Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
This Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad features a collection of delicious spring ingredients! The base of this beet salad is a simple spring mix, which gives a nice earthy and peppery flavor to the salad. Maple roasted beets are added in, which add a lovely sweet component which perfectly contrasts the extremely tart flavor of the crumbled soft goat cheese! Sliced bosc pears also join the party, further adding another sweet element, but also they add a very subtle warm spice to the roasted beet salad, greatly complimenting the deep earthy flavors of the sweet beets, as well as the warm maple flavors that are strewn throughout the salad. Candied walnuts add a beautiful crunch to the salad, and lastly, a nice shaving of parmesan cheese adds a much needed sharp salty bite to the roasted beet and goat cheese salad. Top it all of with a lightly sweet sherry vinaigrette to create a stunning salad that is bursting with spring flavors! This roasted beet and goat cheese salad can be eaten as 2-3 large servings or as 6 side servings.
How to Make Maple Roasted Beets
Making the maple roasted beets is actually relatively easy! The beets need to be peeled, washed, and quartered. In a separate bowl add in the olive oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and salt, and stir to combine. Pour this sauce over top of the beets and ensure each beet is well coated with the sauce. Transfer into a baking dish, with a lid, and place into the oven, covered, for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the top, give them a bit of a stir, and place back into the oven, uncovered, for another 30 minutes! When finished, the beets should be tender enough to stick a fork into without much resistance. Then, simply allow the beets to cool completely, and then toss the cooled beets in freshly squeezed lemon juice, and they are ready to be used!
How to Candy Walnuts
If you’ve ever candied pecans, candying walnuts is essentially the same sort of deal! In a bowl, add the walnuts, and throw some maple syrup, brown sugar, a little bit of vegetable oil, and salt on top. Toss this mixture around, ensuring that each walnut is well coated with the sauce (I actually like to do this with my hands). Then place the coated walnuts onto a baking sheet that is fitted with a silicone mat or parchment (I prefer a silicone mat). Place into the oven for around 15 minutes, ensuring that you stir every 5 minutes! This periodic stirring is crucial to even cooking, so don’t try to skip it! When you remove them from the oven, toss the hot candied walnuts with some sugar and some more salt! I find the amount of salt you use at the end can vary, I typically add salt, slowly, until the candied walnuts no longer taste bitter (but should not taste overly salty either!). Allow the candied walnuts to cool completely before using.
The Maple Sherry Vinaigrette
I used a very simple maple sherry vinaigrette for this roasted beet salad. This base flavor of this vinaigrette is obviously sherry vinegar! Sherry vinegar is made from sherry, and as such has many of the qualities and characteristics of sherry! The taste of it is very slightly sweet, with a warm roundness that almost leans slightly caramel in flavor. It is also very slightly nutty as well! Very complex in flavor, sherry vinegar is also moderately acidic. I have found that it is less acidic than red wine or white wine vinegar, but more acidic than balsamic vinegar. All this being said, it is important to buy a quality sherry vinegar. The color should be dark and the aroma should be strong of those warm flavors. Cheap sherry vinegars, like it’s balsamic cousin, will be astringent and not complex at all.
To make the vinaigrette, add the olive oil, sherry vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper to a bowl and whisk until well emulsified. Alternatively, add all the ingredients to a jar fitted with a lid, and give it a good ol’ shake until it is well emulsified!
Substitutions and Variations
• Balsamic, white or regular, can be used instead of sherry vinegar, just use about half as much maple syrup.
◦ Spinach would be another great base for this roasted beet salad.
• If you prefer pecans instead of walnuts, they can easily be substituted for each other. Pecans will provide an even creamier flavor.
◦ If you do not like goat cheese, try feta instead. Feta will provide that sharp flavor, with a little less tartness.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
Ingredients
Roasted Maple Beets
- 8 Medium Beets,, peeled, washed, and quartered
- 2 tbsp Maple Syrup
- 2 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
- 1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- Juice of ½ of a Fresh Lemon
Candied Walnuts
- 1 cup Walnut Halves and/or Pieces
- 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 tsp Table Salt
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1/4 tsp 3/4 tsp Salt,, to taste
Maple Sherry Vinaigrette
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Quality Sherry Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
- Salt & Pepper,, to taste
Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
- 1 142g (5oz) package Spring Mix,, washed
- 1 Bosc Pear,, sliced thinly
- 1/2 cup Crumbled Soft Goat Cheese
- Roasted Beets, (above)
- Candied Walnuts, (above)
- Maple Sherry Vinaigrette, (above)
- 1/4 cup Shaved Parmesan
Instructions
Roasted Maple Beets
- Preheat oven to 350°. Add all of the ingredients, except the freshly squeezed lemon juice, to a bowl, and toss to combine well. Transfer to baking dish with a lid, and bake, covered, for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and stir the beets. Place back into the oven, uncovered, for another 30 minutes. When done, the beets should be tender enough to place a fork through without much resistance. Allow to cool completely.
- When cooled, squeeze 1/2 of a lemons juice over the cooled beets, and toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Candied Walnuts
- Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium mixing bowl, add walnuts, maple syrup, brown sugar, olive oil, and ¼ tsp table salt. Toss to combine, ensuring every pieces of walnut is well coated.
- Transfer coated walnuts onto a baking sheet, fitted with parchment or a silicone baking mat, and place into the oven for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
- Remove the candied walnuts from the oven and sprinkle the sugar over top and slowly add additional salt, tossing and tasting as you go. You have added enough salt when the walnuts no longer taste very bitter, but are not salty either. Allow to cool completely before adding to salad.
Maple Sherry Vinaigrette
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk together until well emulsified. To emulsify more easily, add all the ingredients into a jar with a lid, and shake vigorously for 15 seconds.
Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
- Add all ingredients into a large bowl and toss to combine. Serve as 6 side servings or 2-3 large dinner servings.
