Is there anything better than hot, bubbly, baked cheese? As far as I’m concerned, not much beats it, and it tastes even better when it takes 15 minutes to make and requires only two ingredients.
This baked goat cheese in tomato sauce is inspired by a dish my sister and I love to have at our local pasta joint, because pre-gaming carbs and sauce with carbs and sauce is sort of a special skill of ours.
There’s not much to this recipe – I kept this super simple by using store-bought sauce, but you could certainly make your own if you have the time and the desire. I think a good quality store-bought sauce is actually better for this recipe, though, because you get that distinctly marinara vibe that the dip really calls for. The only real tip I’ve got for you after making this a few times is that the goat cheese needs to be added to the dish before the sauce. I’ve tried it both ways, and the cheese-before-sauce method is definitely the way to go: the cheese gets gooey and silky as the sauce heats on top of it, making the whole situation even more dip-able.
I serve this with some fresh bread that I quickly toast while the cheese finishes baking with some butter slathered on top and a bit of garlic powder sprinkled over it. You could also serve this with store-bought crostini or my personal favorite cracker, Triscuits, and it would be just as delicious.
Here’s how to put it together:
Baked Goat Cheese in Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 log plain goat cheese
- 1/2 jar marinara sauce
- 1 palmful fresh chopped basil optional garnish
- crushed red pepper optional garnish
- dried oregano optional garnish
Instructions
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Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F and spray a small circular baking dish with non stick spray.
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Break the goat cheese into smaller chunks and arrange it in a shallow pile in the middle of the baking dish.
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Pour the sauce around the cheese – it's OK if some of the cheese is covered by the sauce.
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If you're using the optional red pepper and oregano, sprinkle those all over the top of the cheese and sauce, to taste.
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Bake at 375 for 18 minutes and top with fresh chopped basil, if desired. Serve immediately with toasted bread for dipping.
Easy and delicious š