Baked Goat Cheese With Blistered Tomatoes Recipe

A creamy and savory dip is always the appetizer that people gather around. This baked goat cheese with blistered tomatoes recipe is warm, cozy, and oozing with rich and tangy flavor. The real star of the show is the tomatoes. I cook them in a hot skillet until they char, and press down on them gently to help them burst and create a smoky-sweet, jammy sauce. Blistered tomatoes make a great base for other Mediterranean ingredients, and in this case, we add salty-briny Kalamata olives and, of course, plenty of garlic. Tangy, creamy goat cheese bakes to melty perfection and becomes smooth and glossy, mingling with the juices from the tomatoes. The lemon zest and fresh basil brighten the dish and add freshness that completes it.

I love that this recipe only involves one cast iron pan that goes from stove to oven. You can serve it straight from the pan to keep it warm for longer, and just add your toasted baguette or crackers right into the skillet for easy dipping. I also appreciate that I can get everything made ahead in the skillet and pop it into the oven when the guests arrive.

To make this recipe, you'll need some items from the produce department to start. Pick up grape or cherry tomatoes, garlic, lemon, and fresh basil. Whole tomatoes won't work in the recipe because the water content is too high, and they won't blister properly. Then select some goat cheese. In many stores, it may be labeled as chèvre, which is French for "goat," and it might also be called by the French term bûche, which means "log." You'll need kalamata olives, then check your pantry for olive oil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Any type of baguette loaf is suitable for serving.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a cast iron skillet and bring the heat to medium-high.

Add the tomatoes and cook without stirring until the skins blacken and split, about 4 minutes.

Cook for about 8 more minutes, stirring and pressing down to burst open each tomato.

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the remaining olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to the hot pan.

Stir in the olives.

Place the goat cheese log in the center of the skillet.

Put the skillet in the oven and bake until the cheese is soft and warmed through, 12 to 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with the lemon zest and basil.

Serve with baguette slices straight from the pan or transfer to another serving dish.

• Easy Cacio E Pepe Focaccia Recipe
• Greek-Style Pita Bread Recipe
• Pita Chips Recipe
• Easy French Bread Recipe
• 3-Ingredient Spicy Plantain Chips Recipe

The blistered tomatoes used in this recipe are so delicious you might find yourself wanting to whip up a batch for other uses. Luckily, they're very versatile and can be used in many dishes. Try them with toasted slices of baguette and cream cheese for an easy bruschetta — you can even make it in a cast iron pan. Along those same lines, you could pair the tomatoes with whipped ricotta for ricotta toast or use tofu for a vegan version. If you pile them on good bread with some extra olive oil or a smear of butter, you would have an upgrade on a simple tomato sandwich. Add them to a meatball sub, press them into a melty grilled cheese, or add them to a Mediterranean vegetable panini.

Blistered tomatoes also make an excellent sauce, and you can include add-ins like white beans, artichoke hearts, olives, and feta cheese or fresh basil for an easy Mediterranean side dish or light meal. Blistered tomatoes are also a nice accompaniment to many breakfast dishes. You can add them to an omelet with goat cheese, mushrooms, and asparagus, or drop them into an egg mixture for quiche. For a vegan breakfast, add them to a tofu scramble and serve it with hashbrowns or seasoned potatoes.

There are an endless variety of ways to serve this delicious baked goat cheese. Instead of baguette slices, you could provide pita chips or toasted pita bread for dipping and scooping. To make seasoned pita chips, cut a round into small triangles, spray them with olive oil, season them with za'atar seasoning, and broil them until crispy. Warm naan bread, either fresh or toasted, is perfect for scooping veggies and cheese. Thick slices of seared sourdough hold up nicely with the dip, as would focaccia bread. For a nice contrast to the warm dip, fresh veggies like cucumber rounds, carrots, or chunks of red pepper pair well.

You can also use this baked goat cheese with blistered tomatoes recipe as the base for a meal. After it comes out of the oven, tip it all into a pot of warm pasta. You'll need to add about ½ cup of the hot pasta water to blend everything smoothly. You can also try spooning some over warm olive oil-coated farro or pearl couscous. 

• Vegan Ricotta Toast Recipe
• Cast Iron Skillet Bruschetta Recipe
• Grilled Green Tomato Salad Recipe
• Roasted Tomato Soup Recipe
• Oven-Roasted Tomato Bucatini Recipe