If you haven’t ever tried roasted beets before you have to promise me that you will stop whatever you are doing and make these! Roasting brings out all the sweet flavors of the beets and paired with creamy goat cheese and a sweet tangy balsamic reduction it’s literally heaven.
If there is anything that I love it’s a super simple dish that looks super elegant. It just makes entertaining fun to not slave in the kitchen all day long!
If you can find them rainbow beets give a fantastic array of colors to this dish. Most of the time we can find orange, red and pink hues at our local store but sometimes they have even more! Don’t be afraid to mix and match with whatever you can source locally.
Starting with a high quality French baguette is crucial, so definitely don’t skimp on the bread! A simple brushing of olive oil and toasting them up in the oven for a few minutes is all the treatment they get so their natural flavor really shines.
Making the balsamic reduction is a simple trick that every cook should have up their sleeve. It’s so easy! You literally just simmer down the balsamic vinegar and some honey for about 10 minutes. The trick here is to learn exactly what consistency to stop the heat at. Too early and your sauce is runny…too long and you can create tar (eek!). The key is the amount of reduction, for a moderate sauce reduce by just about half the volume. For a thick and sticky sauce reduce to about one third of the volume.
The other fabulous thing about this dish is that the components can all be prepped ahead of time! So if you are planning a big entertaining dinner you can definitely free up your oven space with our tips in the recipe!
Happy cooking!
Roasted Beet Crostini with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Reduction
Ingredients
- 6 beets, peeled and cubed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cups balsamic vinegar
- .25 cups honey
- 4 oz spreadable goat cheese
- 1 french baguette sliced
- Optional toppings: small basil leaves, pomegranate seeds, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper
Instructions
- Oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place cubed beets in a medium sized bowl and toss with oil, salt and pepper.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lay out beets in an even layer.
- Cook for 30 minutes, until fork tender.
- Set aside and allow to cool.
- While the beets are cooking stir balsamic vinegar and honey together in a small saucepan and place over high heat.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the vinegar mixture has reduced to 1/3 cup, about 10 minutes.
- Brush the baguette slices with olive oil and toast in the oven for a few minutes to warm.
- Spread the goat cheese on sliced baguettes.
- Add the roasted beets as the next layer on top of the goat cheese.
- Drizzle each crostini with balsamic reduction.
- Top with basil, parmesan, pomegranate seeds and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Serve!
- Make ahead: The beets and balsamic reduction can both be prepped ahead of time. The beets can be served chilled or warm they are delicious both ways! If you need to assemble everything ahead of time, bake the crostini to more of a toast and add balsamic and basil just before serving.
Nutrition
