Goat Cheese Delights: Lunchtime Ideas For A Tangy Treat

Goat cheese is a versatile ingredient that can be used in countless dishes. Its creamy texture and tangy flavour make it a perfect addition to salads, pastas, soups, risottos, and even desserts. For a quick and easy lunch, you can make a simple salad with arugula, Asian pear, lemon dressing, and goat cheese, or try a grilled omelette with a sweet onion base, dotted with creamy goat cheese, served with salad. If you're looking for something more indulgent, try frying some goat cheese and adding it to your salad for a creative take on croutons.

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Salads

Arugula, Cucumber, and Fruit Salad

This salad features a blend of arugula, Lebanese cucumbers, and grapes or sliced apples, topped with goat cheese and a zesty lemon vinaigrette. You can also add sliced almonds, cranberries, and purple onions for a sweet and savory mix of flavors. This salad is perfect for summer and can be paired with a dry, zesty white wine like Sauvignon Blanc.

Crispy Goat Cheese Salad

For a decadent option, try a crispy goat cheese salad. This salad has a base of peppery arugula, tossed in a light vinaigrette, and is topped with toasted walnuts and sliced pears. The star of this salad is the crispy goat cheese—creamy rounds of goat cheese coated in panko breadcrumbs and pan-fried until golden. This salad is perfect for an elegant lunch or brunch.

John's Goat Cheese Salad

This simple salad starts with crisp green leaf lettuce tossed in a red wine vinaigrette. It is then topped with cranberry-coated goat cheese, sliced shallots, and crisp cucumbers. The sweetness of the cranberries and the tanginess of the goat cheese make this salad a delicious and wholesome option.

Warm Goat Cheese Salad

A warm goat cheese salad is an elegant and impressive option for lunch. This salad features warm goat cheese medallions coated in panko breadcrumbs, flour, and egg, fried until golden, and served on a bed of lettuce with a vinaigrette dressing. You can also add carrots and oranges for a refreshing twist.

Goat Cheese Salad with Bacon

This hearty salad features a mix of textures and flavors. It includes arugula or other leafy greens, bacon or pancetta, goat cheese, strawberries or apples, and candied pecans or other nuts. You can make a homemade honey-mustard vinaigrette or use a store-bought dressing. This salad can be served as a main or side dish.

Pizzas

Goat cheese is a fantastic ingredient to use on homemade pizzas, adding a tangy, salty, and savoury flavour. You can use either soft goat cheese (chevre) or a more solid variety, crumbling or spreading it, depending on the type of cheese and your preference.

Pizza Base

You can make your own pizza dough, or buy a pre-made pizza base. If making your own, there are several options: standard, thin crust, pizza oven dough, or pan pizza dough. You can also use flatbreads as a quick and easy base.

Toppings

There are endless combinations of toppings to use with goat cheese. Here are some ideas:

• Vegetables: roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, red onions, caramelised onions, spinach, asparagus spears, mushrooms, artichokes, or roasted aubergine/eggplant.
• Meat: prosciutto, pepperoni, or bacon.
• Herbs: basil, rosemary, thyme, or parsley.
• Other: balsamic reduction, pesto, honey, walnuts, pecans, or olives.

Recipes

• Goat Cheese and Caramelised Onion Pizza: Saute onions in butter or olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper. Brush a flatbread with olive oil and pre-bake for 5 minutes. Spread goat cheese onto the flatbread and top with the onions.
• Goat Cheese, Spinach and Roasted Pepper Pizza: Use a store-bought, fully-baked thin pizza crust. Top with roasted peppers, red onions, spinach, and crumbled goat cheese. Bake at 425°F for 18 minutes.
• Goat Cheese, Honey and Pecan Pizza: Roll out a thin-crust pizza dough and pre-bake for a few minutes. Top with soft goat cheese, chopped pecans, sage, honey, and Parmesan. Bake for 4-6 minutes.
• Goat Cheese, Arugula and Prosciutto Pizza: Use a thin-crust pizza base and top with crushed tomatoes, arugula, prosciutto, and goat cheese.
• Goat Cheese and Pesto Pizza: Use a pizza base made from frozen white bread dough. Brush with olive oil, season, and add chopped basil and rosemary. Pre-bake for 8 minutes, then top with pesto and goat cheese, and bake for 12 minutes at 500°F.

Omelettes

Goat's cheese is a versatile ingredient that can be used in many different omelette recipes. Here are some ideas for creating delicious and nutritious omelettes with goat's cheese for lunch:

French-Style Omelette with Goat Cheese and Herbs

For a simple and elegant omelette, try the French-style omelette with goat cheese and herbs. This omelette is made with eggs, butter, and seasoning, cooked using a swirling technique for even cooking. The key to a perfect French omelette is to cook it slowly over medium-low heat to achieve an even, light colour without any browning. Add fresh herbs of your choice, such as chives, and a little salt and pepper to taste. The goat cheese is rolled into the omelette, adding a creamy texture and tangy flavour.

