Beets are some of the healthiest vegetables around, and that’s why I highly recommend this recipe to everyone (even the ones who can’t stand the taste of beets)!
Did you know that the benefits of beets include being high in antioxidants, reducing disease-causing inflammation, detoxifying the blood, and even preventing cancer? But the sad truth is not many people appreciate beets as they should be.
The good news is this beets recipe caters to most people; whether you’re someone who routinely skips beets when purchasing produce or have already integrated them into your diet, you will definitely love this dynamic shift of taste and flavor from its original one.
To heighten the overall flavor and appearance, these sliced beets would be drizzled with the sweet and sour balsamic glaze, accompanied with either crumbled or melted feta cheese! While you may roast these beets to get a richer flavor, this recipe will just be using cooked beets to save time!
So what are the key ingredients of this recipe?
Table of Content
Key Ingredients
This beets salad with feta goat cheese recipe may be short of the roasting process, but it’s really nothing but healthy – including the dressing! Yes, you heard that right. You wonder why? Here are the main casts that contribute to the health ranking that this beets recipe is fame for:
- Beets: Beets, the main cast of this show, are incredibly nutrient-dense. High in vitamins and minerals such as folate, manganese and vitamin C, beets have been found to relieve inflammation, promote healthy heart health, detoxification and even support athletic performance!
- Feta Goat Cheese: A piece of show will never be great without its supporting cast. The tang of feta goat cheese not only pairs well with the sweet and bitter flavor of beets, but it’s also a healthy source of fat and protein, providing good amount of probiotics and calcium that outshine its cheese counterpart.
- Garlic: Along with crumbled feta goat cheese, minced garlic can also be added as garnish on top of the beets. High in antiviral and antibacterial properties, it’s thought that garlic is effective against a broad range of bacteria.
- Thyme: Incredibly light and aromatic, thyme is not only used as culinary herbs when you’re cooking, but it can also be used as great garnish alongside garlic! The main component of thyme extract is thymol, which gives thyme leaves its antiseptic and antifungal properties.
Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients:
There are many different types of vinaigrette recipes that we could explore, but for salad recipes that revolve around beets, balsamic vinaigrette is the one to go with. So what’s inside this balsamic vinaigrette?
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Olive Oil: Rich in omega-9 fatty acids, these heart-healthy cooking oil is also loaded with antioxidants that protect you against inflammation and many more!
- Honey: Honey is added in favor of sugar, which provides sweetness that balances the sourness of balsamic vinegar. Honey is also linked to heart benefits like improved heart health and wound healing!
How to Make Balsamic-glazed Beets with Melted Feta Cheese
Let’s start by slicing the cooked beets thinly first and then lay them in a circular pattern or if not in a neat manner on a dining plate.
Next, on to making the balsamic vinaigrette, which is the main salad dressing that complements this beets salad recipe very well. Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey together to form the balsamic vinaigrette. Season the vinaigrette to taste. Remember to get the ratio of these wet ingredients right!
Next, gather minced garlic from that 1 garlic clove and the dried thyme leaves flakes, and garnish over the sliced cooked beets! You can also crumble up feta goat cheese and spread it all over the mixture to add that contrasting tone to the whole overall appearance of the dish!
Alternatively, you can add a teaspoon of melted feta goat cheese to the center of the sliced beets, which you had designed in a circular manner.
Lastly, drizzle that balsamic vinaigrette over the mix, and this dish is set for breakfast or part of your tea break!
I love how fancy this beets salad looks, as compared to your usual salad where the main ingredients revolve around the common greens such as kale, spinach, and romaine lettuce. This is definitely a great way to introduce veggie salad to your family!
Balsamic-glazed Beets Recipe
Making this beets recipe can help kickstart your love for them, whether you’re someone who routinely skips beets or already eat them!
Total Time: 10 mins
Diet: Vegetarian
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cooked beets, sliced
- 1 teaspoon feta goat cheese
- 1/2 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- Salt and pepper
Wet Ingredients
- 3 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
- Thinly slice the cooked beets. Make sure that you wear a pair of kitchen gloves before handling the beets to avoid beets stains on fingers!
- In a small mixing bowl or saucer, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey to form a vinaigrette! Season the wet mixture with salt and pepper.
- Next, start mincing garlic, which is to be used alongside dried thyme leaves as garnishes.
- Add the melted feta goat cheese to the mix – at the center of the sliced cooked beets if you decided to plate them in a circular manner on a plate.
- Drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette over the beetroot mix and done!
- Serve and enjoy!
Pao Food Medicine 