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Walnut and herb-crusted goat’s cheese and beetroot salad recipe

Walnut and herb-crusted goat’s cheese and beetroot salad recipe

14 ratings

This vibrant, textured salad is the perfect starter for kicking off your Christmas dinner. Pairing sweet, earthy beetroot in a fragrant herb crust with the crunchy walnuts and creamy goat's cheese, it feels luxurious but is so easy to make. See method

  • Serves 4
  • 20 mins to prepare and 1 hr 5 mins to cook, plus cooling
  • 506 calories / serving
  • Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 1 x 450g bunch fresh, medium-sized beetroot, trimmed
  • 2 thyme sprigs
  • 60g walnut pieces
  • 3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
  • 2 x 150g packs French goat’s cheese
  • 150g sourdough bread
  • 1 small garlic clove, crushed
  • 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1½ tbsp Belazu sherry vinegar

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    2110kj
    506kcal     25%

  • Fat

    36g 52%

  • Saturates

    11g 55%

  • Sugars

    10g 11%

  • Salt

    1.4g 23%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 27.3g Protein 17.2g Fibre 1.7g

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Wash the beetroots, then put in a large square of foil with the thyme sprigs. Wrap up in a tightly-sealed, but loose parcel, and bake on a baking tray for 40-45 minutes, until tender. Leave the oven on, but set aside the beetroot parcel to cool for 10 minutes before opening. Wearing rubber gloves, rub the skin from the beets and cut into wedges.
  2. Spread the walnut pieces out on a baking tray. Toast in the oven for about 6-7 minutes, until golden. Set aside to cool, then finely crush or chop half of the pieces. Put the crushed walnuts in a medium bowl with the chopped herbs and plenty of black pepper. Mix well. Drop a teaspoonful of cheese into the bowl and toss gently to coat in the nut mixture. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remainder of the cheese to make 12 (depending on size) lightly-coated pieces.
  3. Cut the bread into crouton-sized cubes and put in a mixing bowl. Toss with the crushed garlic and 1 tbsp olive oil and spread out on a nonstick baking tray. Season well. Bake for 8-10 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and crisp.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining olive oil with the sherry vinegar to combine. Divide the beetroot wedges, croutons and goat's cheese pieces between 4 serving plates. Drizzle with the dressing and scatter with the reserved walnut pieces.

See more Christmas starters

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