A recipe for a market-inspired salad with baby arugula, fresh herbs, fennel, quinoa, roasted golden beets all topped with oozing balls of fried goat cheese.
We approach the market tentatively in the fall. The number of vendors dwindles each week, and it’s difficult to know when to expect them to disappear completely until spring. The sun shining, the air far warmer than is usual or expected for November, we wandered through the aisles, and we were not disappointed.
I happily show up long before the market is bustling in the spring, hoping to score ramps and morels and some overwintered root vegetables. In the fall, I linger, and I rejoice as farmers set out late season arugula, spinach, and bunches of tiny, vibrant radishes – a return from those chilled spring days.
This salad takes a bit of forethought. You have to roast beets and prepare quinoa, which aren’t the quickest of tasks. However, this can be done well in advance. If you are motivated to spend a few hours on meal prep over the weekend, these can sit and wait a few days in the refrigerator for you until you’re ready to toss them all together into a quick salad one night, frying up the goat cheese just before serving.
In the end, it all comes together into a fresh and earthy mix of autumn.
Quinoa Salad with Roasted Beets, Fennel and Fried Goat Cheese
Ingredients
Instructions
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This salad looks so delicious — I love everything you’ve got in here! And fried goat cheese balls? I need to try that!
Next month our Farmers market goes down to just once a month. I’lll be so sad then! This salad is just gorgeous and I’m loving that goat cheese!
Taking a little time to plan beforehand is totally worth it for a delicious meal like this! I first tried fennel a few years ago and was hooked!
This looks awesome and a double YES YES to fried goat cheese!!
I need more fried cheese balls in my life. I’m keeping up the beets and quinoa (loving red), but more cheese, please.
Loving everything about this salad. Especially those cheese balls! I bet the rice flour gives them a slight crunch–can’t wait to try!
LOVE LOVE LOVE Goat cheese always treat to eat.
when I saw “Fried Goat Cheese” I had to take a look and glad that I did and love the roasted beets, love them in the tian too, as well as arugula, so thank you for this too!
So tasty! Great recipe!
Great food for the family weekend. I will do this week.
Just with the simple way I could have had a great meal to eat. Thank you for sharing the way.