Roasted Balsamic Beets
Roasted Balsamic Beets with oranges and goat cheese or feta are wonderful. They look beautiful, they’re tasty, and if you’re lucky, they’ll start some type of passionate debate about their flavor profile. I like beets in every form, sweet, savory, or a tangy combination of both. These are more of the latter, the savory of the beets with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette. The addition of sweet oranges and funky goat cheese gives the dish a wonderful balance. And served with something fresh and crunchy really elevates the plate. Even if you don’t normally like goat cheese or feta, it adds a necessary salty funkiness that transforms the dish. But, if you’re like me, you’re looking for a way to add cheese at every opportunity.
We’re huge fans of beets, we grow them in the garden and use both the root and the greens. There’s always a supply in the freezer ready for the sous vide. I enjoy pickled or Harvard style beets as well. Simple roasted beets with butter and salt are great. But, if you want a little more zing and wow factor, these will do it. I haven’t had any complaints and I thoroughly look forward to converting my beet hating friends with our Roasted Balsamic Beets.
This would also be great over a bed of salad greens. There’s plenty of dressing to use as the salad dressing or served alongside if that’s how you choose to serve the beets. I typically drain off any excess dressing and reserve it for later use. Leftovers are an excellent addition to mixed green salad and that excess dressing can be used as your dressing or add it to a standard vinaigrette to tame it a bit.
I’ve topped this dish with both feta and goat cheese. Not everyone in our home is a fan of these saltier, slightly funky cheeses. However, mixed in with the beets they are both fabulous. I’ve now converted the doubters and everyone appreciated the addition. That’s one of my favorite food outcomes! But it does take a willingness to try new things.
Roasted Balsamic Beets
Ingredients
Beets
- 3 beets, peeled and cut in half
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 head garlic, neck end cut off, unpeeled
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp honey optional, add if the dressing is too sharp
- 1 tsp lemon juice optional, add if the dressing is too sweet
- salt and pepper to taste
Serving
- 1 orange, peeled and diced to 1" pieces
- 4-6 oz goat cheese or feta
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and adjust oven rack to middle position.
- Place peeled, halved beets, onions, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a foil packet and seal. Place foil packet on a quarter sheet pan (in case of leaks).
- While beets are roasting, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper.
- Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, open packet and test for tenderness by inserting a paring knife in beets. If it easily glides in with just a bit of resistance, they're done.
- Let the beets cool enough to handle. Cut stem and root end from beets and dice to 1" pieces.
- Squeeze roasted garlic out of the peel into the vinaigrette along with the accumulated juices from foil packet and whisk to combine.
- Add diced beets along with orange pieces, toss with vinaigrette. Top with cheese just before serving.
Notes
