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I’m highlighting no-cook summer recipes starting with this quick and delicious Honey Whipped Goat Cheese with Marinated Olives. Herby and garlicky, these marinated olives are served over sweet, tangy, and creamy honey whipped goat cheese. This is the simplest of appetizers, yet so amazingly GOOD. And the best part? This is a completely no-cook recipe! And for a can’t-fail appetizer, be sure to serve with crusty bread for scooping. Perfect for all of your upcoming backyard parties!
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Ingredients:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Fig preserves
- Garlic
- Shallot
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- Basil chopped
- Chopped thyme
- Chili flakes
- Mixed olives
- Oil packed sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 log (10 ounces) goat cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- Honey
- Sea salt
What you need in the kitchen for this recipe:
- medium bowl
- food processor
- serving dish
I said this about yesterday’s recipe too, but I really am so excited to be sharing these easy apps with you all. I rarely share appetizer-style recipes. But when I actually take the time to put thought into new appetizers, I get so excited to share them!!!
And I love this dip! To me, goat cheese is so underrated and not highlighted enough. We use a lot of feta cheese, but goat cheese is so special!
It’s creamy and tangy and adds such a yummy, unique flavor to recipes. I love to cook with goat cheese in the summertime. I find its tanginess pairs wonderfully with fresh summer fruits, in-season vegetables, and herbs!
The details are pretty darn simple
The beauty of this recipe really is just how easy and no fuss it is. There’s no cooking involved, very little hands-on prep, and you can even prepare everything ahead of time! In fact the longer the olives marinate, the more flavor they’ll develop.
And that’s where this recipe starts, with the olives!!
I’ve made similar recipes and paired feta cheese with roasted olives. But marinating the olives to incorporate them into summer recipes is equally delish.
Step One
First, pick your favorite variety of mixed olives. I find it best to source really good, pitted olives. Buying olives with the pits removed saves a lot of time. It’s simply so much easier and more convenient.
You’ll marinate the olives in a blend of garlic, shallots, herbs, spices, and olive oil. You can use your favorite mix of herbs, but I really love fresh thyme, oregano, and basil.
Marinate the olives for at least 30 minutes. As I mentioned though, the longer you can let them sit, the better! Try to make them the day before you plan to serve them.
Step Two
Now the goat cheese! Simply toss it in the food processor and drizzle a small amount of honey and whip until it’s light and creamy.
If you’ve never had whipped goat cheese, it’s going to become a new favorite. So creamy and tangy in just the right ways. Perfect when paired with fresh berries, mint, pistachios, or olives.
Put it all together
Step Three
I like to swirl the goat cheese around in a wide, shallow bowl. Then I spoon the olives and marinating oil over top. Fresh rosemary or fresh basil is great as a garnish.
Lastly, add some grilled-up ciabatta bread on the side for scooping. Charred bread is a must. Any baguette will be, too, as well as pita chips or crackers. Winning the cheese board game!
And that’s it!
We all need effortless appetizers to help make entertaining stress-free. Whether you’re gathering just with family, or a special group of friends, easy entertaining is always appreciated!
Looking for other appetizer recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Peach Burrata Crostini with Burst Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette
Charred Baby Bell Peppers with Burrata
Crumbled Feta and Tomato Basil Vinaigrette Dip
Charred Peppers with Marinated Feta and Tzatziki
Lastly, if you make this Honey Whipped Goat Cheese with Marinated Olives, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Honey Whipped Goat Cheese with Marinated Olives
Ingredients
Marinated Olives
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fig preserves , (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup basil chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped thyme
- chili flakes
- 2 cups mixed olives, pitted
- 1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
Honey Whipped Goat Cheese
- 1 log (10 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2-3 tablespoons honey
- sea salt
Instructions
- 1. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fig preserves, garlic, shallots, lemon zest, basil, thyme, and chili flakes. Add the olives, then add the sun-dried tomatoes with oil and toss to combine. Let sit 30 minutes or up to 5 days in the fridge. 2. Meanwhile, combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, honey, and a pinch of salt in a food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy. The goat cheese mix can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days, but bring to room temp before serving.3. Spoon the goat cheese into a serving bowl, then top with the olives and marinating oil. Serve with fresh herbs, bread/crackers.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
What can you use in place of cream cheese if you are lactose intolerant?
