By Jessye Hipp

Beet and goat cheese salad, and warm spinach salads are a staple on any upscale restaurant menu. This recipe adds a little playfulness to an otherwise stuffy luncheon dish.

Two salads you can always bet to see at restaurants are the beet and goat cheese salad, and the warm spinach salad. This pizza combines the two on a protein rich quinoa crust.

Johnson’s Backyard Garden offers a selection of beets for their CSA boxes, including red, golden, and candy-cane varieties. When roasted, these gems add a royal flair to a salad, or this case a pizza. You can even replace the roasted beets with thinly shredded and pickled beets. Yum.

I happen to love warm beet salads with the tangy goat cheese. I also love fresh greenery on top of my pizzas. And who doesn’t agree that bacon makes everything better? This recipe offers the best of both worlds! Enjoy!

Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Pizza on a Quinoa Crust

Time: 1.5 hrs Serves: 4

-2 beets, peeled and diced into ½ in pieces (I used 1 gold, and 1 red for color)

-6 slices of thinly sliced pancetta

-3 scallions, thinly sliced

-1/2 cup of quinoa, toasted and then cooked according to package directions, allow to cool

-4 tbls olive oil

-2 eggs

-1tsp baking powder

-1tbls dried Italian seasoning

-1tsp dried garlic powder

-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

-1 cup of shredded “pizza” blend cheese

-1/3 cup of alfreado sauce

-salt & pepper

-2 tbls goat cheese

-2 cups fresh spinach

-1/2 cup parmesan, freshly grated



-Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

-Toss the beets with 1 tbls of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

-Roast the beets for 20-25 minutes until the beets are soften and slightly caramelized.

-At the same time, roast the pancetta slices until crisp. 10-15 minutes.

-Raise the oven to 425 degrees.

-Mix in ½ cup of shredded cheese into the cooled, cooked quinoa.



-In a small separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1 tbls olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, baking powder, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

-Combine the egg mixture with the quinoa. This is your “dough”.

-Line a sheet tray with parchment paper, and spray liberally with non-stick spray.



-Press out the “dough” onto the sheet tray until the crust is about ½ in thick.

-Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes until it is golden brown.



-Top the pizza crust with the alfreado sauce, then sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

-Next, add the crispy pancetta and roasted beets.

-Crumble the goat cheese on top.



-Bake the pizza for another 5 minutes.

-Meanwhile, toss the spinach with 1 tbls of olive oil and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper.

-Allow the pizza to cool for 5 minutes.

-Top the pizza with the fresh spinach and a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan cheese.

-Slice the pizza and enjoy!