Baked Goat Cheese Recipe (2024)

Jump straight to the recipe here (but you'll miss a lot of good info)!

This easy Baked Goat Cheese recipe uses just three ingredients and takes just minutes to throw together. Serve on top of crostini, garlic bread or as a goat cheese dip!

There’s an appetizer at Mon Ami Gabi that must be ordered every time I walk through their front door.

Along with Mussels Marinière and Wild Escargots de Bourgogne is the Baked Goat Cheese Dip – all three are top choices and have been enjoyed over many a happy hour. But the Baked Goat Cheese tends to be the one that ends up on our table whether anyone is hungry or not – no one can resist it.

Baked Goat Cheese Recipe (1)

The buttery, garlicky baguette used to scoop up the soft goat cheese and silky tomato sauce makes an irresistible combination. Add a glass of white wine and I may never leave.

So I decided to create my own easy recipe for baked goat cheese at home. It’s slightly different in that I chose to use a chunky marinara and some crunchy crostini in place of the garlic bread but oh! is it good. Soft, smooth, warm goat cheese and bubbling marinara – all in under 30 minutes (25 of which is baking time!) – makes for a mouthwatering appetizer that’s perfect for almost any gathering.

Baked Goat Cheese Ingredients

  • Goat Cheese: Also known as Chèvre in French, use any brand of goat cheese you prefer. I prefer fresh chèvre in log form.
  • Marinara Sauce: Marinara is a traditional Italian tomato sauce often made with tomatoes, onions, olive oil, garlic, basil and other herbs.
  • Basil: A little green to garnish that also adds a sweet, peppery flavor with hints of mint.
  • Salt: Any coarse salt such as kosher or sea salt will work.

(Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe card with detailed recipe instructions.)

How to Make Baked Goat Cheese

With just three ingredients this easy appetizer (or dip) comes together in just 5 minutes, plus bake time.

  1. Press the goat cheese to fit the shape of your dish with spacing around the edge.
  2. Gently spoon the marinara around the border and sprinkle salt.
  3. Bake until the goat cheese is warm and soft and the marinara is hot and bubbling.

How to Serve Hot Goat Cheese

  • Chevre-and-bread: Spread over baguette slices or crostini.
  • Goat Cheese Dip: Serve as a dip with raw veggies (celery, carrots, bell pepper, endive leaves etc.), crusty bread, crackers, bagel chips, pita chips and much more.
  • Stuffed garlic bread: This stuffed garlic bread recipe is perfect with the baked goat cheese and highly recommended.
  • Use it with this stuffed zucchini recipe.

Goat Cheese Tips & Variations

  • I like to spoon the marinara just on the outside for a prettier presentation but you could cover the goat cheese completely if you prefer. It will bake up bubbly and delicious no matter how you prepare it!
  • It’s best to let your goat cheese soften a bit before spreading in your dish. You can skip it if you’re in a rush but goat cheese is much more spreadable when soft.
  • Make it spicy with jalapeno, red pepper flakes or mix the marinara with Calabrian chili paste.
  • Add bacon, olives or cherry tomatoes to the marinara sauce.
  • Make it creamier and substitute the marinara sauce for vodka sauce.
  • Add a dollop of basil pesto on top
  • I use plain goat cheese but feel free to experiment with flavored goat cheese varieties.
  • Serve in a slow cooker or Crock Pot to keep warm, if you prefer.

Make Ahead

This dish can be prepared and baked right before serving, simply mix everything together, cover and store in the refrigerator up to a day ahead. When ready, bake and serve!

Baked Goat Cheese Recipe (2)

Baked Goat Cheese

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Just 3 ingredients to a bubbling hot, cheesy Baked Goat Cheese appetizer! This stuffed garlic bread recipe is perfect with it.

Ingredients

  • 1 8 oz log goat cheese (softened)
  • 1 small box or jar marinara sauce (about 2 cups)
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil (cut into ribbons)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 375F.
    2. In a small baking dish, press the goat cheese to fit the shape of your dish, leaving a 1-inch border around edge. Gently spoon the marinara around the border, taking care to cover the edge of goat cheese but not the middle (see photo). Sprinkle with the salt.
    3. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the goat cheese is warm and soft and the marinara is hot and bubbling.
    4. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the basil. Serve immediately with crostini or garlic bread for dipping.
Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 167Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 537mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 11g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.

  • Author
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Kristy Bernardo

Kristy Bernardo is the recipe creator behind The Wicked Noodle. She's a five-time cookbook author, has taught cooking classes to both kids and adults, and has been creating recipes for nationwide brands since 2009. She learned most of her cooking skills from her mom and grandmother, then honed those skills at boot camp at the Culinary Institute of America.

