Beet Bruschetta with Orange Tarragon Goat Cheese

Imagine ruby red beets and tangy goat cheese, flavored with orange zest and fresh tarragon, layered on crispy slices of toasted bread and sprinkled with walnuts. Beet bruschetta with orange tarragon goat cheese are irresistible!

Don’t you just love beets? I know I do! Just the color alone is amazing, that deep red with the shocking pink juice. It’s not surprising that the phrase “her face turned beet red” describes a person blushing deeply. Can you think of anything that has a deeper red color?

And the amazing sweet, yet earthy flavor of beets! It goes so well with the creaminess and tangy flavor of goat cheese in this appetizer recipe. The orange juice and zest, along with the subtle licorice flavor of tarragon, add more levels of flavor to these beet bruschetta, topped with crunchy walnuts.

Beet bruschetta are the best finger food–almost like a salad on toast, minus the leafy greens. Or I guess you could say, it’s kind of enjoying all the yummy salad toppings without the salad, because really, aren’t the toppings what makes a salad good? Or maybe, let’s just forget the salad idea and enjoy these delicious beet appetizers!

About this beet bruschetta:

Much of the preparation for beet bruschetta can be done ahead of time which makes them an ideal appetizer. You can do most of the prep work a couple days in advance and then just assemble them right before serving. 

To make these beet bruschetta, start by making the toasted bread slices. Here’s a guide to help you learn how to make crostini. 

Next, prepare the beets. You can also do this a day or two ahead of time if you like. I like to use either of these two easy ways to prepare beets. You could also buy pre-cooked beets. 

Mix up the goat cheese spread. I use a log of goat cheese, and add orange juice and honey. I whip it up in a small food processor until it’s nice and creamy. Stir in some orange zest and chopped tarragon. You can store this mixture in the refrigerator a couple of days. Let it soften a bit at room temperature and give it a good stir before using.

When you’re ready to assemble your bruschetta/crostini, simply spread the goat cheese on the toasted bread slices, add some chopped beets, and garnish with walnuts (toasted or raw) and a little more orange zest or fresh tarragon. Voila! For a special occasion, serve the crostini with this grapefruit and elderflower cocktail. 

Note: Don’t assemble the beet crostini too far in advance because the beets will turn the goat cheese sort of a neon pink (which is kind of cool, but not that appetizing).

How to make this recipe your own:

• To simplify, you could use a pre-made goat cheese spread. Or use a cream cheese spread.
• Alternatively, mix the plain goat cheese with lemon juice and zest, with a bit more honey to counter balance the tartness of the lemon.
• Try different herbs such as thyme, basil, or chives. 
• Leave the walnuts off, or substitute candied bourbon pecans, hazelnuts, roasted almonds, or pistachios.
• To make them vegan, use a cheese substitute and sweeten with maple syrup. 

Serving Tips

As I mentioned above, most of the prep work can be done ahead of time. The goat cheese spread is also really good on crackers. Or make a fabulous salad by mixing your favorite greens (arugula, baby kale, spinach, etc) with these easy honey Dijon vinaigrette and top the salad with the beets, walnuts, goat cheese, and orange zest. 

Recommended Tools:

• Mini Food Processor
• Mini Spatula for scraping out food processor

Other beet recipes:

I’m crazy about beets and I have a few more fabulous recipes to share with you. Check out:

 

• Asparagus salad with beets and burrata
• Farro salad with chicken, beets, and red wine vinaigrette
• Salad with beets, feta, and honey mustard vinaigrette
• Savory fries made of roasted beets by Delightful Mom Food (I can’t wait to try this one!)
• Beet blood orange salad by The Inspired Home (beautiful colors in this one)

Verdict: I’ll be honest, I’m not always a goat cheese fan, but I love these crostini. The orange and tarragon are so good in it! 
Husband’s take: Ben isn’t a beet fan…so he doesn’t usually try this one.
Changes I would make: None!
Difficulty: Easy!