Yesterday I talked about how beets are the hot thing on the Chicago foodie scene right now, and I explained how to roast a beet. Today, we are taking those roasted beets and making a fabulous salad. I love the combination of beets and goat cheese, but you could also make this salad with gorgonzola. Beets have a mild earthy taste, and the tartness of the goat cheese, and the sweetness of the maple glazed pecans is a nice flavor combination. The creaminess of the goat cheese, meatiness of the beets, crisp spinach, and crunchy pecans contrast nicely.
This salad makes a great lunch - you could roast a batch of beets and pack this salad for lunch throughout the week, or you could serve it as a first course.
Total time: 1 hour (including roasting beets and letting them cool)
Serves: 3-5 depending on if this is a side dish or a main dish
You will need:
Roasted Beets (3 beets total, chopped and roasted, instructions here)
1lb Fresh Baby Spinach
½ cup Crumbled Goat Cheese
½ cup Pecans, loosely chopped
1 tablespoon Maple Syrup (the real stuff)
For the dressing:
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh Lemon Juice
Step 1:
In a small sauce pan over low heat, combine the maple syrup and pecans. Stir together to coat the pecans. Let cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Once the syrup has covered the nuts, and they have become fragrant, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Step 2:
Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a large bowl and whisk together.
Step 3:
Add the spinach to the bowl with the dressing and toss to combine.
Step 4:
Plate the salads by scooping spinach onto a plate. Then top with beets, goat cheese, and the pecans. Serve immediately. If you are packing this for lunch, pack the dressing separately.
Roasted Beet, Spinach, and Goat Cheese Salad with Maple Glazed Pecans
Ingredients
- Roasted Beets 3 beets total, chopped and roasted, instructions here
- 1 lb Fresh Baby Spinach
- ½ cup Crumbled Goat Cheese
- ½ cup Pecans loosely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup the real stuff
- For the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh Lemon Juice
Instructions
- In a small sauce pan over low heat, combine the maple syrup and pecans. Stir together to coat the pecans. Let cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Once the syrup has covered the nuts, and they have become fragrant, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a large bowl and whisk together.
- Add the spinach to the bowl with the dressing and toss to combine.
- Plate the salads by scooping spinach onto a plate. Then top with beets, goat cheese, and the pecans. Serve immediately. If you are packing this for lunch, pack the dressing separately.
