Recipe: Étoile Houston’s Warm Goat Cheese and Roasted Beet Salad by Chef Philippe Verpiand

The chef-owner of Houston’s Étoile Cuisine et Bar brings a taste of France to your kitchen with this elegant salad featuring almond-crusted goat cheese, roasted beets, and peppery arugula

Written By:

Recipe By:

Philippe Verpiand

Published on November 12, 2026 • 12:51 PM MST

Recipe By

Philippe Verpiand

Servings

Level

Easy

Total Time

Prep Time

Cook Time

A taste of the French countryside awaits at Étoile Cuisine et Bar, the charming French restaurant tucked into Houston’s Uptown Park. At the helm is chef-owner Philippe Verpiand, a native of Provence and distinguished Master Chef of France (Maître Cuisinier de France), who has been bringing authentic French cooking to Houston since opening Étoile in 2012.

Known for its warm, farmhouse-inspired setting and refined yet approachable cuisine, the restaurant celebrates traditional French dishes prepared from scratch with seasonal ingredients and a modern touch. Among its bistro classics is the Salade de Chèvre Chaud, a warm goat cheese salad that balances rich, creamy flavors with fresh, vibrant ingredients.

Verpiand shares his recipe for recreating the French favorite at home.

3 lbs

frozen shredded hash brown potatoes

10-ounce cans diced tomatoes and green chiles, such as Rotel

1-ounce packages taco seasoning

Recipe: Étoile Houston’s Warm Goat Cheese and Roasted Beet Salad by Chef Philippe Verpiand

Étoile's Salade de Chèvre Chaud is a colorful take on a French bistro classic, featuring warm goat cheese coated in crunchy sliced almonds, tender roasted beets, and peppery arugula tossed in balsamic vinaigrette. The combination of creamy, earthy, and tangy flavors makes for an elegant starter or a satisfying light lunch, bringing a little taste of Provence to the table.

4 servings

Cook Time

Prep Time

Total Time

2 medium red beets, cooked peeled and sliced
2 medium yellow beets, cooked peeled and sliced
4 pieces goat cheese, 2-ounces each, rolled into a ball
6 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
4 ounces sliced almonds
Half pound baby arugula
Balsamic vinaigrette

Directions

Cook beets, skin on, by placing the 2 varieties in different pots and boiling in unsalted water until cooked through. Peel and slice and allow to cool.
Coat the goat cheese with flour then egg wash then sliced almonds. Bake in an 380-degree oven for 5 minutes or ary fry at 350 degrees for 45 seconds.
Toss arugula in balsamic vinaigrette.
Lay sliced beets on a plate, top with dressed arugula and top with goat cheese.

Megha McSwain Managing Editor

Megha McSwain is the Managing Editor of DiningOut, overseeing editorial content across Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta. Born in Mumbai, India, Megha spent most of her life in Houston and now resides in Colorado. Throughout her career, she has contributed to leading food, travel, and lifestyle publications, including Food Network, Eater, InsideHook, Resy, and Texas Monthly. A trusted voice in food and lifestyle media, Megha also makes regular appearances on local television, appearing on Great Day Houston on KHOU 11 and Texas Today on NBC 5.

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