The BEST Pickled Beet Salad Recipe

Ready in just 5 minutes, this quick and easy Pickled Beet Salad really packs in the flavor! It’s loaded with sweet, tart, creamy, refreshing notes, and it’s also an easy last-minute summer side dish to throw together for a cookout or BBQ. Double or triple the recipe if you have more mouths to feed! It’s low-carb, and can easily be made vegan. All that said, this is one of those easy recipes you’ll want to keep on hand at all times because it’s quick, easy, and SO tasty!

This post was originally published on April 13th, 2021.

❤️ Why you will love this recipe

• Easy: This recipe is so incredibly simple! First, make the salad dressing, add the beets, then add the greens, mixing as you go. Garnish and serve!
• Quick: This new recipe was thrown together one late summer evening and has been a staple in our house ever since as it is absolutely delicious. It takes literally 5 minutes to make.
• Beautiful: Hellooooo color! I love recipes that have a somewhat unusual color to them, and red beets always are really eye-catching. Need to add a fun pop of color to your dinner table? This is a great way to do it!
• Make ahead: Meal prep, even if it’s just 5 minutes the day before makes everything so much easier! So yes, add everything together for the Pickled Beet Salad recipe, except for the mixed greens and fresh dill, as they’ll wilt and not be as crisp if you leave them in the mixture overnight. Nobody wants a wilty, sad salad! 
• Make a lot: You can easily double or triple the ingredients to suit however many mouths you have to feed. Throwing a cookout or going to a potluck? Use a whole jar of drained pickled beetroot and adjust the other ingredients accordingly. 

🗝️ Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Beetroot: I used pickled beets from a jar that I bought at the grocery store. They are pre-sliced beets making it so quick to throw together. Homemade Pickled Beets would be perfect in this as well.
• Mayonnaise: Garlic mayo is my go-to for making at home (we never buy store-bought anymore), however, regular mayonnaise is great in this recipe as well! You can also use vegan mayonnaise to make this recipe egg-free and vegan-friendly.
• Greek Yogurt: Full fat, baby! I always opt for flavor over calories (I know, I know) and 0% just doesn’t do it for me. That’s my personal taste, if you want to use 0% or a dairy-free alternative, they will work just fine!
• Greens: I used mixed spring greens as they contain both arugula (rocket) and baby spinach. You could substitute baby arugula or just baby spinach if needed for this flavorful salad. Now, technically, the salad greens are optional…but I think they add plenty of flavor, amazing texture, and freshness to this Pickled Beetroot Salad recipe. Without the greens, it’s more of a potato salad texture (which is totally fine by me!). You may want to cube the beetroot if you go this route. 
• Garlic: The garlic on the other hand? Not optional. This dish just tastes so much better when there is garlic involved! It really complements the earthy flavor of the beets. But fair warning: don’t add too much garlic! A little at a time to taste so that we don’t scare away the vampires.
• Fresh herbs: Fresh dill adds a powerful punch of flavor to this simple side. Stick to the fresh herbs if you can. Dried dill doesn’t have quite the same flavor.
• Seasoning: Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste.
• Walnuts: Garnish with some chopped walnuts. Air fryer toasted walnuts are perfect for this recipe. Pumpkin seeds are a great option too.

🥣 How to make Pickled Beet Salad (step-by-step)

See the recipe card below for the full recipe.

1. Begin by making the homemade dressing. Add mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, garlic powder, dill, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl and mix well. 
2. Add the pickled beets to the salad dressing and mix. The beet juice will turn it all into a gorgeous pink color! 
3. Wash the spring greens with cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel. Add them to the beet mixture and mix. You don’t have to coat these completely. 
4. Sprinkle the top of the salad with fresh dill and chopped walnuts if desired and serve. 

🫙 Storage Instructions

Leftovers? This Pickled Beet Salad will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days without the greens, and 2 days with the greens. Remove the greens before storing if desired.

🤔 Can I make this ahead of time?

Sure! Add everything together except for the mixed greens (or arugula/rocket) and dill. When you’re ready to eat it, add the salad greens to a mixing bowl along with the beet mixture, and toss to coat.

🪄 Additional ingredients to try

I’m a fan of trying new flavors, especially if it means using up ingredients from the fridge! Here are a few ingredients that would go well in this recipe.

• Feta cheese
• Goats cheese
• Blue cheese
• Diced red onions
• Green onions
• Green apples
• Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
• Pine nuts
• Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds

❓ Can I make this vegan?

Of course! To make this Pickled Beet Salad vegan, switch the mayonnaise and Greek yogurt for vegan alternatives. Easy!

🤷‍♀️ Is this Pickled Beet Salad low carb?

Yes! It comes to just 8g net carbs per serving. Possibly not ideal to fit into keto macros, but you might be able to at a squeeze!

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📖 Recipe