Raw Beet Salad Recipe (Shredded or Spiralized)

This Raw Beet Salad is crunchy, flavorful, and super satisfying. It’s packed with nutritious and delicious beets, carrots, parsley, apples, pumpkin seeds, and a simple oil and vinegar dressing. Great for serving as a side salad or cold side dish.

Can you eat raw beets in a salad?

While dishes prepared with cooked beets, like my kale and beet salad and my Mediterranean beets are more popular, you can absolutely eat beets raw!

This raw beet salad is easy to make with a shortlist of wholesome ingredients.

Crunchy, juicy, and sweet raw beets are a surprisingly delicious alternative to lettuce and leafy greens in raw salads.

Not to mention, beets are a nutrient-packed powerhouse of antioxidants, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals. For that reason, you should never skip a beet!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Here are four reasons why this salad recipe is a keeper:

• Quick and easy. After some light prep work, all that’s left for you to do is toss everything together.
• Great for entertaining. This colorful fresh beet salad is beautiful, of course, but it’s also packed with simple ingredients that deliver flavors and textures your guests will love.
• Customizable. Have extra fresh produce in the crisper drawer? Throw them in! The ingredients in this raw shredded beet salad recipe are easy to mix and match with add-ins you enjoy.
• Great for those with special dietary restrictions. This completely plant-based salad is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the ingredient measurements and complete instructions, scroll to the recipe card below.

Here are some notes on everything you will need:

• Beets – Select a firm small to medium-sized beet, which is typically sweeter and juicier. The color should be deep magenta throughout with no discoloration.
• Carrots – They build on the earthy, sweet flavor of the beets and add a complementary crunch.
• Parsley – Fresh parsley brightens the presentation and adds a pop of herbaceous flavor.
• Apple – Choose a firm, juicy apple for this recipe. Any apple variety will work, but I recommend a tart apple such as Granny Smith to balance out the sweetness of beets and carrots.
• Lemon juice – Adds some citrusy zing! and helps prevent the apple from turning brown.
• Raw pumpkin seeds – They add bits of nutty crunch to each bite, plus a boost of awesome nutrients.
• Olive oil – The fragrant aroma of extra virgin olive oil adds rich flavor. As with any salad, use high-quality olive oil.
• Balsamic vinegar – I love the tangy, sweet flavor balsamic vinegar offers, but if you don’t have it, red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar are good substitutions.

How to Make Raw Beet Salad

Here is how you can make this healthy recipe in just a few simple steps:

1. Shred the beets and carrots: Wash and peel the beets and carrots. Then cut off the top so you have a flat surface and shred them using a box grater, a food processor with a shredding attachment, or a vegetable spiralizer.
2. Prep the apples: Core and small dice the apple, then add the pieces to a small bowl with lemon juice and mix well.
3. Toss the salad and serve: Add the shredded beets, carrots, parsley, apples, and pumpkin seeds to a salad bowl. Drizzle with olive and balsamic vinegar, and toss to combine. Season with salt to taste, and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

Here are a few tips to help you make this fresh beet salad recipe:

• If you buy a bunch of beetroot with the greens still attached, remove them ASAP, as they wilt very quickly. But don’t throw them away! Instead, you can use them in this simple and delicious sauteed beet greens recipe.
• Since beets grow in sandy soil, they can have sand and dirt on the skin, so it’s very important to thoroughly scrub them with a vegetable brush under running water before using them in a salad.
• Beetroot is a very dense, fibrous veggie, so when eating them raw in a salad, I highly recommend shredding or spiralizing them. If you’d rather serve a beet salad with chopped beets, you can, but it’s best to cook the beets first, like in this beet quinoa salad recipe.
• Shredding uncooked beets by hand with a box grater or handheld spiralizer is possible, but it requires some effort and can get quite messy, so I highly recommend using a food processor with a shredding attachment if you have one.
• Remember, beetroot juice stains EVERYTHING, so be sure to move everything out of the way, maybe wear a pair of cooking gloves, and do NOT use your best cutting board unless you’re okay with it being stained forever.
• If you have time, let the salad marinate for 30 minutes before serving so the flavors can blend.

Variations

This shredded beet salad is exactly what you want from a raw salad. It’s refreshing, satisfying, and delicious, but feel free to experiment with different flavors, textures, and colors.

You can use sunflower seeds instead of pumpkin seeds or try different fresh herbs instead of parsley.

Here are several veggies that pair well with raw beets in a salad:

• Bell peppers
• Celeriac
• Celery
• Cherry tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Daikon
• Fennel
• Radishes
• Red onions
• Kale (massaged with olive oil and a pinch of salt)
• Shredded cabbage
• Turnips

Storage Instructions

Storing raw beets: Remove the greens and place the beets in an airtight bag. Store them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Storing this salad: This beet salad keeps well in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Be sure to toss the salad gently before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you serve this raw beet salad?

It’s safe to say that this easy salad goes with almost everything. You can serve it as a side salad or cold side dish with grilled chicken, meat, fish, or plant-based proteins. It’s also an excellent addition to grain bowls, wraps, and even sandwiches.

Do you peel beets before shredding them for salads?

While beet skin is edible, it’s hard to clean and has an unpleasant mouthfeel. The skin may be more palatable if you can access beets picked fresh from the garden.

Otherwise, I always recommend peeling beets before using them. Beet skin is relatively thin, so peel them like potatoes with a small paring knife or a vegetable peeler.

Can you use raw golden beets in this salad?

Sure! If you can find golden beets, feel free to use them. Flavor and texture-wise golden beets are almost identical to red beets.

Can you make this salad ahead of time?

Yes. This is an excellent salad for meal prep, as it keeps well in the fridge for a few days. However, when you store it, the vegetables gradually release juice, so be sure to toss it and redistribute everything before serving.

More Good Stuff for Beet Lovers

• If you love beets but aren’t sure how to cook them, head over to my Complete Guide to Cooking Beets for detailed instructions on how to cook beets for salads and side dishes.
• If you already know how to cook them, check out my lineup of Healthy Beet Recipes.
• You will also love my sauteed beets and beetroot soup recipes!

Raw Beet Salad (Shredded or Spiralized)

Yield: 4 to 6 portions

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

This raw beet salad is crunchy, refreshing, and very filling. It's made with shredded or spiralized fresh beets and a simple vinaigrette. It's perfect as a side salad or cold side dish.

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Ingredients

• 1 medium beet (or 3-4 small beets), shredded or spiralized
• 3 medium carrots, shredded or spiralized
• a handful of parsley
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 apple, diced
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• salt to taste (optional)

Instructions

1. Place the shredded beets, carrots, and parsley into a salad bowl.
2. Slice the apple into small cubes. Place the diced apple into a small bowl and pour the lemon juice over it. Mix to make sure all the pieces are covered in lemon juice. Then add it to the beets.
3. Add the pumpkin seeds, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Toss to combine. Season with salt if needed.

Notes

Keep this salad in the fridge in a glass container with a tight lid.

Nutrition Information

Yield 5 Serving Size 1/5 of recipe
Amount Per Serving Calories 190.6Total Fat 14.1gSaturated Fat 2.2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11.9gCholesterol 0mgSodium 48.1mgCarbohydrates 13.9gFiber 3.4gSugar 8.1gProtein 4.5g

Nutrition facts provided on this website are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a qualified health care provider for personalized diet advice and make sure that each of the ingredients is allowed in your diet.

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