This healthy and flavorful Whole30 and paleo beet salad is tossed with cabbage slices and toasted pecans in a delicious balsamic vinaigrette. It’s the perfect salad to eat on its own or to serve as a side!
Beets are a vegetable that I tend to forget about, but I absolutely love them. The gorgeous color, the delicious natural sweetness, and how nutritious they are all of the reasons why they are one of my favorites. This easy beet salad recipe (or beet slaw) is one way to enjoy them in a delicious way, and I love making a big batch to have in the fridge as an easy side dish to my meals.
Paleo Beet Salad Recipe with Cabbage and Pecans
This easy beet salad is very simple to prepare. The 3 main components are beets (of course), cabbage, and toasted pecans, and the combination of these flavors and textures are wonderful together.
You have the natural sweetness from the beets, refreshing bites of the cabbage, and the smoky crunchiness of the pecans. Everything is tossed in a Whole30 balsamic vinaigrette to meld these flavors together and the result is just so delicious and wonderful.
Nutritious and Easy Side Dish
Not only is this paleo beet salad so yummy and flavorful, I just love that it’s packed with all the healthy nutrients!
- Beets: Amazing for liver detox and has awesome anti-inflammatory components. They also contain antioxidants and are loaded with vitamins and minerals to boost heart and digestive health.
- Cabbage: Such a humble vegetable, but it is packed with vitamin C and amazing for constipation. It also boosts the immune system and is also a great source of antioxidants.
- Pecans: Packed with healthy fats, pecans reduce inflammation and are great for heart health. They are also a great source of vitamin E, which has an antioxidant effect and also boosts the immune system.
- Balsamic vinaigrette: In order to optimally absorb all the nutrients and the important vitamins of vegetables, you need to combine them with healthy fats! This Whole30 balsamic vinaigrette provides just that, with extra virgin olive oil combined with other yummy nutritious ingredients.
How to Make This Paleo Beet Salad Recipe
There are just 2 main ingredients to cook to make this beet slaw: beets and pecans. Of course, you can also buy precooked beets and already toasted pecans to make it EXTRA easy, but I like the flavors more when I take the time to cook these myself.
- Clean the beets and boil them. Depending on the size of the beets, it’ll take about 20-30 minutes for them to be fork tender.
- While the beets are cooking, toast the pecan then making the balsamic vinaigrette by whisking all its ingredients together.
- The rest is just about combining all the ingredients together. Place cabbage slices, beets, and pecans in a large mixing bowl, and gently toss with the prepared vinaigrette.
- That’s it! Sprinkle with green onions before serving and enjoy!
Can You Make This Beet Salad Ahead of Time?
Yes! I actually like to make them at least a few hours before serving so the flavors of the ingredients and the Whole30 balsamic vinaigrette have the time to meld together.
If you do make it ahead of time, I suggest that you add the pecans just before serving so you can really taste their crunchiness. Pecans can soften up if they are sitting in the beet slaw for too long.
Hope you enjoy this healthy and detoxifying beet salad recipe!
Other recipes you might love…
- Creamy Bacon Beet Salad
- Roasted Beets, Yams, and Carrots
- Pink Beet Latte (Paleo, Whole30, Vegan)
- Whole30 Roasted Squash Salad (Paleo, Vegan)
- Paleo Asian Coleslaw
Paleo Beet Salad with Cabbage and Pecans (Whole30, Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 lb beets about 4 small
- 4 cups thinly sliced cabbage about 1/2 medium head
- 1/3 cup raw pecans
- Chopped green onions for garnish
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 garlic clove minced
Instructions
- Scrub the beets and halve them. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with water.
- Heat over medium high heat until boiling, then reduce the heat to medium low to simmer for 30 minutes until fork tender.
- While the beets are cooking, heat a dry skillet over medium heat and toast the pecans for 4-5 minutes while stirring frequently. They should be browned and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Make the balsamic vinaigrette by whisking all the ingredients together. Set aside
- Once the beets are done cooking, drain and cool (you can run them under cold water to speed up the process), then peel and cut into cubes.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cabbage slices, beets, and toasted pecans.*
- Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette and toss lightly. Top with green onions before serving.
Notes
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This recipe is tasty and beautiful! I did take the easy way out and use pre-cooked beets so it was fast and simple. The only thing I’d do different next time is to chop up the cabbage smaller to make it easier to eat. Looking forward to cabbage and beet salad all week!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it!!