This easy recipe for Baked Goat Cheese uses just three ingredients and takes just minutes to throw together. Serve with crostini, garlic bread or try making stuffed zucchini!
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 – 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. 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. (Update, November 2015: Mon Ami took this appetizer off my local menu. They replaced it with a fabulous Wild Mushroom Triple Cream Cheese appetizer that I am going to do my best to duplicate! But I’m still sad that the Baked Goat Cheese is no more) :-(
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.
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. 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!
Baked Goat Cheese {3-ingredient recipe}
The simplest appetizer you’ll ever make!
- 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
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- In a small baking dish, press goat cheese to fit shape of dish, leaving a 1-inch border around edge. Gently spoon marinara into border, taking care to cover the edge of goat cheese but not the middle (see photo). Sprinkle with salt.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until goat cheese is hot and soft and marinara is hot and bubbling.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with basil. Serve immediately with crostini or garlic bread for dipping.
Things You’ll Need
