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My favourite beetroot and goat cheese salad

by Stela Kordić

This beetroot and goat cheese salad drizzled with a pungent mustard dressing has been my go-to recipe for many years. It is my absolute winner during summer when our bodies crave light and refreshing dishes!

Bowls filled with beetroot and goat cheese salad with a mustard dressing on the side


It is full of vibrant and visually beautiful colours, but the taste will surely win you over!

In this beetroot and goat cheese salad, the earthiness of roasted beetroot pairs perfectly with the freshness of carrots and avocado and the addition of peppery rocket and nutty quinoa results in a wonderfully balanced dish.

Drizzle it with a rich mustard dressing, crumble goat cheese on top, and you will get a match made in heaven!

Close up of my favoutire beetroot and goat cheese salad.


What is baking “en papillote”?

If you enjoy trying French recipes and searching through French cookbooks, you’ve probably heard of the technique “en papillote”, which translates to “in parchment”. It describes a cooking method where an ingredient, very often fish or vegetables, is baked in a pouch of paper or foil.

Moisture released by cooking is trapped inside, resulting, in this case, in very juicy beetroots. This method combines baking and steaming, and the best thing is that it requires very little or even no fat in the process.

A "pillow" of aluminium foil encasing the beetroots before going into the oven.
How to bake beetroot “en papillote”?


Substitution tips

Beetroot: Add grated or diced raw beetroot to this salad instead of baked beetroot. This will also help you cut the preparation time, making this a speedy salad option.

Rocket: You can go for baby spinach or watercress instead.

Goat cheese: This salad will also work beautifully with feta or cashew cheese for a vegan option.

This beetroot and goat cheese salad serves eight sides and four as a main dish!


Are you searching for more salad options?

Light and fresh courgette salad

Anchovy and pea salad

Salmon salad with spicy sun-dried tomato sauce

Let me know if you try this recipe! Drop a comment and tag your photo with @stelasfoodstories on Instagram. I’d love to see your creations!

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My favourite beetroot and goat cheese salad

Difficulty:

In this beetroot and goat cheese salad, the earthiness of roasted beetroot pairs perfectly with the freshness of carrots and avocado and......

Prep time 15

Cook time 75

Total time 90

Baking tray

Vegetable knife

Paring knife

Gloves

Peeler

Grater

Mixing bowl

Whisk (optional)

Keep the screen ON

Servings:

4

Ingredients

600 g beetroots with skin on

200 g carrots

200 g raw quinoa

75 g rocket

120 g young goat cheese

1 avocado

garnish with fresh chives

For the mustard dressing:

30 g or 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

15 ml or 1 tbsp lemon juice

30 ml or 2 tbsp Aceto balsamico

50 ml olive oil

salt

Instructions

Step 1

Heat up the oven to 200 ºC or 392 ºF.

Complete step

Step 2

Cut both edges (aka. “top and tail”) of your washed beetroots, leaving the skin on. Prepare a longer piece of aluminum foil placed on the baking tray.

Place the beetroots closer to one end, cover them with the other end of the foil and close the edges tightly.

Bake them for 60-75 minutes, depending on the size. If you want to use raw beetroots, skip this step, peel them, and dice in the desired shape.

Note

You can add a tablespoon of water to the beetroots, that will help start the steaming.

This technique prevents moisture from coming out, resulting in tender and super moist beetroots. It also speeds up the cooking thanks to the steam trapped inside the foil.

 

Complete step

Step 3

Heat up water for cooking quinoa using a ratio of 2:1 water to quinoa. Rinse quinoa under running water and add it to boiling water.

Let it simmer for 15 min on medium-low heat with a lid on. It will absorb all the liquid. Once the quinoa is cooked, leave it covered, off heat, for another 5 minutes to slightly cool down.

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Step 4

When the beetroots are cooked, leave them covered at room temperature for another 15-20 minutes.

Note

It will continue cooking from the residual heat, and all the juices will be kept inside. If immediately unwrapped and cut, moisture and internal juices will escape, drying them out!

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Step 5

Grate the carrots. If you use a pre-washed store-bought rocket, just toss it into the salad. On the other hand, if bought on the market, it will probably have dirt, so rinse it 2-3 times under cold water and drain it well.

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Step 6

Prepare the dressing.

How to

In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, water, and a pinch of salt, until homogenous. Then slowly start adding olive oil while whisking.

Note

The easiest way is to put all the ingredients in a jar and just shake it until emulsified.

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Step 7

Put your gloves on for this next step! Peel the beetroots with your hands or with the help of a paring knife. With a bit of pressure, the skin will come off easily if fully cooked. Then, cut the beetroot to the desired size.

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Step 8

Gently rinse fresh chives under water holding it by the top. Slice it thinly.

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Step 9

Cut avocado into dice and assemble all the other prepared ingredients. Drizzle with the dressing and mix well until evenly combined.

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Step 10

Crumble goat cheese on top and enjoy!

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How to store this beetroot and goat cheese salad

Keep it in your fridge for 3 days; it will taste even better after all the flavours have been infused. Since beetroots take some time to roast, you can prepare a larger amount for the days ahead. They should be good for 3-5 days if kept in an airtight container in your fridge.

That way, you will have them ready to just toss into this salad or simply use it dressed with some olive oil and sprinkled with your favourite herbs as a simple and quick side dish.

I’m curious to hear your comments and to see your beautiful pictures of this delicious summer beetroot and goat cheese salad. Tag @stelasfoodstories on Instagram and share it with us all!

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If you have any questions, suggestions or want to collaborate, reach out and let me know what’s on your mind.