Roasted Strawberry & Beet Flatbreads
Roasted strawberry and beet flatbreads are the epitome of summer. They are light, fruity, earthy, peppery, and tart. And they use an abundance of seasonal produce, which is right up my alley.
I like to make a batch of yeasted flatbreads ahead of time. Don’t worry, they can be storebought too! Then, I make the roasted strawberry and beet purée and assemble with arugula (rocket), nectarines, goat cheese, and a drizzle of white balsamic. It’s really an out-of-this world snack, lunch, appetizer, etc. And it’s about as customizable as you can get. Don’t believe me? Checkout the FAQ!
Get the Recipe: Roasted Strawberry & Beet Flatbreads
Ingredients
- ¾ cup fresh strawberries, halved or quartered
- 1-2 medium beets, cut into ½in (1.3cm) cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1½ cups arugula
- 1, 6 oz log of goat cheese
- 2 nectarines, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic
- 6 homemade flatbreads, store bought also works
Equipment
- 1 kitchen scale optional
- 1 chef knife
- 1 cutting board
- 1 y-peeler
- 1 baking tray
- 1 blender
- disposable gloves (optional)
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).
- While the oven is preheating, peel and chop the beets into ½in (1.3cm) cubes. Then, rinse, remove the green top, and halve or quarter the strawberries. Separately, toss each ingredient in ½tbsp (7.5ml or 7g) of olive oil, sprinkle with ¼tsp (.6g) kosher salt, and transfer them to individual 3x18in (33×45.5cm) baking trays. Bake the beets for 45 minutes, or until a fork can pierce through the cubes with minimal resistance and bake the strawberries for 20 minutes.
- While those are roasting, slice your nectarines and goat cheese. Then, get your arugula and white balsamic vinegar ready.
- When finished, turn the oven down to 300°F (149°C) and add all of the strawberries (juices included) and half the beets to a blender and blend. Then add in the rest of the beets and blend again to finish the pureé.
- Spoon the purée onto the flatbreads and spread it like you would a pizza sauce. Then place a layer of arugula (rocket) on top of the purée and add a layer of goat cheese and nectarines to the greens. Bake the flatbreads until the cheese softens, about 7-10 minutes.
- Take the flatbreads out of the oven and drizzle with white balsamic. Then, slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
- Want to save time? Buy pre-made naan or flatbread and pre-cooked beets from your local supermarket. You should still chop and roast the cooked beets, just turn the heat up to 425°F (218°C) and roast them for 10-15 minutes.
- Feel free to use golden beets instead of red beets. They will also work beautifully here. The purée would be closer to an orange color and would be slightly sweeter and less earthy. If beets really aren’t your thing, try out golden beets!
- To help avoid staining your hands during beet prep, you can do one of two things. 1.) Wear surgical gloves or 2.) spread oil on the hand you are using to hold the beet. I’m partial to gloves because it gives me a better grip while chopping.
- If you want to make more roasted strawberry and beet purée, just make sure you have equal parts beets to strawberries by weight.
- The purée can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and frozen into smaller discs for up to 2 months.
- If you plan to use a knife to slice the goat cheese, make your slices right after you take the cheese out of the fridge. Knives can mush goat cheese if it’s too warm when you slice. Otherwise, either break it up and sprinkle it around or slice it using unscented floss or jewelry cord.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to freeze my leftover purée in silicone large ice molds or baby food molds (think 2oz or 60ml by volume). Once frozen, I’ll pop them out and store them in dated containers in my freezer. They’ll last 2 months in the freezer before any flavor and texture degradation starts.
To defrost, I typically put a puck into a bowl and microwave it on a defrost setting or half-power until it’s halfway to mostly melted (loose liquid with a frozen chunk in the center). Then I’ll take it out of the microwave and mix until the frozen piece has defrosted all of the way, and the purée is lukewarm. Try not to reheat the purée to the point where it bubbles and dries at the edges, because it can change the flavor slightly.
White balsamic vinegar is made from the same grapes as traditional balsamic vinegar, but it has a lighter, slightly sweeter flavor.
This is because, during processing, it is gently cooked down at a temperature that doesn’t allow for caramelization (unlike traditional balsamic vinegar). White Balsamic vinegar it also aged for less time and usually in stainless steel barrels, to keep its lighter color and flavor.
Yes. If you don’t have white balsamic vinegar, regular balsamic vinegar can be used.
OF NOTE: Traditional balsamic vinegar has a much stronger flavor so prepare to use much less for your flatbread drizzle. Drizzle to taste and start small.
In so many ways, yes! The fun thing about this flatbread is you can 100% make it your own.
1. Flavor the goat cheese. I’m loving seeing all of the flavored goat cheeses at my local market and several could be great additions to this flatbread. I recommend trying yuzu, lemon, honey, blueberry, and fig.
2. Switch the stone fruit. Try topping the flatbread with other stone fruits (cherries, plums, and/or apricots). The point is to top the flatbread with fruit that is tart/acidic enough that it won’t be overwhelmed by the beets and goat cheese.
3. Swap the greenery. I like to use arugula, for a peppery note and additional earthiness, to play with the beets. But spinach, beet greens, radish greens, basil, and mint could also go very well. If you decide to go for herbs instead of greens, just pay attention to the balance of the flatbread. You could probably use less of some of the heavier ingredients.
4. Vary the berry. Instead of strawberries, roast blueberries or blackberries or any of their cousins for the purée. Just keep the ratio of berries and beets 1:1 by weight and you’ll be fine.
5. Change up the beet. Feel free to use golden beets instead of red beets. They will also work beautifully here. The purée would be closer to an orange color and would be slightly sweeter and less earthy. HOT TIP: If beets really aren’t your thing, try out golden beets!
6. Keep piling on! Add toasted and chopped pistachios, prosciutto, candied walnuts or pecans, caramelized onions or fried shallots. Seriously, the sky is the limit.
Yes, BUT, it will get soggy over time, as the purée and drizzle soak into the bread. The greens will also do a little wilting and the nectarines will ripen further. Suffice it to say, I wouldn’t keep it longer than a day.
Wrap leftovers in aluminum foil or place them in a sealed container. Reheat in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 5-10 minutes.
For your Roasted Strawberry & Beet Flatbreads recipe. Can I substitute Brie for the Goat Cheese or What other cheese would you recommend?
Thanks for your question! Yes! It’s a different texture and flavor than goat cheese but would definitely be delicious. Here’s a quick list of other options: Australian feta, mascarpone (with a little added salt), Boursin, cream cheese, blue cheese, brie, and burrata. I’ll add them to the FAQs too!