Do you ever eat something and think . . . I’ve gotta make that! That’s the story of this beet and goat cheese salad.
My husband and I visited family in California this summer. When my parents offered to keep our daughter for an extra week, we decided to add a detour to our drive back!
We stayed in Durango at the CUTEST bed and breakfast called Apple Orchard Inn. One day we stopped by a local food truck location called 11th Street Station for lunch. The old auto service building houses the bar, but there were food trucks all around to order food.
We got a few different items but the Backcountry Salad (a beet and goat cheese salad) from Backcountry Gourmet was definitely the standout!
The sweet beets, tangy goat cheese, and crisp greens were fresh and perfect for lunch. Add in the crunchy crab cake and lemon-chive vinaigrette . . . it’s divine!
So when we got home the next week I decided to try and create my own beet and goat cheese salad recipe!
The store didn’t have chives, so my dressing recipe has dill instead. I actually love that change! It goes well with the crab cakes.
Speaking of crab cakes – use an air fryer! It gives you an extra crispy exterior which gives a bit of a “crouton” feeling.
Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Crab Cakes and Lemon Dill Vinaigrette
Feeds 4 people
Salad Ingredients:
8 oz. mixed greens (spinach, arugula, mixed greens – just choose what sounds good to you!)
1 cucumber, sliced
2 roma tomatoes, wedged
1 can sliced beets, drained
4 oz. crumbled goat cheese
4 crab cakes, store-bought or homemade if you’re extra
Lemon Dill Dressing:
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 C. lemon juice
3/4 C. oil (olive or avocado work great)
2 tsp. honey
1-2 tsp. fresh dill, chopped
2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Method for Beet and Goat Cheese Salad:
It’s pretty simple!
Start by preheating your air fryer to 375 degrees for ten minutes. (If you don’t have an air fryer you can bake your crab cakes using this recipe as a guide.)
While your air fryer is heating up, whisk together all dressing ingredients in a bowl or mason jar. Cover and place in the fridge while finishing the rest of the meal.
Spray each side of your crab cakes with cooking spray. Cook for 16 minutes total, stopping to flip the crab cakes halfway through cooking.
For the salad, make a base layer of your mixed greens. Sprinkle on cucumber, tomatoes, beets, and goat cheese. Toss with the dressing just before serving. Top each serving with a crab cake.
Enjoy! And check out these delicious, summer recipes!
