Our Roasted Beets Salad with Whipped Goat Cheese, Kale & Pistachio Salsa Verde is autumn on a plate. Earthy, sweet, creamy, and herbaceous…it offers the best of the season. Chef Aniceto Sousa of Mediterra Café transforms humble seasonal ingredients into a dish that feels both rejuvenating and indulgent. It’s perfect for brightening up a cool-weather table. The deep, jewel-toned beets bring natural sweetness. The kale adds a hearty crunch. The whipped goat cheese offers a luscious, tangy base that ties it all together.
Roasted Beets Salad Recipe
What makes this salad truly sing is the pistachio salsa verde—a fragrant, zesty blend of fresh herbs, citrus, and toasted nuts that adds a burst of freshness to every bite. It’s a celebration of contrasts: warm and cool, creamy and crisp, sweet and savory. The result is a salad that’s as beautiful to look at as it is satisfying to eat.
Whether served as a starter for a dinner party or as the centerpiece of a light lunch, this dish delivers layers of flavor and texture that keep you coming back for more. It’s proof that fall salads can be just as exciting as summer ones—especially when they’re built on bold flavors, seasonal produce, and a touch of chef-inspired flair.
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Roasted Beets Salad with Whipped Goat Cheese, Kale & Pistachio Salsa Verde
- Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1x
Description
Roasting beets takes their flavor and texture to new heights.
Ingredients
For the whipped goat cheese:
- 8 oz soft goat cheese
- 1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (if possible use O-Med yuzu olive oil)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
For the roasted beets:
- 2 lb beets
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup orange juice
For the pistachio salsa verde:
- 1/4 cup parsley
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1/4 cup dill
- 1/4 cup mint
- Good olive oil
- 1 pinch pepperoncino
- Zest of 1 orange
- Juice of 1 orange
- 1/4 cup toasted and chopped pistachios
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Pinch of freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
For the whipped goat cheese:
- Put all ingredients in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed and mix all the ingredients for about 45 seconds to a minute.
- The goat cheese should be light and creamy.
For the roasted beets:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- After washing and scrubbing any dirt off the beets place them in a roasting pan. Coat the beets with 2 tbsp olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and thyme.
- Pour about an inch of water in the bottom of the roasting pan, enough to touch the bottom of the beets.
- Cover with foil and roast for about an hour, until the beets are tender. Allow the beets to cool to about room temperature before peeling, then cut into bite-size pieces and marinate in the fridge with orange juice and remaining olive oil until ready to eat salad.
For the pistachio salsa verde:
- Chiffonade all the herbs and cover with just enough olive oil, to prevent oxidation.
- Stir in the rest of the ingredients and taste to check seasoning. Feel free to use any combination of herbs you’d like.
To assemble:
- Place a spoonful of whipped goat cheese on the bottom of a plate or shallow bowl. Place a handful of kale on top of the cheese.
- Place some beets around on top of the kale. Drizzle the Pistachio Salsa Verde atop the salad and season lightly with kosher salt and fresh black pepper.
Recipes by Aniceto Sousa
Photography by Laura Petrilla
Styling by Lauren Piasecki
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