This baked goat cheese appetizer is a super simple, delicious dip recipe that’s easy to throw together at the last minute with just 3 ingredients! Chevre is baked in marinara sauce until hot and bubbly. It’s perfect for spreading on crusty bread or crostini.
With the holiday season upon us, I think we can all use some quick and easy appetizer recipes in our arsenal, right?
That’s exactly why I’m sharing this baked goat cheese dip. There’s absolutely nothing complicated about this recipe. With just 3-simple ingredients, and very few steps, this is an appetizer recipe that’s about as simple as they come.
Another highlight? You can do all the work before your guests arrive, then just pop it into the oven when you’re ready to serve. Making it the perfect holiday appetizer, since we’re already busy in the kitchen or socializing with friends.
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Ingredients needed
Marinara Sauce
When making this recipe, be sure to choose a good-quality marinara sauce that you enjoy. You can either use store-bought tomato sauce, or make your own at home using this easy marinara sauce recipe.
Goat Cheese
Goat cheese comes in different forms. You will find it in a log form or in a tub. Either variety is great for this recipe.
Garlic
I grate in a few cloves of garlic. For added flavor, you could swap the raw garlic for this roasted garlic.
How to make it
- Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.
- Flatten the soft goat cheese to about 1-inch thickness and shape it so that there is at least a 1-inch border around your small baking dish. Ramekins (like the ones you’d use for making creme brulee) or any small shallow baking dish or bowl will work great for this recipe. You’ll just want to be sure that your dish is oven safe.
- Combine marinara sauce and garlic in your dish and top with the flattened goat cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, until the sauce begins to bubble at edges and the cheese is hot, about 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, slice baguette on a bias and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- During the last 10 minutes of baking time, add bread to oven and toast until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Garnish cheese with basil and cherry tomatoes, if desired. Serve warm.
How long to bake goat cheese
- Bake for about 25 minutes in a 375-degree oven to ensure your melted goat cheese is warm throughout and the tomato sauce is bubbly.
As much as I could simply eat this baked goat cheese appetizer with a spoon, I figured some crunchy crostini would be the perfect vehicle for piling on this creamy goodness.
To make the crostini, just slice a baguette on the bias, drizzle it with some extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and add the crostini to the oven during the last ten minutes of baking time, until they are golden and crisp.
To make things even more simple, you can forgo making the crostini and simply serve it with your favorite crackers or baguette slices.
Once your goat cheese is nice and golden and bubbly, it’s ready to eat! I topped my warm goat cheese with a bit of fresh basil and halved grape tomatoes for added color and a bit of extra flavor, but you can totally skip this step too.
How to make ahead & store
You can do all the work before your guests arrive. Place the goat cheese and marinara into a baking dish. When you’re ready to serve, just pop it into the oven.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave.
Variations
- Top your creamy goat cheese with kalamata olives, caramelized onions or herbs like oregano, fresh thyme or rosemary.
- Add a little spice by sprinkling on some red pepper flakes or adding some chopped calabrian chiles.
- Swap out the plain goat cheese for a flavored variety.
- Don’t love goat cheese, you can also make this recipe with a soft cheese like feta or cream cheese.
Wine pairings
- Pair goat cheese with a nice glass of wine – Barolo and Chianti are great options.
More easy appetizer recipes
More recipes using goat cheese
- More → 25+ Goat Cheese Recipes
Did you try this baked goat cheese dip?
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Full Recipe
Baked Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 clove garlic (grated)
- 8 ounces goat cheese (pressed 1-inch thick and leaving 1-inch border around baking dish)
- 1 baguette
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Coarse salt (for sprinkling)
- Basil leaves or fresh rosemary (optional garnish)
- Cherry tomatoes (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Combine marinara sauce and garlic in a baking dish and top with goat cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, until the sauce begins to bubble at edges and the cheese is hot, about 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, slice baguette on a bias and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- During the last 10 minutes of baking time, add bread to oven and toast until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Garnish cheese with basil or rosemary and cherry tomatoes, if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2018. It was updated in 2024 to add an instructional video. The recipe remains unchanged. Enjoy!
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