Keto Goat Cheese and Spinach Omelette

This omelette is a delicious and healthy option, packed with nutrients and flavour. The goat cheese brings a tangy and creamy element to the omelette, while the spinach adds a healthy boost of vitamins and minerals. You can also add onions for extra texture and flavour. Spring onions are a great addition, providing a tangy freshness that pairs well with the earthy spinach. To take this omelette to the next level, try adding roasted tomatoes and pine nuts for a unique flavour combination.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Omelette

Sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese are a match made in heaven. The sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes pairs perfectly with the tangy and creamy goat cheese. You can use flavoured goat cheese, such as garlic and herb, truffle, or tomato basil, to elevate the flavours even more. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes and crumble the cheese before adding them to your omelette. This omelette is a flavourful and colourful option for lunch.

Veggie Omelette with Goat Cheese

Get your daily dose of vegetables with a veggie omelette loaded with goat cheese. You can use a variety of vegetables, such as zucchini, mushrooms, green peppers, spinach, green onions, and garlic. Saute the vegetables until tender, then add them to your omelette with the goat cheese. This omelette is a great way to use up any leftover vegetables you have in your fridge. It's a nutritious and tasty option that can be customised to your liking.

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Tarts

Goat's cheese tarts are a great option for a quick and easy lunch. They can be made in advance and served warm or cold, although they taste best when freshly made and served warm. Here are some delicious goat's cheese tart recipes to try:

Goat's Cheese and Onion Tart

This classic French recipe combines the smooth and creamy flavour of goat's cheese with the sweetness of caramelised onions. The pastry can be prepared by mixing everything in a bowl to form a pâte brisée or shortcrust pastry. For the filling, onions are caramelised with fresh thyme, balsamic vinegar, and brown sugar. The pastry is then scored and pricked with a fork, filled with the onion mixture, and topped with circles of goat's cheese. The tart is baked until the pastry is crisp and golden.

Goat's Cheese Tart with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

This recipe features a puff pastry base with a layer of red pesto and red onion. The star ingredient is roasted cherry tomatoes, which add a burst of sweetness to the tart. The tomatoes are roasted in olive oil and balsamic vinegar until they just burst. The tart is then assembled by spreading pesto over the pastry, sprinkling red onion and pecorino cheese, adding the tomatoes, and finally crumbling goat's cheese and thyme on top. It is baked until the pastry rises and the edges turn golden brown.

Sweet Onion and Goat's Cheese Tarts with Thyme

Inspired by the French dish pissaladière, these mini tarts are a perfect savoury bite. The recipe features a puff pastry crust with a filling of sweet caramelised onions, fresh goat's cheese, and earthy thyme. The onions are sautéed with butter, thyme, and brown sugar until softened and sweetened. The tarts are then baked until crisp and gooey.

Tomato and Goat's Cheese Tart

A summery take on the goat's cheese tart, this recipe features a mustard-brushed crust topped with sliced tomatoes and a mixture of beaten eggs and goat's cheese. The tart is seasoned with salt, pepper, and herbs, drizzled with olive oil, and baked until browned. This recipe can be made in advance and is delicious served hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Soups

Goat cheese is a versatile ingredient that can add a creamy texture and tangy flavour to a variety of dishes, including soups. Here are some soup recipes that incorporate goat cheese:

Cauliflower Soup with Herbed Goat Cheese

This soup combines the creaminess of cauliflower with the tanginess of goat cheese. Chef Anne Burrell's recipe includes a topping of crispy roasted cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, adding texture and flavour to the soup. The herbed goat cheese is a delicious finishing touch that elevates the dish.

Broccoli Soup with Goat Cheese

For a simple and family-friendly option, try making a broccoli soup and adding some goat cheese to it. Boil and blend broccoli to create a creamy base, then stir in goat cheese for added flavour and texture. This soup is a quick and easy way to incorporate goat cheese into your lunch.

Cold Asparagus and Potato Puree Soup with Goat Cheese

Anne Burrell also creates a refreshing cold soup with asparagus and potato puree. The soup is then topped with blanched asparagus tips and crumbled goat cheese, adding a tangy and creamy dimension to the dish. This soup is perfect for a light and refreshing lunch option.

Beetroot Soup with Goat Cheese

Beetroot soup, also known as borscht, can be enhanced with the addition of goat cheese. The tanginess of the cheese complements the earthy flavours of the beetroot. For a creamy variation, blend cooked beetroot with goat cheese and season with salt and pepper. You can also add a drizzle of honey or a splash of vinegar to elevate the flavours.

Butternut Squash Soup with Goat Cheese

Butternut squash soup is another excellent option to incorporate goat cheese. The sweet and creamy squash pairs well with the tangy and creamy cheese. For a more indulgent version, add some cheddar cheese along with the goat cheese for an extra cheesy flavour.

Frequently asked questions