Roasted Beets w/ Walnuts & Goat Cheese
These were inspired by a recent visit to Lilette in New Orleans. I can’t say I ever thought I’d fall in love with a beet, but I think it’s happening. These are sliced about 1/2” thick and tossed in olive oil salt and pepper before they are roasted in the oven. Toss with a little vinaigrette and serve with goat cheese and toasted walnuts for a real treat. I also love shoving these into a sandwich - i.e., eating them on a piece of sourdough bread smeared with goat cheese and topped with a little arugula or celery greens!
Roasted Beets with
Walnuts & Goat Cheese
Ingredients
3 large beets, greens trimmed, scrubbed clean
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher sea salt
1/3 cup roasted, salted walnuts
2-3 tbsp cold goat cheese, broken into small bits
Vinaigrette:
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp Dijon or whole grain mustard
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 pinch kosher sea salt
1 small clove of garlic minced or grated
juice of 1/2 lemon
3-4 tbsp olive oil
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375° F.
Remove beet leaves and stalks. Make a clean cut across the top of the beet, removing about 1/8” of the flesh with all the stems. Save the stems and greens for a salad or roasting in the oven. They can be roasted similar to kale or any other hearty green.
Lay the beets cut side down (the root in the air) and use a sharp knife to slice them from top to bottom into about 1/2” thick slices (as pictured above - highlighting their heart-shaped cross section).
Lay them out in a single layer on a parchment lined sheet pan. You can also use aluminum foil in place of parchment. It will save your pan from red stains! I would also recommend using a dark, plastic cutting board for slicing them (versus wood) to avoid stains.
Drizzle the beets with just enough olive oil to evenly coat them. Use your hands to flip the slices to make sure both sides get oil. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
Roast them at 375° F for 35-40 minutes or until the beets are fork tender and the edges just start to get a little crispy. Open the oven and use some tongs to flip the beets about halfway through.
Make the vinaigrette while your beets are roasting. Combine the honey, mustard, garlic, pepper, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice to loosen the mixture. Continue whisking, gradually adding the olive oil in a steady stream until it’s all incorporated and forms a smooth, glossy dressing.
When the beets are done, pour about half the dressing over them while they are still hot, flipping the beets to coat them.
Serve them up! Arrange a few beet slices on each serving plate. Sprinkle some goat cheese and a few walnuts on them and drizzle with a little more vinaigrette. Serve warm with salt and pepper to taste.
