Stacked Beet and Arugula Salad

I’m starting to sound like a broken record. Roasted vegetables, chèvre/goat cheese, balsamic, basil. Wow…how predictable.

But if you haven’t tried any of the recipes yet, then maybe you’ll take the hint this time? I wouldn’t keep posting the combination so much if it wasn’t so divine.

Beets are so quick and easy to roast, especially when sliced thinly. And I mean really, how darling do these look? They are guaranteed to impress company…or your date! ;)

I’ve given some rough measurements for the ingredients, but there are a lot of variables: how big your beets are, how much you enjoy chèvre, basil, balsamic, etc. Feel free to wing it. And if the stacks are just too frustrating, this looks just as great in a “deconstructed” setting: spread the beets out on your plate, scatter arugula and basil over, top with chèvre and drizzle with balsamic. Equally beautiful (and delicious)!

For the drizzle, I used a very high quality aged balsamic that is quite thick in its natural form. If you don’t have that, I’d recommend doing a balsamic reduction (which is a fancy way of saying: “boil your balsamic until it thickens and reduces”), and you can find the steps for doing that here or in the notes at the bottom of this recipe.

Print Recipe

Stacked Beet and Arugula Salad

Course: Appetizer or salad

Servings: 4 servings

Author: The Gourmet Housewife

Ingredients

• 4 medium beets peeled and sliced to 1/4 inch thickness
• extra-virgin olive oil
• freshly ground salt and pepper to taste
• handful of arugula
• handful of basil leaves
• 1 ounce chèvre crumbled
• 1/4 cup good quality aged balsamic vinegar or 1/4 cup balsamic reduction - see note below

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 475°F. Place sliced beets on parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, turning to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Roast in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, turning once halfway through. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• To prepare salads: on a plate, place one cooled beet slice. Top with chèvre, a couple leaves of arugula, and a basil leaf. Repeat until you have reached desired height.
• Drizzle with balsamic and serve.

Notes

To make a balsamic reduction: In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar over medium-high heat. Let simmer until reduced and noticeable thick. Remove from heat and let cool. Sauce will continue to thicken as it sits.