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Welcome to March!
I am so excited that it is March! Spring is on its way! Maybe, kind of soon. I hope.
Remember how last week I made my Kale Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing? I discussed how I needed to make more cohesive salad recipes. I kept true to that vow by making another salad!
I first ate this salad at a local Italian restaurant last summer and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since then. It was served to me on a small platter in a deconstructed manner. Instead of all of the ingredients mixed up with the greens, the ingredients were thoughtfully placed next to each other to allowing each forkful to be filled with intention.
Very elegant!
It became my mission to recreate this salad at home. The first time I made it I burned the nuts and botched the goat cheese. Is it even possible to screw up goat cheese?
This time around was successful!
The earthy beets are roasted in sticky, rich honey. Walnuts are candied-which, by the way, only takes 5 minutes-tart cranberries balance the candied walnuts. A handful of mixed spring greens are tossed with a simple honey balsamic vinaigrette.
And all of those delectable ingredients are served next to a big fluffy ball of rich, tangy whipped goat cheese!
The whipped goat cheese and I need a moment alone, please. Thank you.
Okay I’m back.
Best thing about this salad is that it can all be made a day ahead of time and then assembled just before serving. Therefore it is perfect to make for friends, or at a lunch gathering. I promise, your friends will be totally impressed. Or, simply make it for yourself throughout the week to help brighten up your day.
Enjoy my friends!
Deconstructed Honey Roasted Beet Salad with Whipped Goat Cheese
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 2 to 3 1x
- Category: Salad, Entree
- Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Description
This salad is simple to put together. It is gorgeous to look at and super tasty to eat. I mean come one, there are honey roasted beets, candied walnuts, and whipped goat cheese!
Ingredients
- FOR WHIPPED GOAT CHEESE:
- 8 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
- 3 to 4 tablespoons skim milk, room temperature
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- FOR HONEY ROASTED BEETS:
- 2 large gold beets, washed (you could use all of one color of beet if desired)
- 2 large red beets, washed
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted, divided
- 4 tablespoons honey, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, divided
- FOR CANDIED WALNUTS:
- 1 cup raw walnut halves or pieces
- 1/4 scant cup raw sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- FOR SALAD:
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 2 handfuls mixed greens, washed and dried
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- FOR WHIPPED GOAT CHEESE:
- Put the goat cheese and 2 tablespoons of milk into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer whip the ingredients together until small peaks are formed. If the goat cheese needs to be thinned out a little add in another tablespoon or two of milk. The final mixture should be thick and fluffy.
- Transfer the whipped goat cheese to an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator until ready for serving.
- FOR HONEY ROASTED BEETS:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cut off the tops and bottoms of each beet and peel off the skin. Using a sharp chef’s knife chop the beets into ½ inch cubes. If using both colors of beets work with the gold ones first and then the red ones so as not to stain the gold beets. Make sure to keep the gold and red beets separated.
- Place the gold beets onto one rimmed baking sheet and the red beets onto a separate rimmed baking sheet. (This is to avoid the red beets bleeding onto the gold. You can skip this step if you are using all one color of beets). To each baking sheet add 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil, 2 tablespoons honey and ¼ teaspoon sea salt. Stir to combine.
- Arrange the beets on the rimmed baking sheet in a flat layer so they are not overlapping each other.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until fork-tender. Make sure to stir the beets and rotate the pans half way through.
- Set aside and allow the beets to cool. Make sure to keep the two different beet colors separated.
- FOR CANDIED WALNUTS:
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and lay a large piece of parchment paper or a silpat mat next to the stove.
- Once the pan is warm add all of the ingredients. Constantly stir until the sugar is melted, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer them to the parchment paper and spread them out into an even layer, separating any clumps.
- Allow to cool completely before handling.
- FOR THE SALAD:
- For the salad dressing whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Then drizzle in the olive oil and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- ASSEMBLY:
- On a plate or small platter place a ¼ cup scoop of the chilled whipped goat cheese (I used an ice cream scoop).
- Next to the whipped goat cheese place a tablespoon of the red beets and a tablespoon of the gold beets. Followed by a line of the candied walnuts and a line of the dried cranberries.
- In a small mixing bowl combine a handful of the mixed greens with a tablespoon of the salad dressing. Mix to coat the greens with the dressing. Place the greens next to the cranberries.
- Repeat this assembly for as many servings as needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
You could make all of the ingredients up to a day ahead of time, storing all of them in separate containers. Right before serving you would assemble the salad.
Salad inspired by: Biaggi’s Honey Roasted Beet & Arugula Salad
Candied Walnuts recipe is adapted from Natasha’s Kitchen
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