This recipe for herbed goat cheese spread is a super easy crowd-pleasing appetizer perfect for any party or occasion. This keto-friendly goat cheese dip is packed with olives, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and oregano to create a flavorful cheese spread. This recipe is suitable for those following a low-carb, Keto, Banting, Atkins, gluten-free or vegetarian diet.
Table of Contents
The Recipe
This goat cheese and kalamata olive appetizer might just be the best goat cheese spread you’ve ever tasted! Not only is it a show-stopping dish, it’s also surprisingly simple and versatile. You’ll be surprised at just how easy this is to make while still achieving that gourmet flavor.
This goat cheese dip recipe consists of a pool of basil and oregano infused olive oil, resting on a bed of goat cheese. To compliment those herbaceous flavors, the olive oil is marinated with sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives. To make this dish really shine, it marinates for several hours before serving to allow all of those drool-worthy flavors to seep into the goat cheese. The result is an easy party appetizer that is sure to impress your family and friends!
The Inspiration
This marinated goat cheese appetizer recipe is inspired by this marinated goat cheese spread recipe by Olive & Mango. I absolutely loved her innovative approach of marinating spreadable goat cheese. Not to mention the elegant presentation of this dish! To add a twist to her recipe, I added sun dried tomatoes and basil to create a summery Italian garden-inspired dish. I also substituted red wine vinegar for balsamic vinegar to reduce the overall carb count of the recipe.
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How do you add flavor to goat cheese?
One of the best ways to add flavor to goat cheese is by marinating it. While normally marinating is done over long periods of time, even a few hours goes a long way towards giving simple goat cheese a huge punch of flavor. In this recipe, we added flavor to the goat cheese by smothering the surface of the cheese in olive oil.
To add all that flavor, this olive oil has been packed with delicious herbs and even olives and sun-dried tomatoes. The end result is an unbelievably flavorful goat cheese and sun-dried tomato appetizer.
What herbs go with goat cheese?
Goat cheese is a pretty versatile cheese so it can work with a wide range of herbs and seasonings. I like to pair it with a lot of herbs that are prominent in Italian or French cuisine such as oregano, thyme, or basil.
In addition to herbs, you can also pair goat cheese with other flavors such as peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, or olives.
How to make homemade marinated goat cheese spread
Making this gourmet marinated goat cheese appetizer at home is surprisingly simple. The first step to making this process at smooth as possible is to set out the goat cheese for at least 40 minutes before preparing this recipe. This will give the cheese time to reach room temperature which will make the cheese less brittle and easier to spread.
The next step is to spread the cheese on the plate. I like to use a medium-sized plate with a slight lip on the edge. When spreading the cheese, create a dip in the center of the plate while building up the edges. This will help keep the olive oil from leaking out of the sides. Trust me, that can get messy.
Now, onto the most important step–combining the herbs and olive oil. This is where you add all the flavors that make this dish so good! In this recipe, we use sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, garlic, basil, and oregano, but you can use a range of different herbs, flavors, and seasonings depending on your preference!
Finally pour that olive oil mixture over the plate of goat cheese and set in the fridge to marinate. The longer, the better!
How to store this goat cheese spread
To store this herbed goat cheese spread, simply cover it with plastic wrap or a reusable cover and store in the refrigerator until use. Allow 30-40 minutes before serving for the spread to rest at room temperature. This will allow the goat cheese to soften and the olive oil to de-solidify. You could also place the spread in the oven at an extremely low temperature just until the goat cheese begins to soften.
What are some substitutes for goat cheese?
As goat cheese can be expensive and bit harder to find in this quarantine era, there are many accessible substitutes that will still make an equally delicious spread! When choosing a cheese, the key is to look for a soft spreadable cheese that doesn’t have too strong of a flavor that would overpower the herbs in this recipe.
One less-expensive and accessible option is cream cheese. Alternatively, you could also use a range of unflavored soft, spreadable cheeses.
What can you spread goat cheese on?
This goat cheese spread goes well with almost anything! In fact, each time we’ve made this recipe, we’ve paired it with something different. The first time we prepared this dish, we paired it with our keto-friendly pizza crust recipe. Instead of making a large pizza crust, we made four smaller crusts for individual servings.
Once the crusts were done cooking, we then smeared this delicious cheese spread on. It made for a fun dinner reminiscent of a manakeesh, a traditional Lebanese flatbread that can be topped cheese or herbs such as Za’atar (Thyme).
Another option is to use baked cheese crisps, either homemade or store-bought. As pictured in this recipe’s photographs, parmesan crisps are also a great option to use as a vessel for this delicious goat cheese and olive oil dip. You could even try using low-carb crackers such as our grain-free sun-dried tomatoes and olive crackers recipe.
If you aren’t eating low-carb or gluten-free, this recipe could also be paired with a warm toasted baguette or even some simple water crackers.
Enjoy!
-Harper
Herbed Goat Cheese Spread
This recipe for herbed goat cheese spread is a super easy crowd-pleasing appetizer perfect for any party or occasion. This keto-friendly goat cheese dip is packed with olives, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and oregano to create a flavorful cheese spread. This recipe is suitable for those following a low-carb, Keto, Banting, Atkins, gluten-free or vegetarian diet.
- 10 oz spreadable goat cheese (room temperature)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 tbsp. fresh basil (stacked and sliced (chiffonade))
- 1 tsp. oregano (fresh or dried, chopped finely)
- 7 kalamata olives (pitted and quartered, log-ways)
- 1 tbsp. sun dried tomatoes (pre-cut or cut into coarse pieces)
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On a medium plate, using a butter knife or frosting knife, spread the goat cheese over the plate, creating a dip in the center of the plate while building up higher edges to hold in the olive oil mixture.
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In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, red pepper, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined. Next add the basil, oregano, sun dried tomatoes, and olives, and stir.
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Next, carefully pour the olive oil mixture over the plate of goat cheese. Use a spoon to make sure the olives and tomatoes are evenly dispersed on the plate. Next, store in the fridge and let the mixture set for several hours to allow the flavors to mingle. Set out for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the olive oil and goat cheese to reach room temperature.
Makes about 1.5 cups
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