Arugula Salad with Italian Crusted Goat Cheese & Beets

In Food Around The World, Gluten-free, Recipes | Delicious and Quick Recipes for Real Food by Lisa Soldo-JohnsonLeave a Comment

arugula with goat cheese salad recipe

In Minnesota, I call Porter Creek one of my favorite places to dine. On their appetizer menu, they serve the most delightful dish with red and yellow beets, fresh peppery arugula,and warm goat cheese rolled into a lightly breaded crust. The combination of flavors is perfect.

I learned the hard way that sometimes your favorite menu item disappears from the offerings with no sign of its return.  That usually happens right before you take a special trip to the restaurant just for that dish.  This has happened to me more often than I want. So, instead of falling victim to “the end of your favorite dish” dilemma, I made my version of this salad at home.

What makes this dish so wonderful is the burst of flavors with every bite. It’s a gorgeous salad to serve as an appetizer, side dish, or as the main meal. You can prepare the beets and goat cheese ahead to save time when preparing the salad. I suggest plating the lettuce and beets before frying the goat cheese so you can serve it immediately when the cheese is warm and melted.  So good!

I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you’ve made it please share it with me by tagging @culinarybutterfly on Pinterest.

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Arugula with Italian Crusted Goat Cheese & Beets Yum
Warm crusted goat cheese on top of a bed of tender arugula and red and yellow beets create a gorgeous salad to serve at a gathering, as an appetizer, or with a delicious meal anytime.
Course Soup/Salad
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings
servings
Course Soup/Salad
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings
servings
Instructions
  1. Prepare your ingredients.
  2. Place the beets into two separate saucepans; red in one and yellow in the other. Fill the pans with enough water to cover the beets. Bring to a boil, cooking 20 to 30 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain, cool, and remove the skin before cutting beets into 1/2-inch slices. Discard the ends or save for another recipe.
  3. While the beets are cooking, prepare goat cheese by rolling the cheese into 12 equal balls.
  4. Roll the balls into the flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Be sure the goat cheese balls are well coated, with no areas that have exposed cheese or they will break open during the frying process. Transfer to the freezer and freeze for 20 minutes or until firm.
  5. Heat the oil to 350° F. in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Gently lay the goat cheese balls into the oil and fry 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown, turning if necessary. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain.
  6. Place arugula into a medium bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil and lemon juice. Add a sprinkle of salt. Toss until evenly coated. Place lettuce on to the side of a serving plate.
  7. Drizzle the balsamic glaze onto the empty area of the plate where the goat cheese will sit.
  8. Gently lay red and yellow beats down the middle of the serving plate, alternating colors in a single row. Be careful not to let the red beets bleed on to the yellow beets.
  9. Lay the goat cheese balls on top of the balsamic glaze. Serve immediately while the goat cheese is still warm.
Recipe Notes

SUGGESTIONS:

  • I recommend boiling the yellow and red beets in a separate pan so the natural coloring doesn’t bleed into each other, causing a muted appearance.
  • You can plate the salad in individual servings or use a large platter to accommodate all of the ingredients in this recipe.
  • Each serving should include 3 goat cheese balls, 1 cup arugula, and 3 red - 3 yellow beet slices.

Recipe by Lisa Soldo-Johnson for www.culinarybutterfly.com

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