Vegan Beet and Arugula Salad with Orange, Pistachios and Whipped Tofu Feta
Foil-roasted beets, peppery arugula and juicy orange segments over tangy whipped tofu feta, finished with toasted pistachios and a balsamic-Dijon vinaigrette.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Rest
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
Vegan Beet and Arugula Salad with Orange, Pistachios and Whipped Tofu Feta is a vegan side recipe made with beets, olive oil, baby arugula. It takes 75 minutes of hands-on time, plus 15 minutes resting, serves 4, and each serving has 401 calories, 16 g of protein and 7 g of fiber.
Roasting the beets whole in foil steams them in their own juices, so they turn sweet and tender and the skins rub straight off. Firm tofu blended with lemon, nutritional yeast and olive oil makes a salty, tangy spread that takes the place of crumbled cheese and anchors the salad to the plate. Dressing the warm beets separately from the arugula keeps the leaves green and crisp instead of stained pink.
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 medium328 gbeets, scrubbed and trimmed (about 1 1/2 lb)
- 1 tsp4.5 golive oil, for roasting
- 5 oz142 gbaby arugula
- 2 medium262 goranges, peeled and cut into segments or half-moons
- ⅓ cup41 gshelled pistachios, roughly chopped
- 1 pinch0.4 gflaky sea salt, to finish (optional)
Whipped Tofu Feta
- 8 oz227 gfirm tofu, drained and patted dry
- 2 tbsp31 glemon juice
- 2 tbsp27 golive oil
- 1 tbsp5 gnutritional yeast
- 1 clove3 ggarlic, small
- ½ tsp3 gfine salt
- 1 tbsp15 gwater, as needed to loosen
Vinaigrette
- 1 small25 gshallot, minced (about 2 tbsp)
- 2 tbsp32 gbalsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp41 gextra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp13 gmaple syrup
- 1 tsp5 gDijon mustard
- ¼ tsp1.5 gfine salt
- ¼ tsp0.6 gfreshly ground black pepper
Kit: baking sheet, aluminum foil, food processor or blender, small skillet
Tips
- Choose beets of a similar size so they finish together; halve any that are much larger than the rest.
- Press the tofu between paper towels for a minute before blending. Less surface water means a thicker, richer spread.
- To cut clean orange segments, slice off the peel and white pith with a knife, then cut between the membranes over the vinaigrette bowl to catch the juice.
- Wear gloves or peel the beets on parchment to avoid staining your hands and board.
Swap ideas
- Use vacuum-packed cooked beets (plain, not pickled) instead of roasting
- Cuts the total time to about 20 minutes; the flavor is a little milder and less concentrated.
- Walnuts or pecans in place of pistachios
- Slightly more bitter and earthy; toast the same way.
- Sherry vinegar or white balsamic instead of balsamic vinegar
- A sharper, lighter dressing that will not darken the oranges.
- Add 1 tsp white miso to the tofu feta
- Deepens the savory, aged-cheese flavor; reduce the salt to 1/4 tsp.
The numbers
Nutrition per serving
401kcal per serving
Everything else · 4 servings per recipe
- Saturated fat
- 3.9 g 20%
- Sugars
- 17.1 g
- Sodium
- 539 mg 23%
- Potassium
- 832 mg 18%
- Calcium
- 506 mg 39%
- Iron
- 3.6 mg 20%
- Vitamin C
- 49 mg 54%
- Vitamin B12
- 4.69 µg 195%
% Daily Value on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient; optional ingredients are excluded. Estimates vary with brands and portions.
Sources: Beets, raw, Oil, olive, salad or cooking, Arugula, raw, Oranges, raw, all commercial varieties, Nuts, pistachio nuts, raw, Tofu, raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate, Lemon juice, raw, Nutritional Yeast Seasoning by BRAGG (fortified; legacy USDA Branded Foods entry as reproduced by NutritionValue.org), Garlic, raw, Salt, table, Beverages, water, tap, drinking, Shallots, raw, Vinegar, balsamic, Syrups, maple, Mustard, prepared, yellow, Spices, pepper, black
Method
Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Rub the scrubbed beets with 1 tsp olive oil, wrap them together tightly in a foil packet (or place in a small lidded baking dish) and set on a baking sheet.
