adds a little sweetness and acidity that pairs beautifully with crisp, juicy apples.

The beets and apples are tossed with mixed greens, toasted walnuts nuts, sharp parmesan cheese, and onions. Everything comes together with a bright and simple honey lemon vinaigrette made with fresh lemon juice, Dijon, honey, and extra-virgin olive oil.

I especially love this salad as a seasonal side dish, but it can easily become a light lunch with some grilled chicken, roasted chickpeas, or another protein. It’s colorful, flavorful, and a simple way to enjoy those beautiful early-fall ingredients!

Lauren Eliza Eats

Glazed Beet & Apple Salad with Honey Lemon Vinaigrette

This Glazed Beet & Apple Salad is a bright, colorful side dish with tender beets coated in a sweet-tangy honey butter glaze, crisp apples, sharp cheese, and toasted nuts. A fresh honey lemon vinaigrette ties everything together for the perfect balance of earthy, sweet, tangy, and fresh flavors.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

Beets

• 3 medium red or golden beets
• 2 tsp red or white wine vinegar
• Water for boiling

Glaze

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp red or white wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp chicken stock
• ½ tsp dijon mustard
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Salad

• 5 cups mixed greens or arugula
• 1 large apple thinly sliced
• ⅓ cup toasted pecans or walnuts chopped
• ⅓ cup grated parmesan or crumbled cheese
• ½ thinly sliced red onion

Honey Lemon Vinaigrette

• 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

 

Boil the beets

1. Place the whole, unpeeled beets in a large pot and cover completely with water.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes, depending on their size, until a knife slides easily into the center.
3. Drain the beets and let them cool just enough to handle.
4. While they are still warm, gently rub the skins off with your hands or a paper towel. The skins should slip off easily.
5. Trim the ends and cut the beets into half moons.

Make the glaze

1. In a large skillet, whisk together the butter, honey, vinegar, chicken stock, salt, and pepper.
2. Warm over medium-low heat until combined and slightly glossy.
3. Add the sliced beets to the skillet and gently toss to coat.
4. Cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the glaze thickens and coats the beets. Remove from the heat and let them cool slightly.

Make the honey lemon vinaigrette

1. Whisk together the lemon juice, honey, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Slowly pour in the olive oil and whisk until emulsified.

Assemble salad

1. Add the greens to a large serving bowl. Arrange the sliced apple, red onion, toasted nuts, cheese, and glazed beets over the top.
2. Drizzle with the honey lemon vinaigrette just before serving and gently toss. Serve immediately.