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.

Ingredient Notes

Here is everything you’ll need:

Here is a brief overview of the ingredients:

• 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 substitutes.

How to Make Raw Beet Salad

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

Step 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.

Step 2. Prep the apples.

Core and small dice the apple, then add the pieces to a small bowl with lemon juice and mix well.

Step 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 Video

Here is the recipe video to help you make this salad:

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

FAQ