Here is a great healthy, sweet and savory appetizer! Beets and caramelized onions top slices of fresh baguette with crumbled goat cheese on top.

Beet and Caramelized Onion Bruschetta with Goat Cheese Crumbles

Table of contents

Why We Love This Recipe For Beet Bruschetta

I came up with the idea of putting these party-perfect beet appetizers together a while back when I had some amazing goat cheese.

I know beets don’t usually come to mind when you think of appetizers like crostini or bruschetta. Personally, when I have a lot of beets on hand, typically I either make my Pickled beets, or these Easy Roasted Beets.

But I do love to get creative with crostini and bruschetta: There’s this White Bean Bruscetta with greens and pepperoni and this Roasted Grape Crostini. And I love the combination of salty creamy goat cheese with fruits and sweet vegetables like beets. That’s how this beet bruschetta recipe was created!

It’s so easy to make these beets and caramelized onion bruschetta. All you need to do is cook the beets, then top sliced baguette with beets, caramelized onions, and crumbled goat cheese.

They are great for a summertime gathering, a holiday party or anytime you have an excess of beets on hand and are looking for a tasty little snack or hors d’oeuvre recipe.

Key Ingredients For This Recipe

Beets

Beets come in variety of colors (red, yellow, orange), and although they are all delicious, note that the lighter they are in color, the more mild they are in flavor. I used red beets for this recipe but use whichever you prefer. You can theoretically peel the beets before cooking but I find it easier to do it after since it slides right off. Once the beets are done cooking and have cooled, simply rub the skins off with a kitchen towel or your finger tips.

Baguette

Baguette is the best kind of bread when making bruschetta or any kind of crostini appetizer. For a healthier option go with whole wheat baguette, if possibly. I recommend going to a local bakery to find the freshest bread, but any rustic looking and crisp baguette will do.

Caramelized onions

Caramelized onions are onions that have been slowly cooked for an extended amount of time with a little oil or butter. Cooking the onions this way allows for the natural sugars to caramelize and brown, resulting in a sweet, soft and caramelized onion mixture.

Goat cheese

Goat cheese adds a creaminess and tanginess to these beet bruschetta bites. Find goat cheese in the fancy cheese section of your grocery store. If you don’t like goat cheese, use feta instead.

Salt & pepper

Season to taste with salt and pepper to your own preference. Salt helps bring out flavor so don’t be afraid to add a little more than you think (unless you’re watching your sodium, of course).

Step by Step Instructions to Make This Recipe

Step 1: Cook beets

Place the beets in a large saucepan and cover generously with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until a fork inserted into the flesh of a beet comes out with little resistance, about 40 minutes. Note that over-cooking will make it difficult to slice nicely. Drain and cool until cool enough to handle.

Step 2: Assemble bruschetta

Rub the skin off of the beets. Using a mandolin or sharp knife, slice them as thinly as possible. Divide the sliced beets among the baguette slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with caramelized onions and goat cheese.

Beet and Caramelized Onion Bruschetta with Goat Cheese Crumbles

FAQs and Expert Tips

How do you caramelize onions?

Begin by heating oil in the bottom of an unheated heavy-bottom saucepan. Add sliced onion and some salt. Doing this will prevent the onions from frying and browning in the oil, and will allow them to “sweat” out their moisture. This allows them to soften before browning, which is KEY to caramelized onions soft texture.

Cover and set the pan over medium-high heat. Cook, covered, removing the lid and stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to brown along the edges, 8 to 9 minutes.

Once the moisture starts to reduce, reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking, adding 1 tablespoon of water at a time as necessary to prevent burning, until the onions are browned and soft, 7 to 10 minutes longer.

How to make these ahead of time:

Caramelize the onions and cook the beets prior to assembling. This can be done 1 to 2 days before serving, but the less time in between the better.

Can I make these gluten-free?

Yes, you can easily swap out baguettes for your favorite gluten-free bread or cracker.

Additional Recipes to Try

For more bite-sized appetizer ideas check out these 25 Tapas Party Recipes.

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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Beet and Caramelized Onion Bruschetta with Crumbled Goat Cheese

Beet and Caramelized Onion Bruschetta with Goat Cheese

★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
  • Yield: 20 bruschettas 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Recipe for beet and caramelized onion bruschetta with goat cheese. Easy, healthy vegetarian appetizer with beets and caramelized onions.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 medium beets, about 1 pound
  • 20 slices baguette, preferably whole-grain
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • ¾ cup caramelized onions
  • 3 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Instructions

  1. Place beets in a large saucepan and cover generously with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until a fork inserted into the flesh of a beet comes out with little resistance, about 40 minutes. Note that over-cooking will make it difficult to slice nicely. Drain and cool until cool enough to handle.
  2. Rub skin off of beets. Slice as thinly as possible, using a mandoline or sharp knife. Divided beet slices among the baguette slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with caramelized onions and goat cheese.

Notes

How to caramelize onions:

Begin by heating oil or butter in the bottom of an unheated heavy-bottom saucepan. Add sliced onion and some salt. Doing this will prevent the onions from frying and browning in the oil, and will allow them to sweat out their moisture. This allows them to soften before browning, which is KEY to caramelized onions soft texture.

Cover and set pan over medium-high heat. Cook, covered, removing the lid and stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to brown along the edges, 8 to 9 minutes.

Once the moisture starts to reduce, reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking, adding 1 tablespoon of water at a time as necessary to prevent burning, until the onions browned and soft, 7 to 10 minutes longer.

  • Prep Time: 35 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Stove top
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 bruschettas
  • Calories: 332
  • Sugar: 8 g
  • Sodium: 715 mg
  • Fat: 4 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 63 g
  • Fiber: 7 g
  • Protein: 14 g

Keywords: beet bruschetta,beet appetizer,beet and goat cheese appetizer

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