Honey roasted beets are served on a bed of whipped goat cheese and yogurt and sprinkled with dukkah.
I like a dish that does double duty, one that works for any occasion or meal, and this little number does just that.
These honey roasted beets with yogurt are just as delicious as an appetizer served alongside some toasted pita chips, or part of a large mezze platter. I’ve also served it as a side with a casual meal or even just enjoyed it as an afternoon snack, because it’s the kind of dish you whip up just as easily for yourself as you do for company.
What we have here is a bit of a mash up of Middle Eastern cuisine. The beets with yogurt are a riff on a Persian dish where cooked beets are folded into yogurt that’s common in Iran, while the dukkah nut and spice topping has its roots in Egyptian cuisine.
Yogurt and goat cheese are excellent partners for beets, their creamy tartness contrasts wonderfully with the natural sweetness of beets.
How to make it:
The starting point is a creamy blend of yogurt and goat cheese that’s been whipped together until thick and smooth. I top that with a layer of generously caramelized honey roasted beets.
As I’ve mentioned before, I think that roasting certainly improves most vegetables, but especially so with beets, concentrating the natural sweetness and giving them an almost candy-like quality. I like to slice them thinly so they cook quickly and evenly and then spread them out onto a bed of the goat cheese yogurt dip.
Next comes a sprinkling of dukkah, if you’ve never had dukkah before, you may want to make a little extra because you’ll soon be tempted to sprinkle it on everything. The aromatic nut and spice mixture is irresistible on just about anything you can think of, from roasted vegetables to cheese to bread. I’ve made mine with pistachios because I like how it works with the beets but hazelnuts are more traditional. It just adds a nice bit of earthy and nutty complexity to the yogurt and beets.
Add a swig of olive oil and a swirl of honey to top and you’re all set!
More Beet Recipes:
Honey Roasted Beets with Yogurt Dip
Honey roasted beets are served on a bed of whipped goat cheese and yogurt and sprinkled with dukkah.
Ingredients
For the Beets and Goat Yogurt Dip:
- 2 medium or 3 small beets, peeled and sliced thinly into quarters
- 2 teaspoons/10ml extra virgin olive oil (plus more for serving)
- 2 teaspoons/10ml honey (plus more for serving)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- A few grinds of black pepper
- 8oz/227g Greek goat yogurt (or drained regular yogurt)
- 2oz/56g fresh goat cheese
- Grain-free pita chips for serving
For the Dukkah:
- 2 Tablespoons/14g toasted shelled pistachios
- 1 Tablespoon/7g sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ⅛th teaspoon salt
- ⅛th teaspoon peppercorns
- ¼ teaspoon dried mint
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400° F.
- Place beets on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, honey and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine and roast for 20-25 minutes or until tender and caramelized around the edges.
- In the meantime make the goat cheese dip and dukkah.
- Whisk together yogurt and goat cheese until smooth. Set aside.
- Place pistachios in the bowl of a small food processor and pulse briefly to chop.
- Place sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and peppercorns in a small skillet over medium heat and toast stirring constantly until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Remove from heat and transfer to the food processor along with the toasted pistachios, salt and dried mint. Pulse until coarsely ground.
- Spread goat cheese yogurt dip on a large plate in a circular pattern and arrange cooked beets on top. Sprinkle with dukkah and drizzle with olive oil and honey on top. Serve with grain-free pita chips if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 232Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 533mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 16g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Melissa @ My Darla Clementine says
This sounds great. As much as I love beets, I have never eaten them at home. Time to try something new!
Kelsey says
Wow, this looks AMAZING! What a great game day recipe...thanks for sharing!
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says
You make the most beautiful, swoon-worthy food! This looks AMAZING!!! I wish I had some of this for lunch.
Monica Stevens Le says
Sylvie, this sounds absolutely heavenly. Love me some roasted bees... and the goat cheese? Sending it over the top! Yum!
Arthur in the Garden! says
Lovely! I have recently discovered dukkah and za'atar!
Raia Todd says
Never tried dukkah before, but I love roasted beets and goat cheese!