This unique patriotic salad features beets and blue cheese, a perfect addition to your Memorial Day or 4th of July celebration!
I love spending the Fourth of the July in my hometown of Sterling, Kansas.
It’s a tiny town – I graduated from public high school in a class of 30 – but the place is full of hometown pride.
The Old Fashioned Fourth of July is a multi-day celebration. It features a turtle race which you can enter if you’re lucky enough to find a box turtle with a week or two of the event. There’s a cute baby contest. There are Pronto Pups (i.e. corndogs), funnel cakes, and of course ice cream from Dairy Dump (but the website says it’s called “Dairyland???” I’ve never heard of that!).
At the end of the day when night finally falls and the mosquitos come out, it’s time to claim your spot on a blanket spread in front of Sterling Lake to watch the fireworks.
A few years ago I went back to celebrate my high school reunion, which was strategically scheduled around this biggest of hometown holidays. It was here I debuted this Red, White, and Blue Salad.
This patriotic salad is a delightful combination of sweet and savory. Salty bacon balances the sweetness of the beets and homemade dressing. Top it with blue cheese crumbles for a tangy finish.
It’s a perfect summertime side when you’re craving a crisp, cool, dish which is filling and full of flavor.
How to Make Red, White, and Blue Cheese Salad
Start by preparing two medium-sized beets. Remove the green, leafy tops. Peel the beets with a vegetable peeler and cut the bulbs into small half-inch cubes. Set aside.
Next, arrange four slices of bacon in a large skillet. Cook over medium to medium-high heat until crispy, turning once.
Once bacon is cooked, remove it from the pan and crumble or dice into pieces. Set the bacon aside and leave pan on the heat. Add cubed beets to skillet with bacon grease and cook about 15 minutes over medium heat until soft enough to insert a fork. Stir occasionally to ensure even browning.
While beets cook, chop a small head of romaine lettuce and add to a large serving bowl. Dice an apple and toss it in a small amount of lemon juice to prevent browning, then add to bowl with lettuce.
Once beets are cooked, remove from skillet and set aside.
Add a half cup of pecans to same skillet used for bacon and beets. Toast pecans over medium heat 3-5 minutes until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside with beets and bacon crumbles.
To make the salad dressing, in a separate small bowl or jar whisk together ¼ cup canola oil, 2 Tbsps balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbsp each of honey, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. Set dressing aside.
Add bacon crumbles, cooked beets, toasted pecans, and blue cheese crumbles to salad and toss gently to mix. Toss dressing with salad immediately before serving.
I hope you enjoy this favorite salad of ours!
Happy 4th of July,
Dietitian Ann
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