baked goat cheese in fresh herb and tomato sauce : a small batch recipe for two. (2024)

the ultimate date night appetizer!

Oh boy. I am REALLY excited to share this baked goat cheese in fresh herb and tomato sauce recipe with you. It’s my version of one of my all-time favorite tapas recipes, which is served at a local restaurant in Kansas City.

baked goat cheese in fresh herb and tomato sauce : a small batch recipe for two. (1)

I love goat cheese, but I prefer to enjoy it in harmony with other flavors. It can tend to be a little overpowering sometimes, but I think the fresh herb tomato sauce is a perfect companion for balancing out those sharp flavors.

baked goat cheese in fresh herb and tomato sauce : a small batch recipe for two. (2)

Combine the bright, tangy flavor of goat cheese with the savory richness of roasted tomato sauce, and you’ve got a little piece of heaven coming for your tastebuds on a garlic rubbed crostini.

baked goat cheese in fresh herb and tomato sauce : a small batch recipe for two. (3)

So … you’ve probably noticed the abundance of herb photos thus far. I also want to take this opportunity to show off my cute little oregano and basil leaves that I’ve been growing on my balcony. They’ve been there for an entire month, and they’re still alive. 🙂

baked goat cheese in fresh herb and tomato sauce : a small batch recipe for two. (4)

Oh, and my aunt bought me these super cute measuring spoons, so here’s some more photos of these little herbs that I love … in cute measuring spoons. 🙂

baked goat cheese in fresh herb and tomato sauce : a small batch recipe for two. (5)Last one! 😀

baked goat cheese in fresh herb and tomato sauce : a small batch recipe for two. (6)

Whew! Ok. The herb gallery is done. Thanks for hanging in there. Now let’s get down to business. If you can use fresh herbs in the sauce, it really does make a difference. But there’s no way I’m going to get all preach-y about fresh ingredients, so you can definitely used the dried stuff if that’s what you’ve got on hand. I actually topped the end product with a little bit of dried Italian seasonings, and it was an awesome flavor addition.

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Blend the petite tomatoes, onions, herbs, crushed red pepper, and freshly grated Parmesan together in a small blender. But only pulse it a time or two; you still want the sauce to be a little chunky. In a small saute pan, cook a little garlic in olive oil. Pour the tomato sauce into the saute pan, and add salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer for about 5-7 minutes, so the flavors can really start to come together. Then, pour the sauce into a small, oven safe dish.

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Top the tomato sauce with goat cheese, and broil the dish until the goat cheese is slightly browned. (Or more browned, if you like.) This only takes a couple of minutes, and it’s legit, guys. This is some legit [at home] date night stuff that I seriously cannot get enough of.

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For garnish, I topped mine with a pinch of dried Italian herb seasoning and freshly cracked black pepper. This is perfect if you’re using a Latin theme for your date night at home, or some sort of Italian theme. You can seriously do whatever you want. You couldjust eat this whole thing, make another one, and be like … yeah. That was the best dinner ever.

baked goat cheese in fresh herb and tomato sauce : a small batch recipe for two. (10)

I also want to recommend pairing the ‘baked goat cheese in fresh herb and tomato sauce’ with some bodacious red wine, like Sangiovese. Goat cheese on it’s own is great to pair with acidic white wines, but this tomato sauce really calls for a red wine, in my opinion. Sangiovese lends more acidic, so it’s an awesome call if you’re wanting to go with a red. We’ve also been on a Beaujolais kick lately, and that goes with damn near anything. No matter what you pair it with, I hope you love it as much as I do!

baked goat cheese in fresh herb and tomato sauce : a small batch recipe for two. (11)

> PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER! <

baked goat cheese in fresh herb and tomato sauce : a small batch recipe for two. (12)

Recipe Card

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baked goat cheese in fresh herb and tomato sauce : a small batch recipe for two.

Author sara rose : a flavor journal.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings 2 people

creamy goat cheese is baked in spicy, fresh herb tomato sauce and served with garlic crostinis. the ultimate appetizer for date night.

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup petite cut tomatoes with olive oil and garlic
  • 2 Tbsp. white onion chopped
  • 1/2 Tbsp. fresh Italian oregano leaves
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 Tbsp. parmesan freshly grated from block
  • 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup goat cheese
  • garlic rubbed crostinis

Instructions

  • In a small blender, combine petite cut tomatoes, white onion, crushed red pepper, oregano leaves, basil leaves, and parmesan. Pulse for only 5-10 seconds, just to blend. Be sure to leave it a little chunky.

  • Pour olive oil into a small saute pan, and heat through. Add minced garlic, and cook until softened fragrant: up to one minute. Add the chunky tomato sauce. Stir olive oil and garlic with tomato sauce, and allow it all to simmer for 5-7 minutes.

  • Remove sauce from heat, and pour directly into a small, shallow, oven safe dish. Top with 1/4 cup fresh goat cheese, and broil until the cheese is browned. (Only a couple minutes).

  • Serve hot with crostinis.

Notes

For garlic rubbed crostinis:
Drizzle crostinis in extra virgin olive oil, and bake at 350 until hard (only about 5 minutes). After you remove them from the oven, while they're still hot, rub a fresh garlic clove across the surface of each crostini. The garlic will melt into the hot crostini, and create an amazing flavor! Be sure you hold the crostinis with tongs or an oven mitt, as they can be super hot while you do this.
If you're using dried basil and oregano, start with 1/2 tsp. oregano, and 1 tsp. basil. Adjust accordingly to your taste!

