Warm Breaded Goat Cheese & Beet Salad with an Orange Dressing

I can attest that some things are an acquired taste! At least this has been my experience with beets—something I rarely make, until now! Several years ago, I started ordering beet salads at restaurants whenever one looked especially good, in the hopes that I would eventually warm up to the earthy flavor of beets. They are easy to grow here in NC and are so pretty once they're roasted, so I thought it would be a fun thing to add into the mix (if I only liked them!). Well, it took a while, but I finally got there. And I have to say, they're particularly tasty paired with goat cheese, especially when that goat cheese is breaded and pan-fried, and it's all topped off with an orange citrus dressing. Yum!

Roasting beets is super easy. I just wrap them loosely in foil and bake at 400 degrees F until tender when pierced with a fork (takes about an hour for me). Once they've cooled, the skin just peels right off, and you can slice, dice, or just bite right into one—if you want, ha! Be careful though, because they can get messy!

I cut mine up in small chunks for this recipe because while one child of mine likes them, the other does not. I figure if they're small enough they'll be harder for her to pick out, and maybe she'll eventually decide she's now on #teambeet like me! :)

This is definitely a salad I'm going to make again and again. What a treat from the usual!

Warm Breaded Goat Cheese & Beet Salad with an Orange Dressing

A delicious, earthy beet salad, topped with warm breaded goat cheese and an orange dressing.

5 Average

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Salads

Cuisine: American

Method: Freezer Friendly

Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Servings: 6 12 pieces of goat cheese

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Ingredients

  

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For the beets

• 2 red beets (washed and leafy greens removed)

For the dressing

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons orange juice (freshly squeezed)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For the goat cheese

• 8 ounces goat cheese log (or can use two 4-ounce logs)
• ⅓ cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 egg (beaten (1 egg was enough for me, but you can add another egg partway through if you use it all))
• ⅔ cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
• olive oil (for cooking)
• salt and pepper

For the salad and assembly

• 5 ounces mixed greens
• ½ cup chopped pecans (lightly toasted (I used a dry pan over medium-low heat))

Instructions

 

For the beets

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Loosely wrap the beets in foil and bake on a small rimmed baking sheet until tender when pierced with a fork, anywhere from 45 to 75 minutes (depending on the size of the beets). 
• When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin (and discard), trim off the bottom of the root, and cut into a small dice.

For the dressing

• In a small jar or container with a tight-fitting lid, combine all ingredients and shake vigorously to emulsify. Set aside (may need to shake again just before adding to the salad).
  

For the goat cheese

• Carefully slice the goat cheese into 12 even pieces. It helps to harden it up in the freezer a little bit before cutting! I also find that a dull butter knife works better than a sharp cutting knife.
• Place the flour in a bowl, the egg in another bowl, and the breadcrumbs in a third bowl. Use one "dry" hand to coat the first slice of goat cheese in the flour. Drop the flour-coated piece into the egg and use your other designated "wet" hand to coat it in the egg. Drop it in the breadcrumbs, and again, use your "dry" hand to coat it in the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining slices.
• Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Slide the breaded goat cheese into the pan and cook until golden brown, about 2 to 4 minutes per side. Flatten slightly with the spatula after flipping them over. 
• Season with salt and pepper.

For the salad and assembly

• Arrange the lettuce on a platter and toss with beets, pecans, and dressing. Season with salt and pepper (if desired), top with breaded goat cheese rounds, and serve.

Notes

We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition Facts

Warm Breaded Goat Cheese & Beet Salad with an Orange Dressing

Amount Per Serving

Calories 344 Calories from Fat 225

% Daily Value*

Fat 25g38%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Cholesterol 45mg15%

Sodium 338mg15%

Potassium 211mg6%

Carbohydrates 23g8%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 725IU15%

Vitamin C 13.4mg16%

Calcium 75mg8%

Iron 2.5mg14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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