Patrick Oconnell
Baked goat's cheese is a simple dish that can be served as an appetizer or as a salad topper. It can be made in a variety of ways, including with a crumble-style topping, with honey, or with tomato sauce. The goat's cheese is sliced or crumbled and baked in the oven, resulting in a warm and soft texture. The baking temperature and time may vary depending on the specific recipe, but generally, the cheese is baked for around 10 to 20 minutes at temperatures ranging from 180°C to 450°F. This dish can be served with crusty bread, crackers, or greens, making it a delicious and easy option for dinner parties or date nights.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Oven temperature | 180°C to 200°C or 350°F to 450°F |
| Baking time | 10-20 minutes |
| Cheese texture | Warm, soft, and creamy |
| Toppings | Honey, breadcrumbs, hazelnuts, dried herbs, black pepper, chopped mushrooms, black olives, red onion, spring onions, toasted pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes |
| Sides | Bread, crackers, artisan crisps, crostini, mixed greens with red wine vinegar and olive oil |
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What You'll Learn
How to make a goat's cheese dip
This is a simple, quick, and easy recipe for a goat's cheese dip that you can serve throughout the year for all your entertaining needs. It can be served by itself with veggies, fruits, and crackers or as part of a meat and cheese platter.
Ingredients
- Goat's cheese
- Cream cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Black pepper
- Olive oil
- Fresh herbs (optional)
- Roasted nuts (optional)
- Sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
Method
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the goat's cheese, cream cheese, shredded Parmesan cheese, and black pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Drizzle with a little olive oil and then whip until all the ingredients are fully combined. If you want to add extra ingredients, such as fresh herbs, roasted nuts, or sun-dried tomatoes, be sure to process them until everything is fully mixed.
Transfer the cheese mixture into an oven-proof bowl and lightly coat it with olive oil. Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Bake in the oven for 16 to 18 minutes or until the top turns a light golden brown and it starts bubbling. Serve immediately with crackers, veggies, and fruits.
Variations
If you want to make a different type of goat's cheese dip, you can try adding garlic and herbs to the mixture, or even making an avocado goat's cheese dip to serve with whole-wheat pita.
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Breading and coating the cheese
Next, prepare three separate dishes. The first should contain olive oil, and the second, a mixture of panko breadcrumbs and salt. You can also add flour and butter to the breadcrumbs and rub the mixture together with your fingers, as suggested by Soignon. The third dish should contain the goat's cheese rounds. Using tongs, dip each round first into the olive oil and then into the breadcrumb mixture, ensuring that all sides are coated. Place the coated rounds into the prepared baking dish, cover, and refrigerate for one hour. This step will ensure that the crust has time to crisp and turn golden without overcooking the goat's cheese.
If you want to add extra flavour to the breading, you can try using seasoned breadcrumbs. For example, you can combine the breadcrumbs with dried herbs, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Alternatively, you can sprinkle the coated cheese with dried herbs and black pepper before baking.
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Baking temperature and time
The ideal temperature and time for baking goat's cheese in the oven depend on the type of dish you are preparing. For instance, the temperature settings differ for a goat's cheese dip, breaded goat's cheese, or goat's cheese with a crumble topping.
Goat's Cheese Dip
To make a goat's cheese dip, preheat your oven to between 425 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, bake the goat's cheese for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. If you are making a honey-swirled goat's cheese dip, you can drizzle the dip with honey before and after baking.
Breaded Goat's Cheese
To make breaded goat's cheese, you should first refrigerate the breaded goat's cheese rounds for an hour to allow the crust to crisp and turn golden without overcooking the cheese. Then, preheat the oven to 450˚F and bake the goat's cheese for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Goat's Cheese with Crumble Topping
To make goat's cheese with a crumble topping, preheat the oven to 180°C and bake the crumble topping for 10 minutes. Then, increase the temperature to 200°C and bake the goat's cheese for 10 minutes. Finally, add the crumble topping and bake for another 5 minutes.
Goat's Cheese with Tomato Sauce
If you are making a simple goat's cheese dish with tomato sauce, bake the goat's cheese at 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F) for around 20 minutes or until golden brown.
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What to serve goat's cheese with
Goat cheese has a distinct tangy flavor and is soft, spreadable, and creamy. It is a versatile ingredient that can be baked in the oven or used as a topping for salads or crackers.
- Salads: Crumble goat cheese over a bed of mixed greens, such as arugula, spinach, or mixed herbs. Add some toasted nuts, dried cranberries, or fresh berries for a sweet and savory contrast.
- Appetizers: Make goat cheese balls by combining two types of goat cheese with sweet and crunchy toppings, such as nuts and cranberries. Roll the mixture into balls and serve as bite-sized appetizers.
- Baked Dishes: Bake goat cheese in the oven with a crumble-style topping. Serve it with slices of bread or crackers for a delicious spread. Alternatively, try baking it with a hazelnut crust and balsamic onions for a more sophisticated flavor profile.
- Sides: Spreadable goat cheese can be a great alternative to butter on toasted bread or crackers. It can also be served alongside charcuterie items such as cured meats, pickled vegetables, and fresh fruits like apples or pears.
Goat cheese pairs well with nuts, berries, honey, and balsamic vinegar. It can enhance a variety of dishes, from appetizers to salads and baked goods.
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Toppings and flavour combinations
Goat cheese is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of sweet and savoury dishes. It can be baked, grilled, or boiled, and pairs well with many different ingredients. Here are some topping and flavour combinations to try when cooking goat cheese in the oven:
Savoury Combinations
- Nuts and Herbs: Coat the goat cheese in a mixture of nuts and herbs before baking. Try pistachios and mint, or almonds and rosemary.
- Honey: Drizzle honey over the goat cheese before and after baking for a sweet and tangy flavour.
- Cream Cheese: Blend goat cheese with cream cheese, honey, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes for a creamy and tangy dip.
- Vegetables: Top goat cheese with roasted vegetables, such as cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, or ratatouille.
- Salad: Serve baked goat cheese on a bed of fresh greens, such as baby Swiss chard, with a drizzle of olive oil and fruity vinegar.
- Breadcrumbs: For a crunchy texture, coat the goat cheese in breadcrumbs before baking.
- Tomato Sauce: Marinara sauce, a traditional Italian tomato sauce, pairs well with goat cheese. Try baking the goat cheese with a chunky tomato sauce and serving it with crusty bread or crostini for dipping.
- Mushrooms: Chopped mushrooms add a savoury note to baked goat cheese.
- Olives: Black olives provide a briny contrast to the creamy cheese.
- Onions: Red onions or spring onions can be used as a topping or mixed into the cheese before baking.
- Pine Nuts: Toasted pine nuts add a crunchy texture and nutty flavour.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Sun-dried tomatoes provide a burst of flavour and colour.
Sweet Combinations
- Berries: Serve goat cheese with fresh berries or a berry sauce for a sweet and tangy dessert.
- Honey: Drizzle warm honey over a mixture of goat cheese and Greek yogurt for a caramel-like treat.
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Frequently asked questions
Goat's cheese should be cooked at a high temperature, around 180-200°C or 375-450°F.
Goat's cheese should be cooked for around 10-20 minutes, until the breading is crisp and
Goat's cheese can be served with crusty bread, crackers, artisan crisps, crostini, or toasted pita wedges. It can also be served on a bed of mixed greens with a drizzle of olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar.
Good toppings for goat's cheese include honey, dried herbs, black pepper, chopped mushrooms, black olives, red onion, spring onions, toasted pine nuts, and sun-dried tomatoes.