Roast until a paring knife slides into the center of the largest beet with no resistance, 45–60 minutes depending on size. Open the packet carefully and let the beets cool until you can handle them, about 15 minutes.
While the beets roast, make the vinaigrette: stir the minced shallot into the balsamic vinegar with the salt and let it sit 5 minutes to soften its bite. Whisk in the maple syrup, Dijon and pepper, then the 3 tbsp olive oil until glossy and emulsified.
Make the whipped tofu feta: crumble the patted-dry tofu into a food processor or blender with the lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, nutritional yeast, garlic and 1/2 tsp salt. Blend 2–3 minutes, scraping down the sides, until completely smooth and fluffy, adding the water a teaspoon at a time only if it won't move. Taste; it should be noticeably salty and tangy, so add a pinch more salt or a squeeze of lemon if it is flat.
Toast the pistachios in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking often, until fragrant and a shade darker, 3–4 minutes. Tip onto a board and chop roughly.
Rub the skins off the cooled beets with a paper towel or the back of a spoon, then cut each into 6–8 wedges. Toss the wedges in a bowl with 1 tbsp of the vinaigrette.
In a separate large bowl, toss the arugula with about 2 tbsp of the vinaigrette, just enough to lightly coat the leaves.
Spread the whipped tofu feta over a serving platter or four plates. Pile the arugula on top, tuck in the beets and orange pieces, spoon over the remaining vinaigrette, and finish with the pistachios and a pinch of flaky salt. Serve right away.
Storage: The assembled salad is best eaten right away, as dressed arugula wilts within the hour. Stored separately in airtight containers in the fridge, the roasted beets, whipped tofu feta and vinaigrette each keep up to 4 days; stir the tofu feta and shake the vinaigrette before using, then assemble with fresh arugula and oranges.
Questions
- How much protein is in vegan beet and arugula salad with orange, pistachios and whipped tofu feta?
- Each of the 4 servings has 16 g of protein, 7 g of fiber and 401 calories, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for every ingredient.
- Is vegan beet and arugula salad with orange, pistachios and whipped tofu feta vegan?
- Yes. It contains no dairy, eggs, honey or other animal products.
- How long does vegan beet and arugula salad with orange, pistachios and whipped tofu feta take to make?
- 20 minutes of prep and 55 minutes of cooking, so 75 minutes of hands-on time, plus 15 minutes of unattended resting.
- Can you make vegan beet and arugula salad with orange, pistachios and whipped tofu feta ahead?
- The assembled salad is best eaten right away, as dressed arugula wilts within the hour. Stored separately in airtight containers in the fridge, the roasted beets, whipped tofu feta and vinaigrette each keep up to 4 days; stir the tofu feta and shake the vinaigrette before using, then assemble with fresh arugula and oranges.
- What can I substitute in vegan beet and arugula salad with orange, pistachios and whipped tofu feta?
- Use vacuum-packed cooked beets (plain, not pickled) instead of roasting — cuts the total time to about 20 minutes; the flavor is a little milder and less concentrated.. Walnuts or pecans in place of pistachios — slightly more bitter and earthy; toast the same way.. Sherry vinegar or white balsamic instead of balsamic vinegar — a sharper, lighter dressing that will not darken the oranges.. Add 1 tsp white miso to the tofu feta — deepens the savory, aged-cheese flavor; reduce the salt to 1/4 tsp..
- Does vegan beet and arugula salad with orange, pistachios and whipped tofu feta contain tree nuts?
- Yes — the ingredient list includes tree nuts, in some cases as an optional ingredient you can leave out. Check the labels on the products you buy if you're cooking for an allergy.
Nutrition is calculated from USDA data for every ingredient — how we work it out.
Published October 23, 2026 ·Mediterranean