Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 3 cups fresh arugula
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 ounces canned or pre-cooked beets, julienned
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 2 ounces parmesan cheese, shaved or grated
Instructions
- Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Remove from heat and roughly chop. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine ricotta, rosemary, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix well.
- Toss arugula with olive oil and white balsamic vinegar in a separate bowl until lightly coated.
- Divide ricotta mixture and spread evenly across two plates.
- Place the dressed arugula on top of the ricotta.
- Arrange julienned beets around the arugula.
- Top with toasted walnuts and grated or shaved parmesan.
Notes
- Use good ricotta. Whole milk ricotta gives you the creamiest, most flavorful base. Avoid low-fat versions here. The richness is what makes the herbed layer work.
- Canned or pre-cooked beets both work great. Look for pre-cooked packaged beets in the produce section. Drain and pat dry before julienning so they don't water down the plate.
- Toast the walnuts — don't skip it. Two to three minutes in a dry skilled transforms them. It deepens their flavor and adds a crunch that raw walnuts just can't match.
- White balsamic keeps the arugula bright. Regular dark balsamic will muddy the color of the greens. White balsamic gives you the same tangy sweetness without affecting the presentation.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American