Herb Marinated Goat Cheese

This easy crostini appetizer is perfect for summer! A flavorful herb marinade on slices of tangy goat cheese.

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I don’t know how I ever lived without goat cheese.

I don’t even really remember when I first tried it, actually. I just kind of remember that there was no goat cheese in my life until I was maybe 19 or 20ish. And then suddenly, there it was. The perfect creamy, tangy, spreadable addition to a cheese-plate-for-dinner. The best new mix-in for my favorite pasta sauces. A delightfully tart note in warm fall soups. Basically, the bomb dot com.

Ahhhhh, cheese.

I’m what you might call a cheese person. I love cheese. All the cheese. At all the times. You know how it goes.

But if you made me pick a favorite? (Which obviously you wouldn’t, because we = BFFs and fellow cheese lovers and you knooooooowwwww how cruel it is to make someone pick a favorite cheese out of all the cheeses because CHEESE). But if you MADE me. As part of some cheese-related global emergency. Or cheese-pocalypse. Or some other very very extenuating circumstances in which picking a favorite cheese would be 100% necessary and unavoidable and for the good of all mankind or whatever.

It would be goat cheese.

Plain ol’ goat cheese is great on its own, but sometimes even the cheesiest cheesers among us need to mix it up a little bit.

When I need a little variation (but not so much variation that I eat something that isn’t goat cheese), this recipe is my go-to. It’s the simplest, most wonderful appetizer/snacky meal (or, ahem, breakfast+lunch+dinner #FoodBloggerProblems). Goat cheese has a great tang and brightness to it – so it really stands out among the rich olive oil and earthy herbs in this marinade.

Also, you’ll have a bunch of extra herb-infused olive oil to soak up with a few dozen pieces of crusty, delicious bread. (I am also a bread person).

My favorite thing about this goat cheese – aside from how easy it is, because did I mention it takes all of five minutes to prep? – is that it’s one of those blank-canvas-type recipes. No need to make a list and go to the store or plan very far ahead.

I used basil, thyme, and chives in this marinade because it’s what I had on hand. But use whatever you’ve got in the garden or in the fridge and make it your own!

Herb Marinated Goat Cheese

• Author: Jessie
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6-8 as an appetizer 1x

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Description

Easy but elegant herb marinated goat cheese.

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Ingredients

• 1 10-oz. goat cheese log
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme (remove the leaves for use in the marinade and toss or compost the stems)
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
• 1 sourdough or french baguette, sliced

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Instructions

1. Slice the goat cheese log into discs about 1/3″ thick. I like to pop the goat cheese in the freezer for 10 minutes before I slice it – it helps to slice the cheese more easily and helps the slices hold their shape.
2. Lay goat cheese slices down in a single layer in a 9×13 pan or a container with a tight-fitting lid.
3. In a large measuring cup, mix olive oil, basil, salt, pepper, thyme leaves, and chives (or whatever herbs you have on hand!) together.
4. Pour olive oil and herb mixture over the goat cheese and cover the container with an airtight lid or wrap. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
5. Remove goat cheese from fridge about 20 minutes before you’re ready to serve. This will let the cheese soften a bit so it’s easier to spread on bread or crackers.
6. Serve goat cheese with baguette slices and enjoy!

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Notes

Use whatever combination of herbs you have on hand – basil, thyme, chives, dill, rosemary, you name it! You can also experiment with adding additional flavors, like lemon juice, red pepper flakes, jalapeño slices, etc.

Be sure to use a good quality olive oil.

You can toast the baguette slices before serving if you like, but I kind of like to keep them untoasted so that once the cheese is gone we can use the rest of the bread to soak up any remaining olive oil.