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Marinated goat cheese with olive oil, thyme, and a bit of spice is one of the easiest and most crowd-pleasing appetizers we know. It’s an entertaining protip that everyone should know.
Why we love this recipe
This lightning-fast hors d’oeuvre is equally good for a spontaneous cocktail party and at the holidays. It keeps people happy while freeing you up to do other things.
Just add a cute spreading knife and a box of crackers (or some toasted baguette slices, if you’ve got all the time in the world), and you’ve got a crowd-pleasing starter in just a few minutes. It’s:
- Beautifully creamy
- A little bit tangy
- A touch spicy
- Delightfully savory
Regardless of what else you’re serving and how hard you’ve worked on it, this dish will always be a favorite. It really makes you think.
I first published this recipe here in 2010, adapted from Joy of Cooking. I’ve since updated the post for clarity, but the recipe remains the same.
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the short list of ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Fresh goat cheese (also called chèvre) is creamy, tangy, and savory. It’s so good on its own that marinating it is almost ridiculous — in the best possible way.
- Use a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil, since you’ll really taste it.
- Fresh thyme pairs beautifully with goat cheese, but so do many other herbs and herb blends, and you can get creative here. From chives to za’atar, the sky’s the limit.
How to make it
Here’s what you’ll do to make a fabulous marinated goat cheese appetizer in five minutes. It couldn’t be easier.
- Place the chèvre into a shallow serving dish — or divide it in half and place it into two dishes for easier access for many hands.
- Pour the olive oil overtop.
- Sprinkle on the thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature before serving with crackers or toasted baguette slices. (This isn’t strictly necessary, but it does help the flavors to meld a bit.)
Expert tips and FAQs
Simple crackers and/or toasted baguette make a great accompaniment. Apple and pear slices would work well, too.
Chèvre plays well with a wide variety of flavors. Instead of (or in addition to) thyme, try: basil, chervil, chives, fennel seeds, garlic, lemon zest, mint, scallions, parsley, rosemary, sage, or tarragon.
Spice blends like herbes de Provence, za’atar, or dukkah would be great.
Beyond herbs, other great additions include chopped almonds, pistachios, walnuts, or pecans, a drizzle of honey, chopped olives, chopped dried apricots or cherries.
Absolutely. Prep it up to 24 hours in advance right in the serving dish, cover tightly and refrigerate if you’ll be keeping it for more than an hour or two. Pull it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving.
More favorite ways to use fresh goat cheese
- Escarole, chicory, & endive salad
- Raw beet salad
- Puff pastry apple tart
- Saffron risotto
- Sweet and savory strawberry bruschetta
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Marinated Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 8- ounce 227-gram log fresh goat cheese (chèvre)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons picked fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as Maldon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the goat cheese in a small, shallow serving dish (or cut it in half and place it in two dishes).
- Pour the olive oil overtop, and then sprinkle the goat cheese with the thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
- Leave to rest, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 30 minutes.
- Serve with crackers or toasted slices of baguette.
Notes
- Fresh goat cheese (also called chèvre) is creamy, tangy, and savory. It’s so good on its own that marinating it is almost ridiculous — in the best possible way.
- Use a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil, since you’ll really taste it.
- Simple crackers and/or toasted baguette make a great accompaniment. Apple and pear slices would work well, too.
- Chèvre plays well with a wide variety of flavors. Instead of (or in addition to) thyme, try: basil, chervil, chives, fennel seeds, garlic, lemon zest, mint, scallions, parsley, rosemary, sage, or tarragon. Spice blends like herbes de Provence, za’atar, or dukkah would be great. Beyond herbs, other great additions include chopped almonds, pistachios, walnuts, or pecans, a drizzle of honey, chopped olives, chopped dried apricots or cherries.
- Prep this dish up to 24 hours in advance right in the serving dish, cover tightly and refrigerate if you’ll be keeping it for more than an hour or two. Pull it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hungry for more?
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This looks like the ideal party appetizer-simple, delicious, and doesn’t require any last minute fuss!
Good morning. My 3 year old son is allergic to dairy so goat cheese was introduced to me through him. This recipe sounds great. Question: why do you have to tent the plastic wrap?
This is one of my go-to apps, and whenever I serve it people think it is SO fancy, even though it’s not. I often make with herbs de’Provence, and it’s similarly delicious. But how could it not be? It’s goat cheese. mmmm.
Sally H, that’s great that you make your own goat cheese. I think chevre submerged in olive oil would keep for quite a while in the fridge, a month or more I’d guess. You’d certainly know if it’s no longer good, though I suspect that would be small comfort after you’d made it yourself. Do you ever freeze it? Tightly wrapped in plastic and then foil, it should keep for months with not too much degradation in taste or texture.
Kate, roasted garlic would make an amazing addition. A few slivers of raw garlic would be great, too.
Jenn, No Onion, Debs, Jill, thanks, ladies. Seriously, I hardly lifted a finger.
So… first of all, Umami Girl… you are always an A-lister to me! And that cheese… was FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC! :o) and beautifully presented!!
Congrats, Christina on winning the Pot! :o)
This would be a fab party pleaser. And we all like parties!!!!!
I love our local goat cheese (Donnay) in marinated form, though for some reason the local cheese shop nearly doubles the price. I keep meaning to just make it on my own, but their version is slightly more time consuming with roasted garlic. So so so good.
Hummmm. See, I make illegal goat cheese. No, really, it is illegal in my state to sell cheese unless you have a facility blessed by the state. Since that would cost upwards of $20,000, mine cheese is unsellable. I’m wondering, if I submerge the fresh cheese in olive oil and spices, how long will it last before going bad? After brineing my feta sits in olive oil indefinitely. I’ve never tried it with chevre.
Oh, I love goat cheese (though the love was a bit difficult at the beginning 😉 I totally agree its one of the best appetizers in the world!
That goat cheese looks amazing!