Beet and Caramelized Onion Bruschetta with Goat Cheese
by Katie Webster
April 11, 2014 (updated 7/6/22) Jump To Recipe
Here is a great healthy, sweet and savory appetizer! Beets and caramelized onions top slices of fresh baguette with crumbled goat cheese on top.
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.
FAQs and Expert Tips
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.
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.
Yes, you can easily swap out baguettes for your favorite gluten-free bread or cracker.
Additional Recipes to Try
- This simple recipe for Beets with Tahini is a Middle Eastern inspired side dish with just five simple ingredients.
- My Beet Green Salad with feta and sherry vinaigrette will turn anyone into a fan of eating beet greens!
- This recipe for Chioggia Beets with Cranberries and Spiced Nuts is insanely delicious and is a super simple side dish to make.
- Prep these Meal Prep Spinach, Beet and Chicken Power Salads for a week’s worth of healthy hunger-busting lunches!
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 free weekly email newsletter where I share weeknight meal plans delivered right to your inbox. Or follow me on Instagram. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It is very appreciated. Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Beet and Caramelized Onion Bruschetta with Goat Cheese
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 20 bruschettas 1x
Description
Recipe for beet and caramelized onion bruschetta with goat cheese. Easy, healthy vegetarian appetizer with beets and caramelized onions.
Ingredients
- 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
- 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.
- 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
Katie Webster
Katie Webster studied art and photography at Skidmore College and is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. She has been a professional recipe developer since 2001 when she first started working in the test kitchen at EatingWell magazine. Her recipes have been featured in numerous magazines including Shape, Fitness, Parents and several Edible Communities publications among others. Her cookbook, Maple {Quirk Books} was published in 2015. She launched Healthy Seasonal Recipes in 2009. She lives in Vermont with her husband, two teenage daughters and two yellow labs. In her free time, you can find her at the gym, cooking, stacking firewood, making maple syrup, and tending to her overgrown perennial garden.
If I have a good cheese around, I like to make cheese wafers, especially with an aged cheddar. Squeeze up with butter, flour (rice flour is nice-next up to try is almond flour), a hit of cayenne. Roll into logs and chill, then slice and bake. Cut up any kind of apples and take out your party plate, a growler of local beer and head out.
Besides the usual (yummy brie, or brie with mushrooms or blue cheese and crackers), I love to bring a Tuscan kale salad – little strips of kale that have been “massaged” with olive oil, garlic powder and salt, then lemon juice added and grated Parmesan. It’s always a hit, even with people who think they don’t like kale!
My favorite food for a party is a dip (hot in the winter, cold in the summer) with toasted bread! Yum!
Finger foods….. cheese, crackers, veggies & dip
A favorite snack is cheese spread with pita chips!
Cheese and crackers, chips and dip, guacamole…anything that can be eaten easily. 🙂
I love finding new options for goat cheese usuallyI just spread it on mini toasts or crackers. Going to have to try this awesome sounding option!
My current favorite food to bring to a party is a roasted corn/beet salad. Nice and fresh with a good crunch on the roasted corn. Love it!
As always, it looks lovely and sounds absolutely scrumptious!
Beets and caramelized onions… a perfect combo. I am going to have to make this the first time the opportunity presents itself. My mouth is watering…
I love Bruschetta!!
I love the idea of the beet bruschetta. The goat cheese crumbles sound wonderful! I want to try the one with cranberries on green beans. I will have to look locally to see if I can get these items. Love the idea of a party, all these items are lovely. Thank you.