German Spinach and Beetroot Salad

No time-consuming preparation is needed! A throw-together beetroot salad: tossed together with spinach leaves, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and feta cheese. A healthy treat that combines different flavors (sweet, sour, salty, and nutty) and textures, (soft crumbly cheese, and crunchy walnuts). Perfect for a side salad or a light lunch.

This is a salad that my mother would make for my father for Abendessen. She passed away in 2022, and I am trying to write down all the recipes that remind me of her. Her carrot salad and her egg salad are already on the website.

Beets in Germany

Beetroot or Beets are called "Rote Beete" in Germany. Here it is known as a classic winter vegetable, but nowadays you can get it all year round at the supermarket. The vegetable was first brought to Germany by the Romans.

How to boil or roast beets

This beet salad recipe calls for cooked or roasted beets. You can buy them ready-boiled and vacuum-packed from the supermarkets. If you prefer fresh beetroot you can follow these steps.

To boil the beets: remove the stems, rinse the beetroot with clean water, and then boil in a large pot of water for approximately 25-35 minutes. (Exact time depends on the size of the beets). The beets are easier to peel once boiled. If you do not want to end up with pink hands, you can wear gloves while peeling them.

To roast the beets: preheat your oven to 200°C/ 400°F. Remove the stems, and clean the beets with water. Chop the beets into 1 ½ cm chunks and place them onto a baking sheet. Toss a little olive oil over them and roast for 35-40 min.

Spinach and Beet Salad Ingredients

• spinach (fresh) - I like to use baby spinach leaves, but some like using rocket /arugula leaves which have a more peppery flavor.
• beets cooked or roasted (to save time you can get them ready-boiled and vacuum-packed at supermarkets, or use canned beets)
• feta cheese (can be replaced with goats cheese)
• walnuts, crumble them up with your fingers before adding them to the salad
• sunflower seeds

Beet Salad Dressing

This healthy beetroot salad recipe comes with a simple balsamic dressing. There are many substitutions that you can add to adapt the recipe to what you have at home.

• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar - can be replaced with red wine vinegar
• Mustard (I like to use Dijon mustard (affiliate link) but any medium mustard will work)
• Agave syrup, (which can be substituted with honey, maple syrup, or pomegranate molasses) - will enhance the natural sweetness of the beetroots

Assembling the salad

To show off the salad in its most attractive light, I would first make a bed of spinach leaves in a large bowl, scatter the chopped beets over it and lastly sprinkle with the nuts, cheese, and sunflower seeds. Drizzle over the dressing.

Then just before serving the salad on plates, mix all the ingredients up.

Make ahead

To prepare the salad ahead of time, store all the fresh ingredients (beets, beets, and cheese) in separate containers. Walnuts and sunflower seeds can be stored in the same container. You can prepare the beets the day before. The salad dressing can be made up to three days in advance.

Storage Instructions

Best to consume the salad on the day it is made. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, but the salad leaves might have gotten soggy by the next day. However, it is still should be safe to eat, and it will still be delicious.

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