Marinated Beet Salad With Whipped Goat Cheese Recipe (2024)

Recipe from Andrew Carmellini

Adapted by Julia Moskin

Marinated Beet Salad With Whipped Goat Cheese Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour, plus cooling and marinating
Rating
4(1,108)
Notes
Read community notes

It's easy to make a pretty good beet salad, but this one makes the leap into greatness. After decades of kitchen experiments, the chef and beet maven Andrew Carmellini shared how to elevate both elements: marinate the beets, then season and whip the goat cheese.Feel free to cook the beets on a grill instead of in the oven if you've got a fire going. Young beets, juicy and tender enough to bite into, can be used instead of the thick-skinned, mature kind. But do not roast: Steam them just until tender. —Julia Moskin

Featured in: Think Beet and Goat Cheese Salad is a Cliché? A New Recipe Proves It’s a Classic

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

    For the Beets

    • 8 to 10medium-large beets (see note)
    • 2tablespoons minced shallots
    • 3tablespoons olive oil, plus more to taste
    • 2tablespoons rich, sweet vinegar like Barolo, balsamic or sherry
    • Salt and ground black pepper
    • ¼cup shelled nuts, like pistachios, walnuts or pecans (optional)
    • 1cup loosely packed whole herb leaves (like parsley, mint or cilantro) or 2 cups small salad greens (like baby spinach, baby arugula or mâche), or use a mixture or herbs and greens

    For the Goat Cheese

    • ¼cup fresh goat cheese
    • 1tablespoon olive oil
    • 2tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
    • ½teaspoon rice or white wine vinegar, plus more to taste
    • ½teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
    • ¼teaspoon salt, more to taste

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

194 calories; 13 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 381 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Marinated Beet Salad With Whipped Goat Cheese Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Prepare the beets: Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 degrees. Place a sheet pan underneath to catch any drips from the beets.

  2. Step

    2

    Trim the greens, tops and stems from the beets. Wash thoroughly and wrap in aluminum foil packages, about 4 beets per package. Place the packages directly on the oven rack and bake until beets are easily pierced by a fork or knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on size. (No need to unwrap the beets to test them.)

  3. Step

    3

    Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine shallots, oil, vinegar and a lavish sprinkling of salt and pepper. Set aside.

  4. Remove beets from oven and carefully open packages to let the steam escape. Let cool at least 20 minutes, or up to 4 hours.

  5. Step

    5

    Unwrap beets and use a peeler or your fingers to remove any tough skin. Dice beets neatly into bite-size pieces. Add to bowl with shallot mixture, mix well and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. Stir occasionally.

  6. Step

    6

    Meanwhile, in a toaster oven or 350-degree oven, toast nuts until golden, about 5 minutes. If unsalted, sprinkle with salt. Let cool, then coarsely chop.

  7. Step

    7

    Prepare the goat cheese: In a bowl, mix or whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Keep whipping until cheese is fluffy and soft. Taste and season with additional vinegar and salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

  8. Step

    8

    To serve, pile beets on a serving platter or individual plates. Spoon remaining dressing over the top. Spoon dollops of goat cheese mixture on and around the beets, then tuck in herbs and/or greens. Sprinkle with nuts and serve immediately.

Tip

  • It's nice to use multicolored beets, but keep in mind that magenta beets will dye the others to match as soon as they are combined. The best solution is to use just a couple of colors, and marinate them separately until time to serve.

Ratings

4

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1,108

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

famharris

My family adores beets and as so I cook with them often but early beets on greens is our favorite go-to. I love the combination here with the vinegar and cream in the goat cheese; I usually just use it plain. And who doesn't love pistachios? You can speed this up by peeling the beets with a potato peeler before you roast them (also lessens the stains on your fingers) and if I'm in a real time crunch I'll dice them too and that cuts the roasting time in half. Enjoy!

Lori

I am curious why others don't peel and slice the beets before roasting them. It's a bit messy, but the beets get a little caramelized, which is delicious.

A

I roast beets often and it seems that 45-60 minutes is seldom sufficient. Just my experience.

Also, I find that Kenji Lopez-Alt's advice is helpful. He suggests making a pouch of foil, tucking in the beets, olive oil and herbs, and then roasting. The results are impressive.

eileen

Did you mean 1/2 cup of goat cheese?

Kws

Trader Joe’s has remarkably good cooked, peeled beets. Vacuum packed. Just sayin

richard

recipe editors! what is a medium large beet? recipe calls for 8-10 of these which with todays supermarket produce is a truckload by weight. Even the video of the cooking of this recipe showed only four modestly sized beets.

