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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.
I have made this several times now. It is a huge burst of flavor for not much effort. I can make a meal out of it. The first time I made it I forgot to get the cream cheese so I used whipped ricotta. I think I liked that version the best. Good texture. I buy seasoned marinated olives from the olive bar and give them a rinse, skipping the crushed red peppers in the marinade. No fig jam. I make my own marinated sun dried tomatoes so I use them. And I try to let the olives mix sit in the fridge overnight. But really, the key is the marinade in the recipe, and the contrast of flavors with the goat cheese.
Hey Joann,
Fantastic! Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! xT
Hi.Do you use white balsamic? The end result looks dark but your demo video looks like white bslsamic. Thanks
Hey Jat,
For this recipe, I used regular balsamic vinegar:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Outstanding..even minus the fig preserve.
Thanks so much, Jay! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thank you for giving it a try! Enjoy the short week:) x
It’s good, but you completely lose the tang of the goat cheese by adding honey and cream cheese. I will make it again and just whip the goat cheese. If it’s needs to be slightly creamier, I’ll add just a touch of cream cheese. No honey.
The olives are amazing. Perfect. There is enough sweetness here to balance just the tangy goat cheese next time.
You’ll want to make extra olives. I put them on everything.
Hey Christi,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! Glad to hear it was enjoyed! xx
This is just about my favorite appetizer and disappears whenever I serve it! I am carful of the fig preserves I use otherwise it can become too sweet – the tomatoes, honey and balsamic usually provide enough sweetness for me. P.S. My favorite appetizer is still the Burrata with roasted Olives and Garlic – if you like this one you should try it!
Hey Jenn,
Love to hear this! Thanks for making this recipe so often and sharing with others:) Have a great week! xT
I made this exactly as written and I wanted to put my face down into the whole thing and eat all of it!! So good!
Hey Danica,
Happy Monday! LOL I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for making it! Xx
Super excited to make this for Christmas! Can you update the link to the olives that you used? It doesn’t seem to be taking me to the right place. Is it okay to use olives that are already marinated? I’m having a hard time finding mixed ones that aren’t.
Hi Maya! Yes, you can use already marinated olives and maybe use less of the marinade/seasonings from the recipe! xT
Served this as a kind of bruschetta. Used a lil more of the fig spread over the goat cheese and under the olives. On baguette. Served at a shower. TDF!!
Hi Hayley! Thank you so so much! xT
I will now be serving this for the fourth time at a party December 16th and it’s always a hit!!!
Love to hear that! Thank you so much Teri! xT
This is unbelievably delicious. Thank you for this flavor bomb!
Hey Debbe,
Happy Monday!! I am so glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! xx
So delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Hey Adriana,
Happy Monday!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a bunch for trying it out! xx
An impressive and easy appetizer for any season. Truly thought it was one of the best appetizers I’ve enjoyed. The flavor profiles were amazing and it’s relatively easy to make.
Hi Renee,
Happy Sunday!😃 Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was enjoyed:) xT
That was the star of our gathering last night!!! Everyone just raved about it.
Hi Kym,
Happy Sunday! 😃 Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe out, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
I made this for our Christmas Eve Celebration. Oh my goodness, Tieghan, this is the best appetizer ever. My entire family adored it — we couldn’t get enough! The flavor profile is amazing. I cannot wait to serve this again. Thank you for upping my appetizer repertoire so wonderfully
Hey Debbie,
I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! 🎊🎈
could you make this dip hot? perhaps bake in oven?
Hey Kelsie,
Sure, that would work for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Made for Christmas Eve and was a hit! Olive recipe definitely yields enough to make two batches. Picked up some more goat cheese and cream cheese to do another serving on Christmas Day. Super good!
Hey Raven,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and appreciate you giving it a try! xT