originally published 12.20.2020
Our deliciously creamy baked goat cheese dip is topped with fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil and served with crusty, garlicky crostini! Great for holidays and parties, this goat cheese dip is always a hit!
This goat cheese appetizer is one of my favorite party foods – it’s irresistibly smooth, deliciously creamy and probably one of the easier things you can whip up for a small crowd. Plus, you can make it ahead of time and just pop it in the oven for 15 minutes before serving!
baked goat cheese
This dip really consists of three components: baked goat cheese, the tomato basil topping and crostini for dipping. Let’s start with the cheesy base. It’s made by mixing together goat cheese, cream cheese, parmesan, olive oil, oregano and salt. The mixture is then baked until bubbly and golden brown around the edges.
While this recipe calls for plain goat cheese, I often substitute goat cheese that already has spices and herbs mixed in. Garlic and herb goat cheese is my absolute favorite, but really any variety will work well. As long as you’re using a soft goat cheese it will be perfect for this recipe.
tomato basil topping
The tomato topping is made with chopped cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, oregano, fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil. It brings a bit of lightness to the overall dish and perfectly complements the creamy goat cheese!
When it comes to the tomato topping, you have two options. You can spoon it over the goat cheese once it’s finished cooking or even add it during the last five minutes of baking to warm it up a bit. Honestly, I can’t decide which I like better so it’s usually a last minute decision!
crostini
To make this goat cheese appetizer extra special, I like to serve it with garlic crostini. Start by slicing your bread (I like to use french bread or really any rustic loaf) and toasting it in a dry skillet over medium heat. The bread should be crispy and slightly browned, which generally takes about a minute or so on each side.
Now the most important part: smash a piece of garlic and rub it all over the toasted bread. It’s unbelievable how much flavor this little step adds! And to finish off the appetizer, you can either serve the toasts as is or even drizzle them with a bit of olive oil!
baked goat cheese dip: FAQs
Yes! I like to mix up the goat cheese dip a day ahead of time, store it in the fridge and bake it when you’re ready to eat. Just add a few minutes to the cook time if going straight from fridge to oven. The tomato topping can also be mixed up in advance, but I recommend adding the salt right before serving.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for several days.
We love to serve this as the centerpiece of a larger charcuterie board! Here are some of our favorite charcuterie picks to accompany the star of the show: salami, roasted red peppers, olives, dried figs, fruits (apples, pears, grapes) and mixed nuts. In addition to the crostini, chips and crackers are also excellent for dipping.
And if you need a few more appetizers to accompany your goat cheese crostini, give these a try!
- smoked deviled eggs
- spicy salmon cakes + cilantro lime aioli
- walnut and caramelized onion yogurt dip
- easy mango pico de gallo
baked goat cheese dip + crostini
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6
Description
Our deliciously creamy baked goat cheese dip is topped with fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil and served with crusty, garlicky crostini!
Ingredients
baked goat cheese dip
- goat cheese 8 oz (220 g)
- cream cheese 4 oz (110 g)
- grated parmesan ⅓ c (30 g)
- oregano ½ tsp
- olive oil 2 tbsp
- salt to taste
tomato basil topping
- cherry tomatoes, chopped 1 c (200 g)
- garlic 2 cloves
- basil 4 leaves
- olive oil 1 tbsp
- oregano ¼ tsp
- salt to taste
crostini
- french bread 1 loaf
- garlic 1 clove
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together all ingredients for the baked goat cheese until creamy and smooth. Place in a small baking dish* and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and the edges are beginning to brown.
- Make the tomato topping. Mince two cloves of garlic and tear the basil into small pieces. Place the chopped tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, oregano and salt in a small bowl and mix well.
- Slice the bread and slightly smash the last clove of garlic. Heat up a skillet over medium heat and toast each slice of bread (about 1-2 minutes on each side). Rub each slice of toasted bread with the garlic.
- When the goat cheese is cooked, top with the tomato mixture and serve with crostini.
Notes
Baking dish size: I used a 6-inch (15 cm) cast iron skillet to make this dip, but any small oven-safe dish will work well.
Storing: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for several days.
- Category: appetizers
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: global
Keywords: baked goat cheese dip; goat cheese crostini; goat cheese appetizer
This post may contain affiliate links through which we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products that we genuinely love and would use ourselves.