Rita

Easier to cook the beets first and, after they cool, the skins will slide off easily.

Randy

The reason this is such a classic combination is the interplay between the earthy sweetness of the beets and the musky tartness of the goat cheese. It would be impossible to replicate the goat cheese complexity but you could come close with 4 OZ of good fresh ricotta (not the junk in supermarket tubs) and 4 TBL of good Feta with a larger dose of vinegar for the extra tang (adjusted to your taste...perhaps as much as 1 TBL) plus the other recipe ingredients. Lots of fresh ground pepper is a must.

Jay S

Make beets frequently; tried other methods but always go back to stovetop pressure cooker. Whole beers unpeeled 20 minutes and done. Skins slip off. Never understand how peeling before is less messy with beets.

Sandy W.

peeling and dicing the beets in advance is a real time saver - do the hard work at the front end of the project.

I baked them in foil packets for 45-60 min and they were perfectly fork ready.

As an option, I think roasting the beets and giving them a little char will add a nice flavor element.

I skipped the nuts, knowing my husband wouldn't like them.

We're a two person household, so I just used two large beets and it was enough to feed us a for dinner. Loved it!!

Ferguson

weights would help here. Different times of year the beets come in different sizes. Also goat cheese is much easier to weigh than measure by volume.

Scott

use plain yogurt instead of heavy cream, 10x more delicious.

Jenny

Honestly, I'd be worried about stains in case a hungry partygoer dropped one....

Bonnie

Loved this salad and especially the mix of herbs on top!! One word of warning, the Balsamic vinegar will turn the golden beets slightly dark, so if you want them to be bright orange, use only the white wine vinegar in their marinate.

yaya

Make your life 200x easier and buy precooked beets (love beets brand is perfect). They come in the package cooked and ready to slice and dice.

Holly

I recently made this but added blood oranges! Zested one of them and added to the beet marinade. Whipped the goat cheese with a nonfat Greek yogurt and a touch more orange zest. The citrus adds a much needed brightness to this dish.

ScoutMom

Don't discard the beet greens. They can be sautéed like spinach and served as a side dish for a different meal.

Susan P

The dressing is excellent! I even used it on canned beets and it made them taste so much better. Don't judge.

a

Delicious, only would suggest roughly chopping greens if not small, and put on plate first. Mint added nice touch.

Sarah

I used, gasp!, canned beets for this. For shame. The flavors are all bold enough that I didn’t think it detracted, and turns this into a weeknight wonder.

jsg

Great recipe! Have to confess that, while I followed ingredients as written, it was a hectic evening and letting them marinate for 30 minutes wasn’t possible. The beets were still warm and despite no time to marinate, it was awesome!

Toni

Add cumin

Edith L

I made this recipe twice and it is a keeper. I buy the cooked beets from the produce section and this comes together easily. Love the whipped goat cheese. A family favorite,

Delicious!

I steamed the beets, golden ones, then cooled and peeled the skins. I used extra shallots and as one reader suggested yogurt with the balsamic vinegar. This was an excellent salad.

debbie

This was amazing! Used 3 small beets steamed and peeled. Everything else as written

JH

It's really worth 5*s! Every time I make it, people ask for the recipe or to bring it to their house when we're over. BUT- it's too long to roast the beets, so I boil 2 pots- one for orange and one for red beets, skin on. Skin pushes off once their room temp and it's a lot quicker. I use 1/2 cup of goat cheese. Yum!

Teresa

I added a touch of honey to the whipped goat cheese. Delicious!

Laurel

Microwave peeled and diced beets and 1/3 cup water for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Cover the bowl.

Katherine

Made as written. Would like a weight on the beets (and I forgot). Steamed beets fresh out of the garden. Everything balanced perfectly - still had the earthy beet flavor underneath the marinade and the goat cheese was smooth and subtle. A keeper.

Lauren

The flavors were balanced and delicious. I followed another reviewer’s lead and pressure cooked my beets, which made it very easy to slide off the skins. If I had time to roast, I would have, and I can see how that would impart a lovely flavor as well. I will say that 8 medium/large beets is too many. If you have large beets, you could probably be fine with 6. We were struggling to eat all the leftovers.

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Marinated Beet Salad With Whipped Goat Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make beet root salad? ›

Divide beets between 2 pieces of foil; bring edges together and crimp to make packets. Roast until the beets are just tender when pierced with the point of a knife, about 1 1/4 hours. Unwrap the beets and let them cool. Meanwhile, whisk oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl to make dressing.

