It’s a new day, and today we’re celebrating vegetable chips—real ones made from golden beets that are crisp, flavorful, and impossible to resist when paired with a tangy, spicy goat cheese dip.
Golden beets are stunning. I was a latecomer to loving beets—probably because they weren’t part of my childhood cooking—but once I had a candied golden beet salad with goat cheese a few years back, everything changed. That salad was addictive: we ate it in minutes, and it even made its way into my cookbook because it’s that good.
There’s something about the color and texture of golden beets that feels almost luxurious. I’ve enjoyed store-bought beet chips before, but homemade beet chips are in a different category. Thinly sliced and roasted until they’re crisp at the edges, they develop a concentrated sweetness and an irresistible crunch that turns any dip into a magnet.
After making these beet chips and the spicy goat cheese dip, I realized how versatile the dip is. It didn’t just sit next to the beets—over the next days it showed up on eggs, layered on avocado toast, mixed with roasted red pepper, dolloped on crostini, and spread on crackers. It’s creamy, herb-forward, and has just enough heat to keep things interesting.
These chips are also a wonderful reminder that chips can be made from vegetables and still feel indulgent. Roasted beet chips are full of flavor and far more nutritious than typical fried snack chips—so you can feel good about snacking, especially when you’re savoring every crunchy edge.
If you’re worried about the beet slices burning, the key is slicing them very thin (a mandoline helps) and drying them out in a low oven on a wire rack so air circulates around each slice. A light drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of smoked paprika and garlic powder add depth without overwhelming the beet’s natural flavor. Save the salt until after baking so the chips remain crisp.
The goat cheese dip is impossibly simple to make but full of bright herb flavor and a gentle kick from crushed red pepper. Blending goat cheese with plain Greek yogurt keeps the texture silky and scoopable while fresh chives, basil and oregano add freshness. A touch of garlic powder and salt round everything out, and finishing the dip with extra red pepper flakes keeps it lively.
This pairing—crispy beet chips and spicy goat cheese dip—works for so many occasions. Serve it as an appetizer at a dinner party, pack it for a picnic, or keep it on hand as a snack that turns ordinary days into something a little more special. The chips hold up beautifully, and the dip actually improves after a few hours in the fridge as the flavors meld.
Golden Beet Chips with Spicy Goat Cheese Dip
4 appropriately, 2 obnoxiously
2 hrs
Ingredients
- 4 medium-sized golden beets
- 3 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (to sprinkle after baking)
Goat cheese dip
- 8 ounces goat cheese (chevre)
- 3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus extra for sprinkling
- 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or foil and set a wire rack on each. Spray the rack lightly with nonstick spray.
- Peel the beets and slice them very thin with a mandoline or sharp knife (less than 1/8 inch). Place the slices in a bowl and drizzle with the olive oil, using just enough to lightly coat them. Season with garlic powder and smoked paprika, reserving the salt until after baking.
- Arrange the beet slices in a single layer on the wire racks. Bake 20 minutes, then rotate the sheets. If some slices are larger, flip them carefully with tongs. Bake another 15–20 minutes until edges look dry and crisp—watch closely to avoid burning. Remove from oven, sprinkle with salt, and let cool completely; they crisp up as they cool. Serve with the goat cheese dip.
Goat cheese dip
- Combine goat cheese, Greek yogurt, chives, basil, oregano, salt, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth, then drizzle in the olive oil while the processor runs. Scrape the sides as needed and adjust seasoning to taste. Top with extra red pepper flakes if desired. Store airtight in the fridge for a few days.
Notes
Final note: I always grab the crispy edges first. They’re the best part.