Nutrition

Calories: 130kcal

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baked goat cheese in fresh herb and tomato sauce : a small batch recipe for two. (2024)

FAQs

How is goat cheese made step by step? ›

Chevre is an easy cheese to make at home, simply bring fresh goats milk to room temperature, add culture and a few drops of rennet, give it a quick stir, cover the pot and set aside for 18-24 hours. Once set, drain the curd in a butter muslin lined colander, flavor with salt and enjoy.

How do you make goat cheese taste better? ›

Adding Flavors

You can mix herbs, fruit, jam, nuts, seeds, or even balsamic vinegar right into the goat cheese. To get a swirly ribbon of honey, jam, or balsamic, put a layer of cheese down, then drizzle your preferred sauce on top, then another layer of cheese to fully cover the sauce.

What are the disadvantages of goat cheese? ›

Saturated fat content: Despite being lower in fat than some other cheeses, goat cheese does contain saturated fats. Diets high in saturated fats have been linked to increased levels of cholesterol, potentially impacting heart health. Moderation is key to enjoying the benefits without the drawbacks.

Is goat cheese good for your heart? ›

Goat cheese normally has less sodium too, which can help control blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease.

How is fresh goat cheese made? ›

How Goat Cheese Is Made. Goat cheese is made using either pasteurized or raw goat's milk. After warming the milk to around 65 F, a starter culture is added to begin fermenting the milk, followed by rennet, which begins the coagulation of the milk proteins, i.e. forming curds, a process take takes a day or two.

What makes a good goat cheese? ›

Good fresh goat cheese is a special and important thing. It should be moist and creamy, without a hint of graininess. Its flavor should be clean and fresh, mouthwateringly tangy but not astringent, lemony but also milky and balanced. An unaged cheese has nowhere to hide its faults.

How long does homemade goat cheese last? ›

By adopting good wrapping and storage habits, your cheese could last for 2 to 3 weeks, and it will be more hygienic and taste better.

Why is my goat cheese rubbery? ›

Rubbery cheese can happen when an excess amount of rennet is used, too much rennet equals a rubber ball, too little, soup!

What goes best with goat cheese? ›

In summer, you might combine fresh goat cheese with slices of peach, apricot or nectarine, or even red berries (cherries or redcurrants). Once autumn arrives, choose apples, pears, figs or grapes as the perfect accompaniment to more aged cheeses.

Why is goat cheese controversial? ›

Mother goats are beaten and abused on goat farms.

When they tried to get away, workers grabbed them by their horns or legs, dragged them back into position, and kept beating them. They were herded into the milking parlor twice a day, and such vicious attacks appear to be standard.

Who should not eat goat meat? ›

People who generate more heat: People with a high fever, phlegm, toothache, ulcers, acne, or hemorrhoids should avoid eating goat meat since it can worsen these issues. Children: High amounts of goat meat are not recommended for children, because their livers and kidneys cannot handle too much protein.

Why do I not like goat cheese? ›

Others have tried goat cheese before and despised it because of a tangy, strong flavor that is associated with goat cheese known as “goatyness'. While cheese makers can't control whether people try new things or not, they can control the level of “goatyness” a cheese has.

Is goat cheese good for blood pressure? ›

Some types are more likely to raise your blood pressure than others. Keep it down with cheeses that are naturally low in sodium, like Swiss, which has 75 milligrams per 1-ounce serving. Goat, ricotta, and fresh mozzarella are good, too. Processed and hard cheeses such as American and cottage cheese have more sodium.

Is it OK to eat goat cheese everyday? ›

Goat cheese can be high in fat, though not as high as cheeses made from cow's milk. Nevertheless, you should still consume it in moderation to avoid weight gain.

What are the worst foods for high blood pressure? ›

4 foods to avoid with high blood pressure
  1. Salty foods. We should have no more than 6g of salt a day, which is about a teaspoon. ...
  2. Sugary and fatty foods. Sugar and fat may not directly affect your blood pressure, but foods that are high in fat and sugar are high-calorie foods. ...
  3. Alcohol. ...
  4. Excess caffeine.
Feb 2, 2024

Where can I find rennet? ›

You can often find rennet at health food stores. If you don't have a health food store near you, or if you can't find one that carries it, you can also order your rennet online. The most common rennet brand is Junket. It's the one you are likely to find in stores.

Why is goat cheese so expensive? ›

The four animals most widely known as the sources of milk for cheesemaking are cows, goats, sheep, and water buffalo. To understand why goat milk cheese is more expensive than cow milk cheese, consider the availability of the milk, the production process of the cheese, and the supply chain (or 'path to market').

Is goat cheese made out of goat? ›

Goat cheese is produced using goat milk, the milk of domestic goats. Goat milk is commonly used to make cultured dairy products, including cheese.

Is goat cheese made with raw milk? ›

Raw goat milk adds depth of flavor to this sweet, fruity cheddar goat cheese. Aged for a minimum of 60 days, this raw cheddar cheese develops a rich and nutty flavor with a creamy body. The raw goat milk we use for our raw cheeses is thermized at 145˚F for 15 seconds.

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