How many carbs in a beet salad with goat cheese? ›

Nutrition Facts
NutrientValue
Total Carbohydrate43g
Net carbs32g
Fiber12g
Sugar
83 more rows

What wine goes with beet and goat cheese salad? ›

Sancerre, a French wine made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes, would be an excellent pairing for this salad. Its high acidity and citrus notes would complement the tangy goat cheese and balance the sweetness of the beets.

What wine goes well with beets? ›

“A crisp, acidic Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley can really blend with [beets],” says Grandison.

Why do you put vinegar in beets? ›

Beets are a weekly ritual around here. Usually we boil them and toss them in a sweet sour vinaigrette and keep them in the refrigerator to eat all week. The vinegar in the dressing "pickles" the beets, helping them last longer in the fridge.

How do you keep beets from bleeding in salad? ›

Add lemon or vinegar for vibrant beets

A simple trick to prevent your beets from bleeding color, according to The Spruce Eats, is to add a tablespoon of lemon or vinegar to the boiling water.

Can diabetics eat beet salad? ›

Are beets okay for a diabetes diet? Beets make a great addition to a diabetes diet not only because they are low in calories, but also since one cooked cup contains only 13g carbohydrate. Rich in fibre they can also help prevent surges in blood sugar levels.

How healthy is beet salad? ›

Beets are high in fiber and promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut. Having plenty of healthy bacteria in your digestive system helps fight disease and boost your immune system. Fiber also improves digestion and reduces the risk of constipation.

Is beet salad good for diabetics? ›

Beets are rich in antioxidants and nutrients that have proven health benefits for everyone. Consuming beets appears to be especially beneficial for people living with diabetes. Beets can help lower the risk of complications that may arise from an unmanaged condition, including nerve damage and eye damage.

What flavors go well with goat cheese? ›

A milder fresh goat cheese will go perfectly with a sweet conserve, such as fig or raspberry. A cheese with a more pronounced flavour such as Ripened goat log will taste great alongside black cherry or blueberry conserves.

What drink pairs well with goat cheese? ›

Fresh goat's cheese requires a dry, light and fruity white wine that is not woody. Its delicate aromas and texture require a wine that can accompany the cheese without overwhelming it. A dry white wine from the Loire Valley is always a good choice.

What fruit goes with goat cheese? ›

Goat cheese pairs well with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, strawberries, and cranberries.

What flavors complement beets? ›

Oranges, berries, melons, apples, pineapple, grapes, and kiwi all combine exceptionally with beet juice. The sweet and tart notes from these fruits complement the earthy vegetable flavor. Blending fruit into beetroot juice helps mellow out the intense earthy taste.

What makes beets taste better? ›

Roasting beets deepens their natural sugars while tempering bitterness. Bake whole, wrapped beets at 400°F for 60-75 minutes until easily pierced by a fork. Allow to cool before peeling and juicing. Incorporating roasted beets creates a smoother, mellower, almost nutty-flavored blended juice.

What flavors go best with beets? ›

Also ingredients like dark chocolate, nuts, coffee or roasted onions have earthy flavors and pair well with beetroot. This could be explained by the presence of 'pyrazines', which are aromatic structures formed during the process of roasting ingredients. These pyrazines also contain an earthy smell.

What is the best way to eat beetroot raw or cooked? ›

Here are five of our favorite ways to eat beets.
  1. Raw! – Yes, beets are quite good raw. ...
  2. Roasted with goat cheese. – The classic, all-time favorite preparation. ...
  3. In a salad. – Beets make a good complement to other salad staples. ...
  4. Pickled! – Pickled beets are just marvelous. ...
  5. As dessert.

Is beetroot salad good for you? ›

Health benefits of beets include more stamina during exercise, heart disease and stroke prevention, and lower blood pressure. You can roast, grate, or put them into soups and salads. If you're prone to kidney stones or gout, avoid beets or limit how much you eat.

Is beet root better raw or boiled? ›

However, most Americans don't get enough fiber, and beets are a good source of the insoluble type, which helps keep you regular and full longer than beet juice. Raw beets contain more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants than cooked beets (yes, you can eat beets raw!).

Is it better to roast or boil beets for salad? ›

The softest texture will be the boiled beets, the roasted beets will be tender, but will still have a little “bite” to them. The steamed beets will be somewhere in the middle. If using the beets in a salad, or serving them as a side dish, I prefer the roasted or steamed beets.

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