This fun, healthy Spiralized Beet Quinoa Salad is packed with wholesome ingredients, protein, vitamins and minerals. Spiralized beets make a wonderful alternative to other spiralized vegetables and pasta.
Disclaimer: I was compensated by Peapod.com to create this recipe. However, like always, the opinions are entirely my own. Promise!
You guys know I love to keep it real, so here it goes.
I don't like beets.
At all.
Not even a little bit.
That is, until now.
I've tried roasting them which so many people tell me is the best way to eat them....Nope.
I've tried them raw in a salad. Not a chance. They tasted like dirt to me. Sorry beet lovers!
I've tried them pickled. I am just going to say a big HECK NO.
So spiralizing beets was my last attempt. I decided that if this didn't work, then I am done with beets. And I think that's fair.
But.... I LOVED spiralized beets!
Well, I loved spiralized beets in this recipe. We'll see if I still like them in other ways.
If you are looking for some more healthy vegetarian recipes, you will love this Butternut Squash Caramelized onion Burrata Pizza, Caprese Quinoa Salad and this Brown Rice Kale with Roasted Tomatoes!
All of these would be even more yummy with some Low Carb Bulletproof Hot Chocolate, Apple Chai Latte, Eggnog Latte and definitely some Spiked Apple Cider!
Also, my cookbooks are both on sale now and would make a great gift! The Everything Wheat Free Diet Cookbook and The Greek Yogurt Cookbook are both the lowest prices I have seen!
Why You Should Make This Spiralized Beet Quinoa Salad
This is a basic (but still insanely delicious) beet quinoa salad. Remaining true to myself, I am keeping the recipe simple because you all know I don't do crazy, difficult recipes and I never will. I don't have the patience or the desire.
I wanted to share the picture of me spiralizing the beets which is so easy, but my hands got so messy and covered in red (from the beets) that the pictures came out awful. And blurry.
And basically stained in red. I forgot how messy they can be.
You'd think I'd remember after Red Velvet Cookie Cups with Prosecco Buttercream. They are delicious, but yes, a bit messy.
After you spiralize the beets (and throughly wash your hands) you simply sauté them in a pan with some olive oil, onion and garlic. And then basically add the remaining ingredients.
Oh how I love toasted pecans!
You can obviously leave out the feta cheese to make this a vegan salad if you would like. Trust me, if you have no aversion to dairy and are not vegan, please keep the feta in there because it adds so much flavor.
But this is coming from a true feta lover.
Don't you just LOVE the color? These gorgeous red "noodles" would be perfect for the upcoming holidays...just saying...
Recipe Tips
To make this recipe even easier, I ordered all of these groceries from Peapod.com and had them delivered straight to my door. I am all about simplifying these days!
I love that I can order everything I need on my computer in the convenience of my own home. With 3 extremely busy boys, I'd love to say I have hours to browse the grocery stores these days (don't laugh at me- I used to LOVE to browse grocery stores before I had kids!) but now that I am working and I'm a bus driver for my kids and their friends to activities, I love that I can order groceries while laying on my couch.
In sweats.
With my hair in a bun on top of my head.
Possibly sipping a glass of wine.
You get the picture.
Also, ordering from Peapod.com also helps to prevent me from impulse shopping. You know when you are grocery shopping and you are HANGRY and start to add every last bag of chips and cookies that you lay eyes on to you cart?
Here's a secret, Peapod.com also sells already spiralized beets so if you don't have the time or just don't feel like getting your hands red or pink, go for it. I won't tell. And I loooooove anything convenient!
Related Recipes
Arugula Beet Salad with Candied Pecans from Lauren Kelly Nutrition
Squash Noodles with Kale Pesto and Crunchy Chickpeas from Lauren Kelly Nutrition
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Spiralized Beet Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 medium sized beets will end up being about 3 ½ cups spiralized beets, peeled and spiralized
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 cups spinach
- ¼ cup crumbled feta
- ¼ cup pecans toasted
Instructions
- Add oil, onion and garlic to a large sauce pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until onions become translucent.
- Add spiralized beets, salt and apple cider vinegar to the sauce pan and cook for 10 minutes until beets soften.
- While beets are cooking, cook quinoa and water in a separate pot according to instructions on the box.
- Once quinoa is cooked, remove from heat and set aside.
- Place spinach in a large bowl, top with quinoa, then add beets.
- Top with crumbled feta cheese.
- Place pecans in a small saucepan (and no oil) and toast for a few minutes.
- Sprinkle pecans on top and enjoy!
Kristyn
Yum!! What a great idea to spiral the beets!! It's beautiful and tasty!!
Krissy
I am a huge lover of beets so I was excited to find this recipe. Not only does it taste amazing, but it made me feel really good. I love recipes that do that!
Lauren Kelly
You made me day, Krissy! Thank you!
Sally
Easy to make and perfect for a nutritious meal!
Lauren Kelly
Thank you!!
wilhelmina
This is a great salad! I love the flavor of beets and this is a great way to show them off!
Lauren Kelly
So happy you liked it!
Taylor
I had a bunch of beets to use up from the garden and this salad was just perfect! So fresh and delicious and loved the flavor from the feta and pecans. Will definitely make again!
Lauren Kelly
Yay! Thanks so much, Taylor!
Maria
Flavors were right on point, and I really loved the textures! I never had spiralized beets before, so this is new and will definitely be on my rotation from now on.
Lauren Kelly
So happy you liked it, Maria!
Agnes
I love beet salads, and I'm sure this one will be no exception! Thank you!
Lauren Kelly
Hope you loved it too!
katerina @ diethood.com
I would love this salad for lunch! It looks incredible!
Lauren Kelly
It's delicious! Thank you!
April
This recipe is delish! The spiralized beets are so fun....I'd never had them that way, and they were an absolute delight.
Angela Stewart
I don't love quinoa so I used a tiny version of orzo, and I added some balsamic vinegar to the oil/cider vinegar dressing, and used pine nuts instead of pecans. But basically the same recipe, and it is GREAT. However, I do take issue with the little vegetable-peeler-like gizmo that was previously a part of this page. It does shred the beets into tiny julienne strips, although it doesn't spiralize them - the texture and taste would not be affected. But that damn gizmo is difficult to use, and the little serrated cutting edges are SHARP (you should see the outer base of my left thumb)! I think next time I'd try to find an actual spiralizer (whatever that looks like, lol). All in all, great recipe though.
Lauren Kelly
Hi Angela! I am so glad you liked this recipe! I am not sure which spiralizer you are referring to but I use this one and it works like a charm every time! https://amzn.to/3lpMEOv
Lisa
Does the beet mixture give the salad enough dressing?
lauren.kelly
I think so, Lisa! It's delicious!
Gina @Running to the Kitchen
OooOoh, I love the color!! This looks so delicious!
lauren.kelly
Thanks Gina!
kellie+@+The+Suburban+Soapbox
I already am a beet fan but haven't, yet, spiralized them. (I'm afraid I'm going to stain my shiny white spiralizer.) This salad looks so good, I'm going to just have to go for it. 🙂
lauren.kelly
I bet you love it Kellie!