The holiday season is all about delicious appetizers that are easy to make, and these Goat Cheese Beet and Balsamic Puff Pastry Appetizers fit perfectly into that category! You only need 5 basic ingredients and there’s minimal prep and cook time required. Make these for a Christmas or New Year’s party, or just enjoy them yourself for lunch or a snack.
Thanksgiving seems to be more focused on the side dishes and turkey (or vegetarian main dish), while Christmas and New Years are all about the fun appetizers! These Goat Cheese Beet and Balsamic Puff Pastry Appetizers are perfect for all of your holiday party needs. They’re easy to throw together and only require 5 main ingredients.
I made these puff pastry appetizers in a regular sized muffin tin, but this recipe would also be great using cutting the puff pastry into smaller squares and using a mini muffin pan. You could make more of them and they would be bite sized, whereas these larger ones take a few bites to finish.
Why You’ll Love These Beet and Goat Cheese Puff Pasty Appetizers!
- The flavor combination is perfect – Beets, goat cheese and balsamic vinegar are such a great, classic, flavor combo! The beets are a little sweet, the goat cheese is tangy and the balsamic adds a nice vinegary bite.
- They’re easy to make – As long as you use pre-steamed beets, this recipe takes no time to throw together! All you have to do is dice up the beets, crumble the goat cheese and arrange the puff pasty in the muffin tin.
- They’re great for sharing – If you’re looking for a fun and unique holiday appetizer to share with friends this year, these beet and goat cheese puff pastry muffins are perfect! They can be cut in half and shared, or you can enjoy them all by yourself.
Goat Cheese Beet and Balsamic Puff Pasty Appetizer Recipe Ingredients
- Puff Pastry – I just used one box of puff pastry that came with two sheets of puff pastry in it. Pepperidge Farm puff pastry, which is a popular brand that you should be able to find at most grocery stores, is vegan. I used the all butter puff pastry from Trader Joe’s and it worked great.
- Beets – I used a box of steamed and peeled baby beets for this recipe. I can usually find them at Trader Joe’s or at most grocery stores these days, in the refrigerated produce section. Pre-steamed beets are great for this recipe because it cuts down on prep time and cook time a bunch! You can, however, roast your own beets which will add more flavor, but just take a little bit of time. I would suggest roasting your beets similarly to how I prepare them for my beet burger recipe.
- Goat Cheese – I used a small log of plain goat cheese that I crumbled up. You can use a flavored goat cheese if you like though. If you can’t find goat cheese, you can substitute brie cheese or even crumbled feta.
- Balsamic Glaze – I bought a bottle of balsamic glaze at the grocery store, but you can make your own if you like. Beets and balsamic go together really well, so that’s why I chose balsamic glaze for a topping. It adds tons of flavor and is nice and thick.
- Optional Toppings – I also like to top my goat cheese and beet puff pastry appetizers with fresh herbs, such as thyme, and some crunchy walnuts or pecans.
How To Make Easy Puff Pastry Appetizers
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Open the package of beets, drain out the liquid and pat the beets dry. Dice beets into small pieces. I usually cut the smaller beets into quarters and the larger beets into about 6 pieces. Spray a muffin tin well with cooking spray and set aside.
- Add a little bit of flour to a large, clean surface, like a cutting board and place your unrolled puff pastry down. Use a rolling pin to roll it out, just a little bit into a rectangle. Use a pizza cutter, or knife, to cut the puff pastry into about 6 equal pieces. You can also use a mini muffin tin and cut the dough even smaller*.
- Place each piece of puff pastry into the muffin tin and use your fingers to push the edges down a little bit, into a cup shape. To each one, add 3-4 pieces of diced beet and then top with a tablespoon or so of the crumbled goat cheese. It’s up to you how much of it you want to use.
- Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake until puff pastry is golden brown and completely cooked through, 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Then, use a knife to carefully remove the puff pastry bites from the pan and place them on your serving plate.
