Beet and goat cheese pasta salad
- Serves: 4
- Time: 20 min
- Date added: 2025-07-08
Description
Beetroot, goat's cheese and walnut salad is a classic dish because of its simple yet perfectly balanced flavours — sweetness, earthiness and tang. Here, I've reinterpreted this popular dish as a pretty-in-pink pasta salad, a quick weeknight dish that is also perfect for picnics.
Ingredients
- 500g short pasta such as fusilli or rigatoni
- 250g cooked beetroot, roughly chopped into 1cm chunks (vacuum sealed, not pickled; keep any juices from package)
- 1 cup (100g) toasted walnuts, see tips above
- 100g goats' cheese, roughly crumbled
- 1 bunch chives (about 20g), thinly sliced, see tips above for substitutions
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 3 packed cups (75g) baby rocket leaves
Balsamic vinaigrette:
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup (or honey)
- Sea salt and black pepper
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instruction, until al dente.
- In the meantime, make the vinaigrette by adding the garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and maple syrup in a bowl. Whisk until well combined. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Toast the walnuts by heating an oven to 150˚C. Place the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until golden, about 7-10 minutes. Allow them to cool before using (they will get crispier as they cool).
- Drain the pasta and run under cold water briefly to remove some of the starch and drain again. Transfer to a large bowl and, while still warm, add the chopped beetroot and balsamic vinaigrette. Toss well until the pasta is well coated and turns a soft shade of pink from the beetroot. Set aside and cool for 5 to 10 minutes, giving it a toss every few minutes to encourage the beetroot to transfer more colour to the pasta.
- Add the goats' cheese, half the walnuts and half the chives and toss to combine. Taste and season well with salt and black pepper. Add the rocket leaves and toss again. To serve, top with remaining chives and walnuts. Eat at room temperature.
Notes
- You can use fresh beetroot: Simply roast or boil until very tender — you want the knife to slide through the flesh with zero effort.
- Experiment with different types of cheese: Greek feta would add a hit of saltiness, while ricotta would bring creaminess. You could also use marinated feta for a more indulgent, silky bite. For a sharper finish, try using shards of a hard cheese, such as pecorino.
- Chive substitutes: Chives are a natural match with beetroot, more tender and sweeter than spring onions, but you could definitely opt for the latter if that's what you have available. You could also substitute with thinly shaved slices of red onion for a more pungent result.
- Always toast your nuts before adding them to salads or to top your dishes: This releases their oils, making them more aromatic and crunchier. To toast, heat oven to 150˚C, place the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until the nuts are golden, about 7-10 minutes. Allow them to cool before using (they will get crispier as they cool).
- The salad can be prepared up to four hours ahead of time: If preparing the salad ahead of time, add the rocket and walnuts right before serving. When ready to eat, drizzle with a little more olive oil to reintroduce moisture, then add the rocket and walnuts.