Jump to Recipe·★★★★★4.9 from 16 reviews

This vegan roasted beet kale salad features whole roasted carrots, marinated chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, corn and a tangy balsamic vinaigrette. It’s sure to be a hit!

Bowl of kale salad with beet, corn, carrots and pumpkin seeds.

Recipe Features

  • vegan and gluten-free – works well for those with dietary restrictions
  • protein and fiber-rich – nutrient-packed, this salad is a good source of plant-based protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals
  • great for holidays – looking for a stunning addition to Thanksgiving, Easter or Christmas? this salad will do the trick!

Ingredient Notes

Various labelled ingredients in bowls and containers for a kale and beet salad.

See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and amounts.

  • chickpeas – you can use plain chickpeas or follow the recipe for the delicious marinated chickpeas
  • beets – you’ll need 1 medium-sized whole beet per person (try the recipe with these golden beets for a twist!)
  • carrot – use 2 whole medium-sized carrots per person
  • kale – any variety of fresh kale works great, sub spinach, mixed greens, arugula or swiss chard if desired
  • corn – you can use fresh, canned or frozen corn, plain works or follow the recipe for the added touch of roasted corn
  • pepitas – also known as raw pumpkin seeds

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1. Make the marinated chickpeas. Place all the ingredients in a container or bowl and mix them up. Place in the fridge, covered for at least a few hours up to overnight. The longer, the better!

Chickpeas with balsamic vinegar and herbs in a small bowl with a spoon,

Step 2. Roast the beets and carrots.

For the Beets: Give them a good scrub, rub with a couple drops of olive or avocado oil and wrap in foil. Roast in the oven on a baking tray for 40-60 minutes until tender. Let them cool until you can easily peel the skin off then cut off the ends and chop them up for the salad.

For the Carrots: Add a few drops of olive oil to the carrots, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place on tray with the beets. Roast them until very tender and starting to brown and bubble.

Adding olive oil to a beet wrapped in foil.
Whole carrots and foil wrapped beets on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
3 roasted beets and carrots on a serving platter.

Step 3. Make the balsamic vinaigrette.

Shake or stir the ingredients together to combine. Make sure you give it another shake or stir before adding to the salad in case the oil has separated.

Adding a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to a small dish of balsamic vinaigrette.

Step 4. Assemble the salad.

Start with the kale – add it to your serving bowls with a few drops of lemon and olive oil or a bit of the dressing. Give it a good massage your hands to soften.

Finely chopped kale in a salad bowl.

Top with the peeled and sliced roasted beets, corn, pepitas, whole or chopped roasted carrots and balsamic vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Bowl of kale salad with beet, corn, carrots and pumpkin seeds.

Substitution Suggestions

  • Swap the pepitas for pecans, walnuts, almonds or sunflower seeds. Candied pecans would also be amazing on this.
  • Try it with a maple tahini dressing or miso tahini dressing instead of balsamic vinaigrette.
  • Swap the roasted carrots for roasted parsnip, butternut squash, acorn squash or rutabaga.
  • Skip the marinated chickpeas and just use regular chickpeas if you’re short on time.
  • Swap the corn for diced red bell peppers or edamame for a protein-boost.
Bowl of kale salad with chickpeas, carrots, beets and corn.

How to Store

  • Fridge: Store for up to 3 days in a sealed container.
  • Meal prep: Wash, chop and store the kale and make the carrots, beets, dressing and chickpeas in advance then prepare the salad as needed. You can mix up the veggies in advance but I’d suggest leaving the dressing off until ready to serve.

More Recipes Like This

Here are some more delicious salads you’ll love:

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Print
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Bowl of kale salad with beet, corn, carrots and pumpkin seeds.

Vegan Roasted Beet Salad

★★★★★ 4.9 from 16 reviews
  • Author: Deryn Macey
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Salad
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This beautiful roasted beet salad is full of flavour, texture and nutrition. It’s vegan and gluten-free and high in fibre and nutrients making it just as healthy as it is delicious.

Ingredients

For the Marinated Chickpeas

  • 1 19 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tbsp olive oi
  • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • optional: 1/4 tsp chili flakes

For the Balsamic Vinaigrette

For the Salad

  • 4 medium-sized beets (1 per serving)
  • 8 small to medium carrots (2 per serving)
  • 6 cups de-stemmed and finely chopped fresh kale (1–2 handfuls per salad)
  • 1 cup fresh, frozen and thawed or canned corn (1/4 cup per salad)
  • 4–8 tbsp raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds, 1–2 tbsp per salad)

Instructions

  1. Start with the marinated chickpeas. They need to sit for a minimum of 1 hour but can be left up to overnight or even a few days. To make them, place all the ingredients in a bowl or container, mix well, cover and place in the fridge.
  2. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Give the beets and carrots a quick wash and scrub (leave skins on) then rub each with a few drops of olive or avocado oil. Wrap each beet in foil and place on a parchment-paper lined baking tray. Place the carrots on the baking tray as well and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
  3. Roast the carrots until they’re very tender and starting to bubble and brown, about 30-40 minutes, depending on size. Once roasted, either chop them up or serve whole on top of your salad. I like leaving them whole as they’re so tender you can easily chop with a fork while eating your salad.
  4. Roast the beets for 40-60 minutes, depending on size, until you can easily pierce them with a fork. Once tender, remove from the oven, open the foil and let them cool until you can handle them, about 15-20 minutes. Once they’ve cooled down, you can peel the skin off, cut off the ends and chop them for the salad.
  5. While the carrots and beets are roasting, make the balsamic vinaigrette by whisking or shaking the ingredients together until combined. Be sure to mix it again before adding to your salad as the oil may separate.
  6. Remove the kale leaves from the thick stems and chop it into small pieces. Add to a large mixing bowl. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a few drops of olive or avocado oil, or add a small amount of the balsamic dressing. Massage the kale with your hands hands for 1-2 minutes. Massaging the kale is optional but helps to soften it and improve the taste. I prefer it to be massaged before using in the salad. Divide the kale between 4 bowls, plates or food storage containers. 
  7. Divide the chopped beets, carrots, corn, marinated chickpeas and pepitas between the 4 portions.
  8. Top each salad with equal amounts of the balsamic vinaigrette.
  9. Serve immediately.

Notes

I roasted the corn for this salad and while it’s totally optional, it added a nice layer of texture and flavour and really brought out the sweetness of the corn. To make the roasted corn, just add the corn kernels to a lined baking sheet, add some spices like chili powder, sea salt, cumin and paprika and roast at 400 F until it’s starting to crisp and blacken a bit, about 10 minutes.

You’ll need about 15 minutes of hands-on prep time and 15-20 minutes to allow the beets to cool enough to peel them. The other option is to peel the beets before roasting, so once roasted you can just slice and add to the salad right away.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 350
  • Fat: 15 g
  • Carbohydrates: 43 g
  • Fiber: 12 g
  • Protein: 15 g

Keywords: roasted beet salad, beet kale salad, carrot kale salad

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This recipe was originally published January 9, 2018. It was updated July 21, 2020 with new photos and text.