Tomato and beet salad with a generous swath of creamy goat cheese and a tangy mint vinaigrette is a celebration of late summer produce and a beautiful salad to share with friends.
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Tomatoes and beets don’t have much in common botanically, but on the plate (and the palate) they make perfect sense: both are naturally sweet and so colorful. The juicy acidity of the tomatoes balances the earthy beets so my tomato and beet salad is the perfect summer matchup.
This salad makes me happy
âž¡ Don’t ever pass up gorgeous beets and colorful tomatoes again ~ this is what you do with them.
âž¡ I cook the beets ahead of time so the salad comes together in minutes.
âž¡ Want to make a dinner out of it? Throw on some grilled shrimp, thinly sliced steak, or salmon filets.
Tomato and beet salad ingredient notes
Every ingredient pulls its weight in this pretty salad ~ nothing is added without good reason.
TOMATOES: use the best ripe tomatoes, either regular or heirloom. They should be ripe but still firm so they will slice neatly.
- I slice the larger tomatoes and cut smaller ones into wedges.
- I like to throw in small cherry tomatoes as well.
BEETS: I used regular red, golden, and pink Chioggia (candy cane) beets.
- Because my beets are small I just boil them until tender, then peel.
- Be sure to separate the red beets from the others so they don’t stain everything.
RED ONION: onion is essential to give the salad a little peppery edge. Thin slices of red onion add just enough sharpness to balance the sweet beets and tomatoes.
CREAMY GOAT CHEESE: I love this because it’s creamy and tangy but not too sharp.
FRESH MINT VINAIGRETTE: this is so good, be sure to remember it for other salads!
PISTACHIOS: add that last bit of crunch and pop of pretty green.
EDIBLE FLOWERS: totally optional but there are so many to choose from in summer.
- I used mini marigolds from my yard, but flowering herbs would be perfect. Be sure any flowers you use are edible varieties and unsprayed.
Build your tomato and beet composed salad
A composed salad is simply a salad that’s arranged on a plate or platter rather than tossed together.
- Start with a big dollop of creamy goat cheese in the center of your platter.
- With the back of a large spoon swoop the cheese into a semi-circle.
- Arrange the sliced tomatoes, beets, and sliced onions around the cheese.
- Garnish with chopped pistachios, mint leaves, sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Add edible flowers, if you like.
- Drizzle with the dressing and serve.
Making it ahead
I make the dressing, cook and slice the beets, slice my onions, and chop the nuts, ahead of time. But DO NOT slice your tomatoes until you are ready to serve. Once cut, they start releasing their juices and losing that firm, fresh texture.
If you cannot find creamy goat cheese
âž¡ I used Ile de France brand. If you can’t locate a soft goat cheese you can use another soft cheese like mascarpone, burrata, whole milk ricotta, whipped feta, labneh, or creme fraiche.
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Tomato Beet Salad
Equipment
- large round or oval platter
Ingredients
fresh mint dressing
- 10-12 mint leaves
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 Tbsp champagne vinegar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp creamy Dijon mustard
- pinch sea salt
salad
- 5 ounces soft creamy goat cheese, see notes for substitutions.
- 3 Tbsp sour cream
- 4 baby beets, boiled until tender and peeled.
- 3 firm ripe tomatoes, sliced about 1/4 inch thick.
- 1 handful small cherry tomatoes, whole or halved.
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced.
garnish
- 3 Tbsp finely chopped pistachio nuts
- small mint leaves
- flaky sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Make the dressing: process all the dressing ingredients in a small food processor until well combined. Give it a taste to adjust anything. Set aside while you make your salad.
- Blend the goat cheese and sour cream together to make a soft spreadable consistency. Set aside.
- Slice the beets into rounds. I like to cut some of them into wedges as well, just for contrast. Cut the tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices.
- Dollop the whipped goat cheese in the center of your platter and use the back of a big spoon to spread it into an arc or semi circle.
- Begin arranging your tomatoes around the cheese. You can keep them to one section of the platter, or place them all over. It's fine to overlap the cheese.
- Add the thinly sliced onion rings ~ you can add them next to, on top of, or under your tomatoes for variety.
- Add the beets next. I like to keep the red beets to one section so they don't stain everything with their gorgeous color.
- Sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the salad, and tuck in the small mint leaves. Note: if your mint leaves are large, roll them and slice into very thin ribbons or chiffonade.
- Sprinkle lightly with the sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. At the last minute, drizzle with the dressing and serve the extra on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
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