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Baked Goat Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make goat cheese taste better? ›

Adding Flavors

You can mix herbs, fruit, jam, nuts, seeds, or even balsamic vinegar right into the goat cheese. To get a swirly ribbon of honey, jam, or balsamic, put a layer of cheese down, then drizzle your preferred sauce on top, then another layer of cheese to fully cover the sauce.

What happens when you heat goat cheese? ›

When baked in the oven, goat cheese gets warm and soft, but doesn't melt into a puddle like cheddar or mozzarella would. Refrigerating the breadcrumb coated rounds before baking ensures that the crust will have time to crisp and turn golden without overcooking the goat cheese.

What meat goes well with goat cheese? ›

What meat goes with goat cheese? My two favorite types of charcuterie meat for pairing with goat cheese are salami and prosciutto.

What makes a good goat cheese? ›

Good fresh goat cheese is a special and important thing. It should be moist and creamy, without a hint of graininess. Its flavor should be clean and fresh, mouthwateringly tangy but not astringent, lemony but also milky and balanced. An unaged cheese has nowhere to hide its faults.

What goats make the best goat cheese? ›

Nubian Goats are the most popular dairy breed in the United States and are perfect for cheesemaking. They are friendly, with an elegant and distinctive appearance of pendulous ears and roman nose.

Can you bake goat cheese by itself? ›

Goat cheese is a delicious addition to a number of different recipes, but did you know you can actually just cook it on its own? Try making your own breaded cheese balls or rounds—you can bake or pan-fry them for an easy, creamy treat.

Why does goat cheese not melt? ›

Goat cheese is another contender that won't melt the same way as other cheeses on this list. Made using acid rather than rennet, goat cheeses tend to become grainy and hold its shape when melted.

Is goat cheese good or bad for you? ›

Goat cheese is full of beneficial probiotics, a healthy kind of bacteria. Probiotics colonize the intestines and compete with any unhealthy bacteria or pathogens that they find there. This can improve the effectiveness of your immune system and reduce your vulnerability to illness.

Can you eat raw goats cheese? ›

Why go for Goat Cheese, Raw? Raw milk goat cheese presents an abundance of healthful nutrients. Vitamins, minerals, enzymes, protein, fatty acids and more are waiting to nourish your body with easier digestion. Some folks call goat milk the most complete food known.

What's the most popular goat cheese? ›

Top 43 Goat Cheeses in the World
  • Crottin de Chavignol. Chavignol. France. shutterstock. ...
  • Kefalotyri. GREECE. shutterstock. Wanna try? ...
  • Mastelo Cheese. Chios. Greece. Mastelo® ...
  • Picodon. Ardèche. France. Martí Vicente. ...
  • Cabécou. Midi-Pyrénées. France. ...
  • Myzithra. Crete. Greece. ...
  • Kopanisti. Cyclades. Greece. ...
  • Xynomyzithra Kritis. Crete. Greece.

What crackers go best with goat cheese? ›

When you have a cheese as sharp and intense as a goat cheese, it's best not to compete too much. Goats cheese, without any accompaniments, is best served with a plain water cracker.

Can you freeze goat cheese? ›

Freezing soft cheese

You might be shocked to find out that soft cheese such as Brie, Camembert, and goat's cheese can also be frozen for up to six months. So the next time you have a hankering for some baked gnocchi and goat's cheese, you know where to look – in your freezer.

What kind of cheese goes with pepperoni? ›

Sharp Cheddar Cheese & Pepperoni.

How do you mellow out goat cheese? ›

I would say aromatic herbs such as thyme, rosemary, laurel leaves and spices such as curry, ginger and ground white or black pepper should give goat cheese a refreshing twist and mellow its gamey flavor.

How do you make store bought goat milk taste better? ›

Since caproic acid strengthens the goaty flavor of milk as it ages, freshly chilled milk is best for drinking or making dairy products. Chill immediately after filtering; the longer milk is kept warm, the faster lactic acid and bacteria will affect the flavor.

How do you make goat meat less gamey? ›

The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution. 2. Vinegar solution - 1 cup per quart of cold water. Use enough solution to cover the game completely.

How do you mask the taste of goat milk? ›

They wanted to know if I had done something to it because it tasted goaty (even though it was straight cow's milk). Another method is to mix a bit of vanilla flavor and a little sugar—just enough to change the taste to something a little more familiar. After a while, gradually reduce the sugar and vanilla.

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