- Drizzle the top of each with a little bit of balsamic glaze and then top with fresh herbs and toasted nuts, if desired. These should be enjoyed immediately, or kept at room temperature until ready to serve.
Holiday Appetizer Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this recipe vegan friendly? Yes, most puff pastry is actually already vegan (I used the ones from Trader Joe’s that is made with butter though). Then add a vegan goat cheese substitute.
- Can this recipe be made gluten free? It can be made gluten free if you can find gluten free puff pasty dough. You could also sub gluten free biscuit dough.
- Can brie cheese be used instead of goat cheese? I love beets and goat cheese together, but brie cheese can definitely be used instead of goat cheese.
- Can these be made ahead of time? These are best when they are served warm or room temperature. I wouldn’t recommend serving them cold though. If making an hour or so ahead of time, leave out until ready to serve.
- Can I roast my own beets for this recipe? Yes, roasting your own beets will take a little bit longer, but it will also add more flavor!
- How long do leftovers last? If stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, leftovers should last about 4 days. I would recommend heating them in the oven before eating leftovers.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I will get back to you ASAP!
Health Benefits of Beets
Beets have tons of vitamins and nutrients, while also being low in calories and high in water. Beet greens also have tons of nutrition, so don’t throw them away!
Beets get their gorgeous color from betalains, which is a type of natural plant pigment that is loaded with antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation inside the body. Beets are root vegetables and it’s said that eating them helps you feel more grounded in your energy.
Beets also contain a good amount of nitrates, which can help open blood vessels and help lower blood pressure inside of your veins.
Looking For More Vegetarian Holiday Appetizer Recipes?
Sriracha and Maple Roasted Mixed Nuts
Crunchy Baked Broccoli with Spicy Soy Sauce
Romaine Lettuce Salad Christmas Tree
Roasted Potato Cups with Loaded Guacamole
Roasted Sweet Peppers with Goat Cheese Dip
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Goat Cheese Beet and Balsamic Puff Pastry Appetizers
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
The holiday season is all about delicious appetizers that are easy to make, and these Goat Cheese Beet and Balsamic Puff Pastry Appetizers fit perfectly into that category! You only need 5 basic ingredients and there’s minimal prep and cook time required. Make these for a Christmas or New Year’s party, or just enjoy them yourself for lunch or a snack.
Ingredients
- 1 (18 oz or similar sized) package puff pastry, defrosted – you may not need to use all of it but I don’t think they sell it in smaller packages
- 1 (4 oz) package steamed and peeled beets, or about 1 1/2 cups diced beets that you have steamed or roasted
- 1 small log plain goat cheese, or more if needed, crumbled
- Balsamic glaze
- Optional toppings: fresh herbs, such as thyme or parsley, and chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Open the package of beets, drain out the liquid and pat the beets dry. Dice beets into small pieces. I usually cut the smaller beets into quarters and the larger beets into about 6 pieces. Spray a muffin tin well with cooking spray and set aside.
- Add a little bit of flour to a large, clean surface, like a cutting board and place your unrolled puff pastry down. Use a rolling pin to roll it out, just a little bit into a rectangle. Use a pizza cutter, or knife, to cut the puff pastry into about 6 equal pieces. You can also use a mini muffin tin and cut the dough even smaller*.
- Place each piece of puff pastry into the muffin tin and use your fingers to push the edges down a little bit, into a cup shape. To each one, add 3-4 pieces of diced beet and then top with a tablespoon or so of the crumbled goat cheese. It’s up to you how much of it you want to use.
- Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake until puff pastry is golden brown and completely cooked through, 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Then, use a knife to carefully remove the puff pastry bites from the pan and place them on your serving plate.
- Drizzle the top of each with a little bit of balsamic glaze and then top with fresh herbs and toasted nuts, if desired. These should be enjoyed immediately, or kept at room temperature until ready to serve.
Notes
These would be great to make in a mini muffin tin instead of a regular sized one. That way they would be bite sized and easy to eat.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Appetizer, Vegetarian
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
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