This dish is a delicious, savory, salty appetizer with earthy tomatoes and tangy goat cheese. It can also be a hearty dinner with the addition of meatballs and a salad.
On the Ingredients
- Tomatoes originated in Mexico and South America. They were enjoyed by indigenous people long before the Spanish came to the continent and were soon brought to Europe, where they became very popular. Most people now know that the tomato is a fruit, not a vegetable, but even more technically, it’s actually a berry. Tomatoes are 95% water, the rest being carbohydrates and fiber. They’re a good source of vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K1, and folate. (Read more about tomatoes.)
- Soft goat cheese has a distinct creamy but crumbly texture and tangy flavor. Not only is it delicious, but goat cheese is also rich in nutrients. It also contains less lactose than cow milk cheese, making it more digestible for some who have lactose intolerance. Goat milk also mainly contains A2-type casein rather than A1. A1 can cause bloating and digestive discomfort like lactose does. (Read more about goat milk cheese).
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
You can use feta instead of goat cheese for a delicious variation!
Baked Goat Cheese with Garlic Bread
Servings
4-6
servingsPrep time
15
minutesCooking time
35
minutesTotal time
50
minutesThis dish is a delicious, savory, salty appetizer with earthy tomatoes and tangy goat cheese. It can also be a hearty dinner with the addition of meatballs and a salad.
Ingredients
- Baked Goat Cheese Ingredients
2 cups of tomato sauce
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup fresh basil (chopped)
8 oz of plain goat cheese (chèvre)
salt and pepper to taste
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
1 tsp olive oil
- Garlic Bread Ingredients
1 small loaf of sourdough bread (sliced)
3/4 stick of butter
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F.
- Lightly grease a small skillet or baking pan (roughly 6” round) and combine the tomato sauce, garlic, pepper flakes, and basil.
- Using damp hands, shape the goat cheese into a flat disk, about an inch smaller than the baking pan. Place the cheese on top of the tomato sauce and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is soft and warm through. Salt and pepper the top.
- In a small pan, melt the butter and add the minced garlic. Let the garlic cook in the butter for about 30 seconds, then remove from the heat.
- Lay out the bread slices on a cookie sheet. Spoon the butter and garlic onto the bread, dividing it evening between each slice and leaving a few tbsp of butter in the pan.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the bread, is toasted and golden brown on the bottoms. Drizzle the remaining butter over each piece. Set aside.
- Heat a dry skillet over high heat until just before it begins to smoke. Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan and let them sit undisturbed for 1 minute.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and drizzle with olive oil, stirring to coat.
- Cook for 5-8 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and about to burst. Remove from heat, place on top of the baked goat cheese, and mix. Serve hot with garlic bread.
