This kale and beet salad is not only pretty to look at, it’s also packed with flavor and nutrients! The roasting process concentrates the natural sweetness and flavor of the beets and carrots, and they look like little gems on a bed of kale. Perfect for meal prep, parties and gatherings or tasty weeknight meals! {Gluten-free, paleo & vegan}
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The Perfect Winter Kale Salad!
This bright and vibrant kale and beet salad with roasted carrots is one of those salads that you’ll want to make on repeat since it always gets rave reviews. Plus, it’s loaded with seasonal ingredients and the colors make it stand out on any table.
I highly recommend letting it sit for a while since it tastes even better when all of those flavors have had a chance to come together. This is a great one for meal prep!
Before You Get Started
If you’re meal prepping, feel free to roast the veggies ahead of time. I often like to roast a bunch of beets and carrots for dinner the night before to have them ready the next day.
Definitely don’t skip the kale. It doesn’t wilt once you add the dressing like your typical lettuce salad, which really gives the flavors a chance to come together.
You can easily load up on protein to make it a complete meal (chicken, feta cheese, beans), so feel free to play it up!
If you love this kale salad recipe, be sure to also check out this Kale Salad with Cranberries, Chick Fil A Kale Salad Recipe and Sweet Potato Kale Bowl.
Ingredient Notes
For the Salad
- Beets and carrots: Roasting raw beets and carrots really brings out their sweetness and makes them soft and tender. For a sweeter flavor, try using golden beets some time!
- Olive oil for roasting
- Shallots or red onion.
- Pumpkin seeds: An easy way to add crunch and flavor, plus healthy fats and fiber.
- Fresh kale: We use curly kale for this batch, but you can really use any type. To save some time, use pre-chopped raw kale or baby kale.
- Dried cranberries: These are usually really sweet. Look for dried cranberries that are lower in sugar or naturally sweetened if you can find them.
Dressing Ingredients
- Pure maple syrup or honey
- Fresh lemon juice: Or try using fresh orange juice for the holidays!
Pro Tip: To keep the beets from staining your hands, either wear gloves or peel them under cold running water.
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced beets, carrots, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and salt and pepper. Toss really well to coat everything evenly.
- Then, add spread the carrots and beets in a single layer on a large sheet pan and roast in oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and toss the shallots and pumpkin seeds with the beets and carrots on the baking sheet. Roast for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender. This will toast the pepitas and soften the shallots just enough.
- Meanwhile, place the chopped kale in the same bowl where the beets and carrots were. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil and massage into the kale leaves with clean hands until the leaves are bright green and tender. It only takes about 2-5 minutes, and really improves the texture of the kale.
Make the Dressing
- In a small bowl or mason jar, mix together the lemon juice, maple syrup and Dijon mustard until combined.
- Remove the vegetables from the oven and allow them to cool for about 5 minutes. Add the warm veggies to the bowl with the kale and drizzle with the dressing until well combined. Toss thoroughly, then add the dried cranberries.
- Allow salad to sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.
- Then, serve the salad cold or at room temperature.
Scroll to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Tips for the Best Beet Salad
- Be sure to cut the vegetables (i.e. carrots, beets and shallots) into roughly the same size pieces so that they cook evenly.
- Keep an eye on the shallots and pumpkin seeds when they’re roasting in the oven as they can burn easily. I found that 10 minutes in the oven was just the right amount of time to roast them and get them lightly browned without burning, but it will depend on your oven.
- If you aren’t a fan of roasting and peeling beets, you can use pre-cooked beets from the store.
How to Store
Store the kale and beet salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container to keep it fresh. It will keep well covered, for up to five days. This makes it fantastic for meal prep, potlucks, holidays, and more!
Serving Suggestions & Ideas
This beet kale salad can easily be served as a side dish alongside a heartier main (like Air Fryer Boneless Turkey Breast or roasted chicken), or you can turn it into a complete meal by adding some protein. Here are some options:
- To add protein: Add grilled chicken, salmon, bacon, lentils or chickpeas. Plus, you can add some cheese (creamy goat cheese or a little feta would be perfect here).
- Add more veggies: Supplement the kale with shaved Brussels sprouts, radicchio, escarole, or chard. You can also top with roasted sweet potato or butternut squash, and add some sliced red onion.
- Add grains: Make it a grain bowl with steamed brown rice, farro, or quinoa.
- For nutty flavor: Add in walnuts, pecans, sliced almonds or pistachios.
- Add some fruit: Sliced apple or pear would also taste amazing with the roasted roots. Some pomegranate arils or mandarin orange slices would be such a nice option for the holidays!
More Healthy Side Dishes
- Cruciferous Crunch Salad
- Maple Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
- Christmas Wreath Salad
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon Balsamic and Maple syrup
- Roasted Ranch Carrots
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Kale Beet Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 2 medium beets, trimmed, peeled, quartered and sliced a 1/4 inch thick
- 2 large carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 medium shallots, peeled and quartered lengthwise
- 1/4 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds
- 4 cups chopped kale, stems removed and cut into smaller pieces
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
Optional Add Ins:
- 4 ounces goat cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine beets, carrots, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and salt and pepper. Add carrots and beets to a baking sheet and roast in oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and toss the shallots and pumpkin seeds with the beets and carrots on the baking sheet. Roast for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender.
- Meanwhile, place the chopped kale in the same bowl where the beets and carrots were. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil and massage into kale leaves with your hands until the leaves are bright green and tender, about 2-5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix together the lemon juice, maple syrup and Dijon mustard until combined.
- Remove vegetables from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes. Add vegetable mixture to the bowl with the kale and toss with the dressing until well combined. Add the dried cranberries.
- Let the salad to sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
- Even chopping: Cut the vegetables into similar-sized pieces so they roast evenly.
- Massage the kale: Rub with a little olive oil for a few minutes to soften the leaves and reduce bitterness.
- Watch while roasting: Shallots and pumpkin seeds brown quickly — check early to prevent burning.
- Let it rest: Let the salad sit in the dressing for at least 30 minutes for best flavor.
Nutrition
Adapted from the Better Homes & Gardens Magazine
This recipe was originally posted September 2018 and was updated April 2024 to include more helpful tips. The text and formatting were updated again in January 2026.
This salad is phenomenal. I brought it to a pot luck and got so many compliments. I substituted one thing. I used pistachios instead of pumpkin seeds. So delicious. Thank you!
I’m so happy everyone loved it! Love the addition of the pistachios too :) I appreciate the 5-star rating and review!
Delicious , healthy and flavorful. This was our entree and very satisfying. Topped it with freshly grated Parmesan cheese for an extra kick.
So happy you enjoyed it! It’s definitely a very filling salad. Love the addition of the Parmesan too! Thanks so much for the kind review :)
made this with butternut squash added a very tasty treat to eat as a meal
Mmmm bet it was delicious with butternut squash! So happy you enjoyed it!
Outstanding! Amazing! I got all the ingredients, and added Broccolini from the organic farmer’s market today and cooked this tonight. My husband LOVED it. I thought he would be disappointed to not have any meat tonight but he kept saying how delicious it was. I added a tablespoon of tahini to the dressing because I’m obsessed with tahini over kale. By the way, this was my first time to eat beets!
That’s amazing!! So happy that you and your husband loved the recipe! Love the addition of the broccolini and the tahini too. Glad you had a positive first experience with eating beets…they can be so delicious!