Hi Linda,
Your grocery store probably carries plenty of dairy free cream cheese options, try one of those! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Absolutely the bomb!!!!
Fourth of July…Here we come…
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Hi Ellie,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for trying it out! I hope you had a great holiday weekend!?
I made this today and it was such a huge hit!
Hey Amanda,
I hope you had a great holiday weekend! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xx
Made this yesterday. Really good and everyone loved it.
Hey Rebecca,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks for sharing your feedback and making this recipe, I am so glad it was a hit! Happy 4th of July!??
Made this for a dinner party and literally every single person could not stop talking about how wonderful it was! It is 100% something I am going to keep in my rotation of appetizers. So rich and flavorful ❤️
Hey Caitlin,
Thanks so much for your kind message and giving the recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! Hope you’re off to a great Tuesday! xxT
Made this for a party and it was a huge hit!! So delicious! Thanks for the great recipe.
Hi Kate,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks for sharing your feedback and making this recipe, I am so glad it was a hit! Happy 4th of July!??
I made this today! And wow! I could just eat the whole thing myself! Yum yum yum. So amazing
Hey Mackenzie,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it and sharing your feedback!! 🙂
Can you recommend a substitute for the olives?
Charred peppers, tomatoes, candied bacon. I’ve made several of Teighan’s awesome variations of this recipe. Go to her search engine and just look for whipped goat or whipped feta and you will get several ideas in addition to the olives. For summer I would char abunch of different colored peppers and tomatoes. They would make a lovely topping.
Hi Sue,
You could use additional sun-dried tomatoes, capers, or even roasted red peppers. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
When you say one shallot, do you mean one clove or one while shallot no matter how many cloves there are?
Hi Mackenzie,
I like to use one whole shallot. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
Do you use white balsamic vinegar in this recipe?
Hi Maggie,
I used regular, dark balsamic vinegar. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Thank you – I now have the perfect 4th of July app!
Thanks Eileen, I hope you love the recipe!!
hi! do you have any gluten-free suggestions for the bread? also please make a whipped eggplant dip like they have at Elephante in LA! 🙂
Hi Lindsey-
GF follower here-
I have found Schar makes an amazing gluten free baguette. You can get it at most grocery stores. Toasted ( crispy) …it’s perfect-
especially for a recipe like this. *Chef’s kiss*
I second this suggestion Wren. I’ve also used Against the Grain and Udi’s baguette. You get a slightly different result will all three but they will all work. I like to cut, brush with oil, grill then rub with a clove of garlic. Makes a great “crostini” for anything!
Hi Lindsey,
Any gluten free bread is great to use:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Recipe looks very delicious. I want to try this weekend. What type of goat cheese do you recommend, I guess it is not Feta.
Hi Jay,
Yes, goat cheese and feta are different:) But really any goat cheese you like will work, I love any options I can get from Whole Foods!! xTieghan
I love the idea of this appetizer (goat cheese? – yum! and make ahead? – yay!) – but my family isn’t crazy about olives. Do you have any ideas for a substitute that I could try?
Thanks for all your fun recipes!
More sun-dried tomatoes, maybe some roasted red peppers?
Love this idea Brenda!!
Hey Mary,
Right?! So many good flavors happening here! You could use more sun-dried tomatoes or capers would be a great option as well! Let me know if you give the recipe a try:) xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
Loving your recipes and tried quite a few of them.
Can you suggest an alternative to goat cheese for making this appetiser. Would a combination of cream cheese and feta or just cream cheese work equally well?
Hey there,
Sure, cream cheese and feta would be fantastic!! I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xxTieghan
Do you have recommendation for which olives you use?
Looks delicious!!!!!
Hi Patricia,
I used mixed olives, I like to get them from the Whole Foods olive bar. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
I love whipped goat cheese and don’t enjoy it enough. This is beautiful for summer! Any ideas, in addition to the bread, to serve this as an impromptu, complete dinner?
I was wondering this as well! It would make a really nice, light, summery dinner!
I suppose you could serve over some pasta:)
I would add a platter of sliced tomatoes topped with some arugula dressed with lemon and olive oil, another platter of ripe melon and an assortment of Italian deli meats and call it a great summer supper!
Love this idea, thanks for sharing Judy!!
Hi Vanessa,
I would probably just serve this as an appetizer to any of your favorite meals:) Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan