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This cold red beet salad with carrots, mayo and cilantro is creamy, tangy, and surprisingly refreshing—perfect for summer BBQs, potlucks, or meal prep.
- Cook the Vegetables: Put the beets in a large pot and cover with water. Bring it to a boil and cook for about 50 minutes until soft. Remove the beets with a strainer or slotted spoon and add the carrots to the boiling water. Cook until tender and drain.
- Cut the Veggies: Peel the beets by rubbing the skin off with your fingers while rinsing them under water. Then, cut the beets and carrots into small cubes.
- Make the Salad: Combine the beets and carrots with diced onions, mayo, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
Variations
- Beets: If you’re short on time, buy precooked beets in the produce section of your supermarket. They’re a fantastic timesaver. And you can use canned if needed, but nothing beats fresh beets.
- Make It Golden: Substitute golden beets.
- Roasted Beet Salad: To roast the beets instead of boiling, wrap them in foil and bake on a rimmed baking sheet at 400°F, depending on their size, for 50 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes. Once you can easily pierce them with a fork, remove them from the oven and let them cool.
- Onions: Use scallions or red onions.
- Vegan: Use vegan mayo instead of regular.
- Herbs: If you don’t like cilantro or want to try something different, swap it with dill, or chives.
- Unexpected Twist: My friend makes a similar salad, but she adds chopped hot dogs. It sounds strange, I know, but it’s actually really good!
Serving Suggestions
This summer beet salad is a fantastic side dish for weeknight dinners or backyard BBQs. Here are some ideas that would be delish with it:
- Grilled Proteins: Grilled Chicken Breasts, Grilled Pork Chops, Grilled Salmon Kebabs
- Potluck Sides: Creamy Cucumber Salad, Macaroni Salad, Grilled Corn on the Cob, Summer Tomato Salad, Coleslaw
Storage Tips
Since this red beet salad is eaten cold, it’s perfect to prep ahead.
- Make Ahead: Prepare the salad a day early and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days total. Since it contains mayo, don’t leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
This creamy beet salad has been a hit in kitchens all over—here’s what some of you had to say (and the fun twists you tried!):
- “This is the strangest salad recipe, lol. BUT, it was so good I ate the whole thing myself!” – One reader used pre-cooked Love Beets and skipped the cilantro—still a win!
- “I added green peas and a splash of Highland House dressing to the mayo—also delicious!” – Victoria
- “I’m not a carrot fan, but I add them anyway for the nutrition. You can’t really taste them!”
- “My family devoured this at our 4th of July BBQ. I used canned beets, matchstick carrots, and added dill. It was gone before I got a bite!”
- “I subbed parsley for cilantro and it was great. A tasty way to use up extra carrots!”
More Beet Recipes You’ll Love
For more dinner and side dish ideas using beets, check out these five delicious beet recipes to inspire your next meal!
- Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Candied Pecans
- Turmeric Braised Chicken with Golden Beets and Leeks
- Beet Hummus
- Golden Beet Salad
- Salmon Salad with Beets, Arugula, Pistachios, and Pomegranates
If you make this healthy beet salad recipe, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, or . And be sure to join the Skinnytaste Community to see what everyone’s cooking!