Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
Summer is the season for salad, but it’s easy to fall in a salad rut using your same ol’ favorite ingredients. It’s also tough to remember that salad doesn’t always need to consist of leafy greens and tomato wedges when you cruise through the fresh produce section. Put a spin on your culinary prowess in the warm summer months with a little goat cheese in a roasted beet salad.
You may only think of pickled when you think of beets, but they (and we) have evolved over time. Beets are available in a variety of colors – golden beets, white beets and even beets with a bull’s-eye pattern, called Chioggia beets [key-oh-jah].
Choose beets that are heavy for their size and don’t have any surface damage. Their green tops are a good indicator of freshness. If not using beets immediately, refrigerate in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Chefs all over the world agree that roasting is the best way to get the flavor out of beets, and because they are so easy to prepare, our roasted beet salad is a no fuss recipe that will have guests thinking you’re a rock star!
Pairing goat cheese with roasted beets is a great culinary combination because goat cheese has a tangy, faint grassy taste and complements the sweet, earthy flavor of beets. Coated with freshly minced parsley, this happy trio and a smattering of raw pumpkin seeds make a healthy, flavorful and stunning salad.
Goat cheese is mild, creamy and slightly sweet, but not everyone is a fan of creamy cheeses–feta makes a great substitute! Feta is mild, deliciously crumbly and low in fat and calories.
Serve this salad for any summer occasion whether it’s an outdoor barbecue, casual indoor dinner or a picnic.
Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 red beets, leaves removed
- 5 yellow beets, leaves removed
- 1/4 cup goat cheese
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds, toasted
- olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil.
- Spread beets evenly on pan and drizzle with oil. Roast in oven 1 hour; or until easily poked with toothpick.
- Cool beets slightly, rub off skins and cut into wedges.
- Form goat cheese into small balls and roll in chopped parsley.
- Arrange beets and cheese on each plate and sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
