With a crunchy golden crust and a warm creamy center, Baked Goat Cheese is easy to make and undeniably delectable. Serve as an appetizer along with crackers or artisan crisps. Or slide onto lightly dressed mixed greens to elevate a ho hum salad into something totally mouthwatering.
You'll need just four simple ingredients and a little forethought to make these breaded goat cheese rounds. They need to chill for an hour in the refrigerator before baking. Or make them several hours ahead, refrigerate, and bake just before serving for a convenient date night or dinner party appetizer.
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Ingredients You Need to Make Baked Goat Cheese
- Goat Cheese: Soft goat cheese logs are just right for cutting into uniform rounds.
- Olive Oil: Your favorite good quality extra-virgin olive oil.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: You can use regular breadcrumbs, but I highly recommend panko for their light, crispy crunch.
- Kosher Salt
- Optional - Artisan Crisps: Your favorite variety of artisan crisp or other cracker. Or make your own Lavosh Crackers or Homemade Artisan Crisps.
- Optional - Mixed Baby Greens: To add a bit of freshness to your goat cheese appetizer plate.
- Optional - Red Wine Vinegar: Champagne vinegar, white wine vinegar, or balsamic vinegar would also be delicious for a simple vinaigrette.
- Optional - Freshly Ground Black Pepper
This recipe envisions a pretty individual appetizer plate, including a tiny mound of lightly dressed greens and a stack of artisan crisps or crackers. But you can make just the baked goat cheese rounds to enjoy how ever you like.
Recipe Options
- Add a little heat to the breadcrumbs by adding a pinch of red pepper flakes or
- Stir in ½ teaspoon of dry oregano or thyme into the breadcrumbs for a more herbaceous baked goat cheese appetizer.
- Instead of crackers or crisps, serve with thinly sliced baguette baked into crostini.
Goat Cheese FAQ
When baked in the oven, goat cheese gets warm and soft, but doesn't melt into a puddle like cheddar or mozzarella would. Refrigerating the breadcrumb coated rounds before baking ensures that the crust will have time to crisp and turn golden without overcooking the goat cheese. You can also substitute soft goat cheese for cream cheese in many recipes.
Though it doesn't melt like cheeses like brie or fontina, it will melt when tossed with hot pasta or stirred into hot soups or sauces.
More Appetizer Recipes
- Bacon Wrapped Shrimp (There's a secret to making them succulent and perfectly cooked every time.)
- Salt Potatoes (Serve these at a party and people will seek you out for the recipe!)
- Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus (Always a crowd pleaser.)
- Bacon Wrapped Dates (6 different ways - choose one or make them all! A must for every holiday party.)
- Bacon Wrapped Pineapple
- Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms
How to Make Baked Goat Cheese
Step 1: Slice goat cheese logs into equal rounds. Dip one round in a small bowl of olive oil and turn with tongs until all sides are coated. Transfer to plate of panko breadcrumbs mixed with kosher salt; use tongs or your fingers to coat on all sides. Place coated round on a shallow baking dish lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining rounds. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
Step 2: Bake chilled rounds in a 450˚F oven uncovered 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Step 3: Meanwhile, toss mixed greens with a splash of red wine vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil (or a splash of Champagne Vinaigrette). Season to taste with salt and pepper and divide among 4 appetizer plates. Divide warm goat cheese rounds among plates and serve with crackers or artisan crisps.
Baked Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil plus more for tossing with greens
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning greens
- 2 4-ounce goat cheese logs
- 5 ounces mixed baby greens
- red wine vinegar
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- artisan bread crisps or crostini for serving
Instructions
- Line a small, shallow baking dish with parchment paper.
- Pour olive oil into a small bowl. On a small plate, stir together panko breadcrumbs and salt. Slice each goat cheese log into 4 equal rounds. Use tongs to dip each round first into olive oil, then breadcrumb mixture to coat all sides and place in prepared baking dish. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
- When ready to bake goat cheese, preheat oven to 450˚F.
- Bake goat cheese rounds, uncovered 10 minutes, or until breading is crisp and golden brown and cheese is soft.
- While goat cheese bakes, toss salad greens in a large bowl with a little olive oil and a few splashes of red wine vinegar. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- To serve as a single appetizer, arrange greens, baked goat cheese, and artisan bread crisps or crostini on large serving platter. Or to serve as individual appetizers, place a round of goat cheese, 2 crisps or crostini, and a small serving of dressed greens on 4 small plates. Serve.
Notes
- Note that nutrition information does not include artisan crisps or crackers.
Tried these today. They are great though my goat cheese was not saying in the nice round while coating them. Any suggestions as to how to correct that? Still tasted great!
Hi Amy! So glad you enjoyed these. Be sure that the coated rounds are well chilled before baking. That should help them to hold their nice round shape.
I have found out that I am allergic to wheat and corn.. instead of panko breading, could I do some sort of almond flour or coconut flour?
I was wondering the same. Have you tried that yet? I'm also wondering if you could just bake the cheese without the crumbs, like Parmesan cirsps?
Why not substitute crushed pork rinds?
I served them with some fig jam, lightLy drizzled over the hot cheese. Do try it.
Jacque
So glad you enjoyed these, Jacque! The fig jam is a nice finishing touch.
Can these be made and placed in the fridge ahead of time (night before for example)
Hi Regina! Yes, you can assemble these the night before, but you'll want to bake them just before serving so the breading gets crispy and the cheese is warm.
This is so clever, Marissa. We eat a lot of goat cheese, so why haven't I tried a baked version!? That has to change soon! The Panko would be JUST the right amount of crunchiness! Yum!
Excited for you to try this, Katherine! I promise you'll love it.
Hello...my name is Dawn and I LOVE cheese!! Seriously, though...all the cheese! It's no surprise that I'm loving this recipe, Marissa! Crispy coated goat cheese? Yes please!
haha...you crack me up, Dawn! Thank you.
I absolutely love goat cheese! However, I don't think I've ever had a warmed goat cheese before. I can see how this would be amazing spread over crackers. Pop open a bottle of vino, and I'd be all set here!
Love how you think, David! I think you and Laura would love this!
I love all possible cheese appetizers and baked cheese, but I've never tried baked goat cheese. It looks awesome! It would be a great addition to a salad, but most likely I'd gobble it up just as it is lol. I would also add honey as another optional topping, too.
Honey is a great idea, Ben!
This is gorgeous and sounds delicious Marissa. I love goat cheese and I love all those elements and I have them ALL to make…THANKS!!
Thank you so much, Rahul!
I saw this on Instagram and was immediately hungry for it! So delicious - and perfect with salad greens and a lovely glass of white wine!
Thank you, Alex! Sounds like the perfect combination!
After seeing this one on Instagram, I had to pop over. Love goat cheese, and the crispy coating on these goat cheese slices is so inviting! Great idea for a weekend appetizer!
Thanks so much, Leanne!
Crisp golden panko crust and soft warm goat cheese in one bite...It must have tasted really amazing. The bread crisps are looking great too.
Super tasty for sure! Thank you, Angie.