Beetroot and Goat Cheese Toasts
Beetroot and Goat Cheese Toasts take a classic combination and turn it into something rather special. Quick to make but delicious and impressive looking, the tangy bubbling grilled cheese is served on toast with rocket, thin slices of earthy beetroot, garlicky Balsamic dressing plus toasted nuts and fresh herbs.
This lovely little dish has bags of flavour and contrasting textures. Made in around 15 minutes, the toasts are great for a casual lunch or easy starter.
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The sweet earthiness of beetroot plus tangy, creamy goat cheese is a classic combination. And one of the many ways to enjoy it is on crunchy toast with perhaps a handful of salad leaves. But with just a few minutes extra work you can create my extra-delicious and impressing-looking Beetroot and Goat Cheese Toasts.
Grilling intensifies the cheesiness of the cheese while browning and temptingly melting it. Placed on thin slices of cooked beetroot sitting on toasted bread and rocket leaves, it’s finished with nuts and herbs. Bringing everything together is a simple garlic and Balsamic vinaigrette with a hint of sweetness.
Whether made as a casual lunch for two or multiplied up for a crowd as a snack or starter, Beetroot and Goat Cheese Toasts are an easily doable treat.
BEETROOT AND GOAT CHEESE TOASTS
You’ll find a recipe card at the end with ingredient amounts and full instructions. But after your first attempt, I doubt you’ll need it. Really simple, you can adapt this satisfying dish to your own tastes. So read on for more tips plus images to whet your appetite!
INGREDIENTS
Because it’s going to be grilled, you’ll need a rinded goat cheese log for this recipe. The rind helps keep it together, although it can still spread a little. For the beetroot, I’ve used ready-cooked beetroot. I always keep some of the vacuum-packed sort in the fridge as they last for ages. Just make sure they’re not packed in vinegar. In season, you can of course boil or pressure cook fresh beetroots. Either way, I recommend this mandoline (paid link) to cut thin, even slices.
To stand up to all the good things we’re going to layer on it, be sure to use good quality bread for the toast. For the Beetroot and Goat Cheese Toasts you see in this post, I used homemade Multigrain Seeded Bread. But any robust bread, not too light, will be fine. My Dark Rye Bread would be lovely or, for even more beetroot flavour, how about homemade Beetroot Bread?
The other ingredients you’ll need, besides salt and pepper, are rocket or other salad greens (e.g. watercress, baby spinach), pecan or other nuts (e.g. walnut, hazelnuts), plus fresh herbs. I’ve used chives, but you could swap in dill, thyme, parsley, or almost any other you fancy.
The dressing is made with extra virgin olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, garlic (a clove grated or chopped, or garlic granules). I think a sweetish dressing goes well with both beetroot and goat cheese so add maple syrup or honey. Any other sweetener can be substituted, or you can leave it out if preferred. While the standard ratio for vinaigrette is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, I prefer slightly more vinegar. But play around and see which you prefer.
HOW TO MAKE BEETROOT AND GOAT CHEESE TOASTS
I’ve suggested you can make this dish in around 15 minutes. But once you’ve got the idea, and if you can multitask, then you can probably do it even quicker.
Start by preheating your grill to high. While that’s happening, make the dressing by combining the ingredients. Either whisk together in a bowl (l love my mini coil whisk for dressings [paid link]) or shake in a screw-topped jar. Be sure to give it a taste then adjust the seasoning and sweetness if necessary.
Now put the slices of goat cheese on a small baking tray with the roughly chopped nuts alongside and place under the grill.
The nuts are likely to be toasted in just 2 – 3 minutes, so keep an eye on them and turn at least once. Then remove from the tray. Leave the cheese under for a little longer: a total of 4 – 5 minutes or until it’s as browned and bubbling as you like. You could put your bread under the grill to toast as well, but I think that’s too many things to watch over. So, I let my toaster get on with it right at the beginning while I gather the other ingredients.
To prepare the rocket or other salad leaves, put them in a bowl and toss with around half your dressing plus most of the chives.
Divide the dressed leaves between the slices of toast, then lay over them the sliced beetroot. Give the beetroot a little drizzle of the dressing. Now top with the grilled cheese and sprinkle over the toasted nuts. Finish by drizzling over the remaining dressing and sprinkle over the rest of the chives.
SIMPLE BUT IMPRESSIVE
The first time I made Beetroot and Goat Cheese Toasts, I couldn’t believe just how much I enjoyed it. After all, I’d eaten all the ingredients before many times. But there was something almost perfect about this particular combination. Tangy, toasty cheese, earthy beetroot, pleasantly bitter rocket, crunchy pecans, and lightly oniony chives, all brought together with sweetish, garlic Balsamic dressing.
I most often eat it as a delightful lunchtime treat. But there’s no reason you can’t pair the dish with a big mixed salad and eat as a main course for dinner. Pleasing to the eye, but so easy to multiply up, you could even turn it into a starter when entertaining. Or, to serve with pre-dinner drinks, maybe make cute mini toasts, just big enough to fit one slice of cheese.
Considering how little effort it takes, I think this tasty dish is a real winner however you eat it.
If you’ve made this recipe, I’d love to know what you thought. Do please leave a comment and rating.
Beetroot and Goat Cheese Toasts
Quick to make but delicious as well as impressive looking: tangy bubbling grilled goat cheese, thin slices of earthy beetroot, garlicky Balsamic dressing plus rocket, toasted nuts and fresh herbs.
With bags of flavour and contrasting textures, these toasts are great for a casual lunch, starter, or main course when paired with a salad.
It's recommended you read the accompanying blog post before starting the recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 large slices good quality bread (toasted)
- 150 g rinded goat cheese log (cut into 8 slices)
- 20 g pecans, roughly chopped (or other nuts .e.g. walnuts, hazelnuts)
- 2 small handfuls rocket or other salad leaves (e.g. watercress, baby spinach)
- 1 tbsp chopped chives (can be replaced with dill, thyme or other herb)
- 2 small - medium cooked beetroots (thinly sliced)
For the dressing
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
- 10 - 15 ml (2 - 3 tsp) Balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped (can be replaced with 1 tsp garlic granules)
- 5 ml (1 tsp) honey, maple syrup or other sweetener (or more to taste, or can be omitted)
- salt and black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
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Preheat your grill to high.
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Make the dressing by either shaking all the ingredients together in a screw-topped jar or whisking in a bowl: start with the smaller amount of vinegar, a large pinch of salt and a generous grind of black pepper.
Taste and add more vinegar, sweetener, or seasoning if needed.
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Put the goat cheese slices on a small baking tray along with the nuts.
Cook until the nuts are toasted (approx. 2 - 3 min: turn at least once) and the cheese is bubbling and as browned as you like (approx. 4 - 5 min.). Remove the nuts when done and set aside until the cheese is ready.
Remove the tray from the grill.
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Put the rocket or other salad leaves in a small bowl and toss with half the dressing and most of the chives.
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Divide the leaves between the slices of toast then lay on the sliced beetroot and drizzle over a little dressing.
Top with the grilled cheese slices and sprinkle over the nuts.
Drizzle over the remaining dressing and sprinkle over the rest of the chives.
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Serve immediately.
Dressing can be stored in the fridge for 3 days.
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