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Goat Cheese Spread with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic is great for parties!
This recipe is a kind of a riff on a favorite recipe that my sister makes. Her very delicious version uses sun-dried tomatoes, but we have a ton of tomatoes this time of year and I mean to take full advantage of that bounty. Goat Cheese Spread with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic is the perfect way to do that.
Why you will love this recipe
This is the perfect way to bring a little more flavor to goat cheese. Goat cheese is already pretty tasty, of course, but this Goat Cheese Spread with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic is a few notches above what you might be used to. It uses seasonal ingredients, and it is pretty easy to make. It tastes best when it has a little time for the flavors to blend, so it’s a good make-ahead option.
Using Roasted tomatoes takes a bit of prep work
You can, of course, sub in sun-dried tomatoes for this recipe, but grape tomatoes are in abundant supply this time of year. So are garlic and fresh herbs, so that is what we are going to do.
You are even going to end up with a nice supply of really tasty roasted tomatoes that will be great on pasta, on a grilled cheese sandwich or a salad. You can roast just enough for the spread, but if I am going to fire up my oven for an hour, I want to make full use of it – I made a whole sheet pan of tomatoes and garlic!
Get the tomatoes and garlic ready
Slice all of the tomatoes lengthwise [or in half if using cherry tomatoes]. Separate a couple of garlic cloves from the head. No need to peel them. Break off some sprigs of fresh herbs [save some of the rosemary to add fresh later] Lay everything in a single layer on a sheet pan or in a shallow baking dish.
Use good quality oil
No seed oils for this. Use good olive oil or avocado oil – drizzle generously.
Roast low and slow
I like to set my oven to about 300°F to roast grape tomatoes. After 45 minutes, I turn them over and roast another 20 minutes or so. This ensures that they don’t hold onto moisture that would make your goat cheese spread too wet.
Once the tomatoes are roasted, the rest is super easy
Chop the tomatoes [discard the herbs] and garlic, and mix with a few other ingredients and your Goat Cheese Spread with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic is almost ready to go!
Have the Goat Cheese at room temperature
Remove the goat cheese from the refrigerator about an hour before you are ready to mix everything together. Cold goat cheese is a lot more difficult to blend up.
Refrigerate to blend the flavors
Put the spread into a nice little container that will look pretty for serving, and cover with plastic wrap to refrigerate for a few hours, or up to a few days.
How to make Goat Cheese Spread with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic
Goat Cheese Spread with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic
Equipment
- Oval Ramekins for serving
Ingredients
- about 25 large grape or small plum tomatoes
- 3 large garlic cloves - do not peel
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- a few springs of fresh herbs - rosemary, oregano, thyme, or what you prefer [these will be discarded after roasting the tomatoes]
- 8 ounces of room temperature goat cheese
- about 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh rosemary
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Set the oven to 300º.
- Line a large, heavy baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the tomatoes in half the long way, and place cut side up on the sheet pan.
- Scatter the garlic cloves around the pan, along with the fresh herbs.
- Drizzle everything with the olive oil, and season with the salt and pepper.
- Roast in the oven for about 40 minutes, turn the tomatoes over and roast another 20 minutes.
- Allow the tomatoes to cool on the pan, until they are cool enough to handle.
- You can remove the tomato skins if you like, or leave them on.
- Cut one end from the garlic cloves, and squeeze out the roasted clove inside.. Discard the rosemary.
- At this point, you can place the peeled tomatoes and the garlic cloves, along with the oil on the sheet pan in a glass dish, and store in the fridge for up to a week.
- When you are ready to make the spread, have all the ingredients at room temperature,
- Use a fork to mash up the cheese, in a shallow dish, then mash the roasted garlic into the cheese. Use a couple cloves at first and taste to see if that is enough - you can always add more later, but you can't take it out if you get too much in there.
- Mince up about 10 of the tomato halves, and blend into the cheese and garlic,
- Mix in the rosemary.
- Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Pack into a ramekin or other serving dish. You can sprinkle the top with a bit more minced rosemary if you like, and an additional drizzle of olive oil is nice as well.
- Serve at room temperature, with crostini, crackers, toasted pitas or fresh veggies.
- Refrigerate leftovers, but bring back to room temperature to serve.
Notes
Goat Cheese Spread with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic
is an amazing addition to your next party. Take it to a neighborhood potluck, or when you need to help out by bringing something to a cocktail party at a friend’s house. I love these little oval ramekins for serving.
I made some crostini type “crackers” with this English Muffin Toasting Bread and they were delicious!
Originally published in September 2014, updated in July 2019, and again in August 2024
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Looks yummy! I like the sound of the freshly roasted tomatoes. Will have to try this!
You will love it & thanks for the inspiration 🙂
Hi Donalyn:)
What a great idea to make a spread from those roasted tomatoes. I roasted and froze a bunch the last couple of weeks. I only wish I would have roasted smaller quanities. I did “throw” in some small batchs in cubes though so there is hope, lol…
I smiled to myself when you said about having a house full of company. Marion is expecting company up in a few weeks and she told them they better bring sleeping bags or a camper, lol…
Thanks for sharing, Donalyn….
I do the same Louise, and those little frozen gems are such a treat in the winter – we love them especially on pizza! And I love having a houseful of people!
Mmmmm – using roasted tomatoes in your goat cheese spread sounds really delicious! Great idea!
Thanks Amy – it is a pretty great flavor combo!
Your goat cheese spread looks amazing! I love being inspired with recipes from my friends and family and this looks like a keeper…especially with your homemade sun dried tomatoes 🙂
Me too Liz & my family is always a great source of inspiration!
Sounds like it was a full house! Lovely recipe, adore goat cheese!
It was Evelyne – so much fun!
I would eat the dip spoonful! The dip looks fantastic, Donalyn.
LOL – that is an incredible temptation Angie!
I love goat cheese and I love roast tomatoes. So you know where this is going, right? Yup, I’d love this! 😉 Great dish. And it’s nice to be back from vacation and reading your blog again!
Welcome back, John – so good to see you again 🙂
YUM, I love cheesy spreads! This looks like a super classy recipe 😀
Beautiful colour too!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks CCU – glad you like it 🙂
This looks really good!
Thanks so much Linda – I hope you get the chance to ry it!
That looks like a fantastic dip! And with home made sun dried tomatoes no less! 😀
Your spreads sounds delicious. I love the combination of goat cheese and roasted tomatoes.
This is such a nice spread…like the roasted tomatoes…beautiful color!
Hope you are having a great week Donalyn 😀
I can see the whole clan scooping this up. Well maybe not the baby. GREG
Oh YUM!!! I still have some fresh tomatoes in the garden and feta in the fridge. This looks like lunch tomorrow!
This looks delicious. I just want to make sure I’ve got this right. The 25 tomatoes in the ingredients list is to provide extras, and you really only need 5 grape tomatoes? You said 10 halves (5 tomatoes). Just want to make sure! I can’t wait to try it.
Caitlin – that is correct – some people like to use more tomatoes, or just have some to scoop up along with the spread, but the basic recipe calls for just the 10 halves. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
this looked perfect for a wine tasting I hosted and everyone just loved it.
It would be great for a party like that, I agree.