This Beetroot and Goat Cheese Salad is a dish that will delight. Goat cheese and beetroot have long been a popular pairing and this salad demonstrates how well they work together. Although easily prepared from readily available ingredients, it is elegant, with a beautiful combination of textures, flavours and colours. As well, it is versatile; serve it as a starter, a side dish or a light lunch. It will be a great addition to your table.
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Why we love this recipe:
My Beetroot and Goat Cheese Salad is a beautiful combination of textures, flavours and colours. There is creamy goat cheese, complementing and contrasting with deep purple, sweet beetroot, the crunch of almonds and the vibrancy of the fresh green mint leaves, all dressed with extra virgin olive oil and sweet yet tangy balsamic glaze.
You will love this salad because:
- It is quickly and easily made from ingredients which are readily available.
- Beetroot is available year-round in many countries.
- This is a simple salad, with flavours that harmonise.
- The salad is versatile; serve it as a starter, a side dish, or light lunch.
- It is richly coloured and full of antioxidants.
- You can customise it to your taste. Serve on a bed of baby spinach or rocket/arugula leaves for extra greens, use a different nut or substitute with feta if you prefer. As well, you could use beetroot of different colours to make an even more striking platter.
- It becomes a delicious meat-free meal with the addition of some chickpeas for a boost of protein.
Ingredients in this recipe:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
Beetroot – a root vegetable also known as beets, they are available in several colours.
Slivered almonds – add crunch. Substitute with any nut of your preference or some pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
Fresh goat cheese – adds creaminess and a slightly tangy flavour. You could also crumble some feta cheese over the salad.
Fresh mint leaves – for fresh flavour and vibrant colour.
Extra virgin olive oil – this is from the first pressing of the olives. It is naturally extracted from the fruit without the use of heat, and the flavour is fresher and more intense. Being naturally extracted, it retains its health benefitting antioxidants and heart-healthy fats.
Balsamic glaze – adds a sweet, yet tangy note.
Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper – sea salt is a great flavour booster; it accentuates the natural flavours of the dish. I prefer to use freshly ground black pepper as the flavour is much brighter. Pre-ground black pepper tends to taste dull and “dusty.” If you like spice, you could add some dried chilli flakes.
Step by step instructions:
To cook the beetroot, heat your oven to 200 degrees C (400 F).
If the beets still have their leaves, use a sharp knife and cut them off. Set them aside for another use.
Wash the beetroots under cold running water. You don’t need to dry them.
- Wrap them loosely in aluminium foil.
- Place in a large baking dish or on a rimmed baking tray to catch any juices which may leak.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, depending on size, until the beets are cooked. Set them aside until they are cool enough to handle. Trim the stem and root end.
- Rub the skin away with a paper towel or peel it away with your fingers. It should peel away easily. If there are any tough pieces of skin, use a sharp paring knife to remove them.
- Toast the almonds.
- Slice the prepared beetroot into slices about 1 cm (⅓ inch) thick and arrange on a serving platter.
- Crumble the goat cheese over the beetroot.
- Finely shred the mint leaves and scatter on top. Sprinkle the toasted slivered almonds on the salad. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze and season to taste.
Tips for success and FAQS:
When a salad is as simple as this one, to obtain the best result, it is essential to use good quality, fresh ingredients.
Look for medium-size beetroot that are firm with unblemished skin and ideally a uniform size so they cook in a similar time. Firmness indicates that they are fresh. If the leaves are still attached, they are also a good indicator of freshness. They should be bright green and not wilted.
It is easier to peel them after they are cooked as the skins just slip off. Just make sure to do it while they are still warm; once cold, it is more difficult. To avoid stained fingers, wear disposable gloves to peel and slice the beetroot. As well, they will stain any porous surfaces such as your clothing or a wooden chopping board.
My preference is to roast them in a foil packet. Roasting them in a well-sealed foil packet produces steam which keeps them moist and roasting enhances their natural sweetness. However, you can also boil them. Just add trimmed and washed beetroot to a pan of boiling salted water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 35-50 minutes depending on the size of the beetroot. Use a skewer to test when done. Boiling does remove a great deal of the colour and consequently some of the flavour.
