Thin beet slices on a plate, sweet pear, shaved Parmesan, and a few toasted walnuts. This easy beet carpaccio with pear and Parmesan looks dinner-party ready, but it starts with cooked beets. No roasting, no long prep. Just slice, top, and serve it fresh.
Why You Want to Make This
Many beet carpaccio recipes use roasted beets, goat cheese, blue cheese, or arugula. This version is quicker and a little softer, with cooked beets, pear, Parmesan cheese, mixed greens, toasted walnuts, and a balsamic mustard dressing.
The beets are earthy and sweet, the pear makes the plate fresh, and Parmesan adds that salty bite. Toast the walnuts and mix the dressing ahead, then assemble the carpaccio right before serving.
This beet carpaccio fits well as an elegant, cold and vegetarian starter.
This recipe is adapted from the Dutch blog of Caroline Brouwer.
What You Need
- Cooked beets: The quick base of the carpaccio. No roasting needed.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds a salty, savory bite and makes this version different from the usual goat cheese beet carpaccio. Use Pecorino instead of Parmesan for a sharper flavor.
- Mixed greens: Give freshness and a soft flavor. Add a little arugula to the mixed greens if you want more peppery flavor.
- Pears: Add sweetness and a fresh bite. Replace pear with apple for a fresher bite.
- Lemon juice: Keeps the pear bright and slows browning.
- Walnuts: Give crunch and a deeper nutty flavor once toasted.
- Mustard: Adds a little sharpness to the dressing.
- Balsamic vinegar: Gives the dressing a tangy, slightly sweet flavor.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Rounds out the dressing.
How to Make It
- Step 1: Slice the cooked beets very thinly with a mandoline or cheese slicer. Arrange the slices on the plates.
- Step 2: Stir mustard, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil into a smooth dressing.
- Step 3: Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet until they smell nutty. Dice the pears and toss them with lemon juice.
- Step 4: Top the beets with pear, mixed greens, walnuts, and shaved Parmesan. Drizzle with dressing right before serving.
Top Tips
- Use cooked beets: This keeps the appetizer quick and easy. You do not need to roast or boil beets first.
- Slice thinly: A mandoline or cheese slicer gives the neatest slices. Thin slices look and eat more like carpaccio.
- Toast the walnuts: A short toast in a dry skillet brings out their nutty flavor. Stay close, because walnuts can darken quickly and will burn.
- Dress at the last minute: Drizzle the balsamic dressing right before serving. That keeps the mixed greens fresh and the plate clean.
- Shave the Parmesan: Use thin shavings instead of finely grated cheese. They give more bite and look better on the plate.
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Ingredients
- 2 cooked beets
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , extra virgin
- ½ cup walnuts
- 2 pears
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 oz. Parmesan cheese, shaved
- 2 cups mixed green salad
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
- Slice the cooked beets very thinly with a mandoline or cheese slicer. Arrange the slices on 4 plates.2 cooked beets
- Stir the mustard, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil into a dressing.1 teaspoon mustard, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet until fragrant. Stay close, because walnuts can darken quickly.½ cup walnuts
- Peel the pears, remove the cores, dice them, and toss with lemon juice.2 pears, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Divide pear, mixed greens, and walnuts over the beets.
- Shave the Parmesan over the top and drizzle with dressing right before serving.2 oz. Parmesan cheese, 2 cups mixed green salad
Notes
Nutrition
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