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marinated goat cheese appetizer with olive oil and spices in an orange serving dish
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4.82 from 11 votes

Marinated Goat Cheese

Marinated goat cheese with olive oil, thyme, and a bit of spice is one of the easiest and most crowd-pleasing appetizers we know.
Prep Time5 minutes
Additional Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Snacks and Starters
Cuisine: American
Keyword: marinated goat cheese
Servings: 8
Calories: 92kcal
Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

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

  1. 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.
  2. Use a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil, since you'll really taste it.
  3. Simple crackers and/or toasted baguette make a great accompaniment. Apple and pear slices would work well, too.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
I first published this recipe here in 2010, adapted from Joy of Cooking. I've updated the post for clarity, but the recipe remains the same.

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.3g | Protein: 5.3g | Fat: 7.8g | Fiber: 0.1g