When cool, store cooked, peeled beetroot in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the cooked beetroot for up to 3 months in an airtight container. You may find the texture will be a little softer.
I recommend that you prepare the separate components ahead of time but only assemble the salad shortly before serving as the beetroot tend to “bleed” their colour onto the other ingredients. It does spoil the appearance.
Serving suggestions:
Serve the Beetroot and Goat Cheese Salad with:
- Roast Chicken
- Chicken Patties
- Tuna and Potato Patties
- Cheese and Herb Filo Pie
- Or, add some chickpeas for added protein, for a delicious meatless meal.
More delicious recipes for you to try:
Try some more of our favourite salad recipes which are full of flavour and simple to prepare:
- Roasted Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad
- Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower Salad
- Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad
- Kale and Sweet Potato Salad
- Pumpkin, Cranberry and Almond Salad
- Sweet and Sour Carrot Salad
- Kale and Apple Slaw
- Or, view our complete collection of Salad Recipes.
This Roasted Beetroot and Goat Cheese Salad is a favourite of mine and I hope it will become one of yours also. It is a delicious side dish to many things and so simple to prepare. Be sure to let me know in the comments when you have given it a try!
Alex xx
Beetroot and Goat Cheese Salad
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
- 4 beetroot - medium size See Note 1
- 1 ½ tablespoon slivered almonds See Note 2
- 60 g (2 oz) fresh goat cheese
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves - loosely packed
- 1 ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil See Note 2
- 1 ½ tablespoon balsamic glaze
- sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
Roasting the Beetroot:
- Heat your oven to 200 degrees C (400 F).
- If the beets still have their leaves, use a sharp knife and cut them off, leaving about 2.5 cm (1 inch) of stems on the beetroot. Don’t cut off the roots or you will lose some of the beet juices and flavour. Don’t discard the leaves, set them aside for another purpose, you can cook them as you would silverbeet. They cook up tender and sweet. See Note 4.Wash the beetroots under cold running water. You don’t need to dry them.
- Wrap each of the beetroots individually loosely in aluminium foil, making sure they are completely covered. Place in a large baking dish or on a rimmed baking tray to catch any juices which may leak.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes until the beets are cooked.
- To test if they are done, insert a skewer, through the foil, into the centre. They are done when a skewer slides easily through the beet flesh. Small beets will cook more quickly than large ones.
- Set them aside to cool in the foil until they are cool enough to handle. To avoid staining your fingers, you may like to wear disposable rubber gloves. As well, I recommend a plastic chopping board as the beetroot will stain any porous material, such as your chopping board or your clothing.
- With a sharp knife, trim the stem and root end. Rub the skin away with a paper towel or peel it away with your fingers. It should peel away easily. Do this while they are still warm as it will be more difficult when they are cold.If there are any tough pieces of skin, use a sharp paring knife to remove them. Your beets are now ready.
For the Salad:
- Toast the almonds in a dry frying pan/skillet over medium heat.Stir with a wooden spoon, or, shake the pan frequently, until the nuts are golden brown and aromatic. Immediately remove them to a plate so they do not continue cooking in the pan and set aside.
- Slice the prepared beetroot into slices about 1 cm (⅓ inch) thick and arrange on a serving platter.
- Crumble the goat cheese over the beetroot.Finely shred the mint leaves and scatter them on top. Sprinkle the toasted slivered almonds on the salad.
- Drizzle the olive oil across the salad, and season to taste with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve.
Notes
- After removing the leaves, and before cooking, the weight of the 4 beetroot was about 600 g (1.3 pounds).
- The Australian tablespoon is 20 ml or 4 teaspoons. In many other countries, the tablespoon is 15 ml or 3 teaspoons. Please adjust your measurement if necessary.
- Adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour.
- To keep the leaves fresh for a few days, wrap them loosely in damp paper towel, place in a plastic bag and store in the crisper drawer of your fridge.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Stephanie says
Such a delicious salad. The colors are so inviting to see on your plate and the texture really makes this a special dish!
Alexandra says
Hi Stephanie, I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Beetroot and Goat Cheese Salad. Thank you for taking the time to let me know. 🙂