Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese

Roasted Red and Golden beets with walnuts crusted goat cheese and a refreshing dressing. The tang of goat cheese, crunchy roasted walnuts, sweet roasted beets makes this salad keep going for seconds. It is full of color and loaded with flavor. Gluten free, can be vegan. 

Also sharing tips on how to cook and peel beets without making mess and assemble a gorgeous looking roasted beets salad. Read on to know more!

Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese

Roasted beets are one of my favorite side dish of all times. I love to make and try variations of beetroots salad. If a restaurant has a beets dish on the menu, I'll try it!

Out of everything I tried so far, years back I tried a pasta with roasted beets and goat cheese puree, topped with roasted golden beets. It was exceptional. That was my first introduction to golden beets (not as sweet as red beets but have a unique lite flavor) and I loved it.

This recipe showcase similar flavors with roasted red and golden beets dressed in lemon-tarragon dressing and walnut crusted goat cheese. My favorite here is the play of flavors: sweet, sour, tangy, and creamy.

If you can't find tarragon, use favorite fragrant herb of choice such as sweet basil, Thai basil, or fresh oregano.

Let's get cooking!

What Do You Need To Make Roasted Beets Salad?

Here is list of ingredients to make Roasted Beets Salad:

1. Beetroots (red and golden)
2. Olive Oil
3. Goat Cheese
4. Walnuts
5. Lemon Juice
6. Mustard
7. Tarragon
8. Salt and Pepper

You can also make this salad vegan by skipping the goat cheese. However, I highly recommend to use the roasted walnuts. Walnuts give the salad the delicious crunch.

Roasted Beets

I use two kinds of beetroots for this recipe - red beets and golden beets. 

To cook beets in oven, preheat the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place whole unpeeled beetroots on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle some olive oil and salt on the top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and roast at 350 degrees for an hour or until beets are knife tender.

Try to buy even size beets for roasting. This will result in all beets cooking at the same time. Otherwise, check the smaller beets for doneness earlier and continue roasting the larger beets until tender.

Roasted Walnuts

Roasted nuts are my favorite way to add crunch to fall salads. Besides, can't beat the aroma of roasting nuts filling the kitchen. So I always look for ways to add some nutty surprise in fall meals.

For this recipe, roasted walnuts crusted goat cheese brings whole dimension to the humble roasted beets salad. You can also use mix of nuts like I sometimes use mix of walnuts and pistachios.

Crusted Goat Cheese

To make the crusted goat cheese, I first coarsely chop nuts and mix with some black pepper (optional) for flavor.

To slice the goat cheese, use a twine or string of sewing thread and run it across the cold log of goat cheese to cut it into 1/4 inch thick slices. 

After slicing the goat cheese, leave it on kitchen counter for 15 minutes so that the goat cheese softens. Slightly soften goat cheese will very easily pick the walnut curst. 

Place each disk in walnut mix and press to cover in the nuts. Refrigerate the crusted goat cheese disks until ready to use. 

The dressing for salad takes 5 minutes to make. Drizzle dressing over the roasted and diced beets roots and goat cheese. Devour! 

Do This for Beautiful Looking Beetroot Salad

The red beets can easily bleed color in everything else. If not careful, you will have all "red" beets salad. So to make the gorgeous beetroots salad like pictures above, I follow the idea of color separation.

The key for color separation is to tackle the red beets first. Slice and layer the red beets at the bottom of serving bowl. Discard peels, clean hands and  board. Next slice remaining ingredients such as golden beets and layer on the top of red beets. Don't toss the beets in dressing but simply drizzle the dressing on the top. 

Like I mentioned, you can adjust this salad to suit your diet needs:

1. To make vegan salad simply skip the goat cheese.
2. To keep it nuts-free, skip the walnuts.

I love another variation cooked beets salad. Simply boil beets in chicken stock until tender and then peel and slice beets, sauté with some olive oil and  shallots. Serve while still warm toped with dots of goat cheese. Goat cheese will almost melt over the roasted beets and make stunning and delicious beets side dish. Your guests will ask for the recipe! You can thank me later. ;)

Friends, roasted beets is a great healthy vegetarian side dish, full of colors and bursting with clean flavors. It is also a nutrient rich food. A good source of vitamins and anti-oxidants. Roasts beets stay good in refrigerator for 3-4 days. Make it once over the weekend and enjoy multiple times in week! Walnut crusted goat cheese also work great for holiday cheese board or finger food served with wine. (hint hint)

I'm sure you will enjoy the salad as much as we do. Happy roasting season!