This easy whipped goat cheese appetizer is perfect for spreading on crostini or using as a creamy dip! With just three ingredients and plenty of serving and substitution ideas to make it your own.
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If you haven’t tried whipped goat cheese yet, please allow me to introduce your new appetizer BFF.
It packs all the tang, flavor, and vibrance of goat cheese in an ultra-creamy dip that’s rich, perfectly spreadable, and goes with just about everything (all the qualities we look for in our favorite goat cheese recipes, right?)
And sure, am I just telling you how to put three things in a food processor and hit “blend”?
Yes. Yes I am.
But I promise: This stuff is life-changing.
How to make whipped goat cheese:
- Crumble a large log of goat cheese (8-10 ounces) into the bowl of a food processor with a scoop of cream cheese and a pinch of salt.
- Blend it up.
- That’s it. That’s the whole recipe. YOU’RE WELCOME.
What type of goat cheese should I use?
You don’t need anything especially fancy for this recipe – use whatever brand of plain goat cheese you usually like!
I typically grab a single 8-ounce log from Vermont Creamery, Cypress Grove, or a generic grocery store brand like Wegmans or Whole Foods.
Go for a log of soft goat cheese (also called chevre) – stay away from anything with a rind, aged goat cheeses, and any solid or sliced cheeses.
Riffs, Additions, and Substitutions
This is a great blank-canvas recipe: It’s easy to adapt, customize, and enhance with whatever you have on hand. Some of our favorite twists on this recipe:
Switch up the cheeses
This method works well with feta and ricotta, too!
You can add a handful of grated parmesan cheese if you like, but more than 1/3 cup or so will change the texture and make it grainy. For best results, stick to softer cheeses that blend smoothly.
Add your favorite mix-ins
For bigger, bolder flavor, add a few mix-ins when you blend this goat cheese dip. Some of our favorites:
- 1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice or a sprinkle of lemon zest for a bright pop of flavor
- A handful of fresh herbs (basil, chives, parsley, cilantro, dill, rosemary, and sage are all good!)
- A drizzle of honey or agave syrup for added sweetness.
- A cup or two of roasted veggies for a pop of color – we love adding roasted beets or roasted butternut squash! Adding sturdy veggies will make the dip thicker and give it some texture.
- Caramelized onions and/or roasted garlic for a boost of rich, earthy flavor.
Can I make it without cream cheese?
The cream cheese in this recipe is important because it’s naturally much creamier than goat cheese – that little bit of cream cheese helps turn this into a smooth, creamy dip!
If you don’t have cream cheese or don’t love the flavor, you can use 2-3 Tablespoons of heavy cream in its place.
How to use your whipped goat cheese:
Spread it over crostini!
This creamy goat cheese spread is the perfect base for crostini. Some of our favorite toppings (pictured above):
- Blackberries, fresh herbs, and herb-infused honey. Easily my favorite crostini recipe of all time. Grab the full blackberry crostini recipe here!
- Roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, and balsamic glaze. Roast some cherry tomatoes with salt, pepper, and olive oil until soft, or sauté them in a skillet until they burst.
- Honey, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. Simple and delicious!
- Sliced peaches, fresh basil, and balsamic glaze. We love this simple peach bruschetta recipe (perfect for summer!)
- Strawberries, fresh basil, and honey. We love tossing the strawberries with a bit of balsamic vinegar and salt in this strawberry crostini recipe!
- Sliced salami, prosciutto, and other charcuterie with a sprinkle of finishing salt.
Use it to dress up other side dishes
One way to instantly glam up a side dish: Use a large spoon to swirl some creamy whipped goat cheese across a plate and top it with whatever you’re serving. We love using this recipe as a base for:
- Roasted Cauliflower
- Roasted Beets (or an easy beet salad!)
- Fresh tomatoes (or a summer tomato salad!)
- Poached or fried eggs (serve with toast and drizzle with a bit of harissa sauce or herb pesto, OMG)
And so much more!
- Use a layer of goat cheese as the base for homemade pizza (we love adding mushrooms and fresh herbs!)
- Pop a dollop on top of your favorite pasta for extra flavor (we love it on this easy spicy tomato pasta!)
- Serve it as a dip with plenty of fresh veggies (carrots, celery, radishes, cherry tomatoes, OH MY), toast, pita chips, or tortilla chips.
- Use it as the base for an easy savory tomato galette.
Video: How to make whipped goat cheese
Note: The video above shows fresh cracked pepper being added to the goat cheese. You can add pepper if you like, but it’s not necessary (we don’t call for it in the recipe!) We’re in the process of updating this video.
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Whipped Goat Cheese (Video)
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 5 min
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: Makes about 1.5 cups 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This easy whipped goat cheese recipe makes a creamy spread that’s perfect as a dip, over crostini, or added to your favorite pasta!
Ingredients
- 8–10 ounces goat cheese (one large goat cheese log)
- 2 ounces cream cheese (about 1/4 cup)
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Crumble goat cheese into the bowl of a food processor. Add cream cheese and a pinch of kosher salt.
- Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the food processor as needed. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Notes
What type of goat cheese should I use? We recommend a basic, 8-10 ounce log of goat cheese (also called chevre) for this recipe. You definitely don’t need anything fancy, so use a goat cheese that you usually like! We like Vermont Creamery, Cypress Grove, or most generic grocery store brands like Wegmans or Whole Foods. Go for a log of soft goat cheese – stay away from anything with a rind, aged goat cheeses, any any solid/sliced cheeses.
Additions and Substitutions. For extra flavor, add a splash of lemon juice or lemon zest; fresh herbs like basil, chives, parsley, sage, etc.; a drizzle of honey; a cup of roasted beets or butternut squash (this will make a thicker dip), caramelized onions or roasted garlic. Swap 2-3 Tablespoons of heavy cream for the cream cheese if you prefer (just note that heavy cream may create a thinner texture). You can also use feta or ricotta in place of the goat cheese. Be sure to read the post above for additional notes on substitutions and riffs!
How to serve this whipped goat cheese. Spread over crostini and top with herbs, berries, charcuterie, or roasted tomatoes (read the post above for a full list of crostini recipes!); spread a thin layer on a serving plate and top with salads, roasted veggies, or eggs; use as the base for homemade pizza or a tomato galette; add a dollop to your favorite pasta recipe; serve as a dip with veggies, chips, or crostini.
How to store and freeze. Store goat cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. The goat cheese will remain quite soft even when cold, but if you want it to be more spreadable let it come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes on the counter before using. You can freeze this recipe for 2-3 months: let it defrost overnight in the fridge and give it a good stir before serving. It should stay relatively smooth even after freezing, but if you’d like it to be creamier you can pop it back in the food processor to smooth it out a bit.
What if I don’t have a food processor? You can use a hand mixer to whip the goat cheese and cream cheese together if you need to – just put everything in a large non-glass bowl and blend with the hand beater. It won’t be quite as smooth as the food processor method, and a hand mixer doesn’t always work well with mix-ins, but it will get you pretty close! Regular blenders and immersion blenders unfortunately don’t work well for this recipe.
Keywords: appetizer, entertaining, chevre
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