Description
A warm, creamy Goat Cheese & Marinara Dip that combines tangy goat cheese, creamy cream cheese, and zesty marinara sauce baked to golden perfection. Perfect as an appetizer served with crostini or crisp crackers.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Mixture
- 8 ounces goat cheese softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Pinch of kosher salt
Marinara
- 1 1/2 cups jarred marinara sauce or homemade marinara
Garnish
- Fresh basil for garnish
Crostini
- Baguette sliced into 1/2 inch slices
- Olive oil for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease an approximately 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine softened goat cheese, cream cheese, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and dried basil until smooth and well mixed.
- Assemble Dip: Spread the cheese mixture into the baking dish leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Fill the border with marinara sauce and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.
- Bake the Dip: Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown.
- Prepare Crostini: While the dip bakes, arrange baguette slices on a large baking sheet, drizzle or brush both sides with olive oil. Bake alongside the dip for 6-7 minutes, turn slices over and bake for an additional 4 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the dip from oven and garnish with fresh basil chiffonade. Serve immediately with warm crostini or crisp crackers for dipping.
Notes
- For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese.
- Fresh marinara can enhance flavor but jarred marinara works well for convenience.
- Serve with celery sticks as a gluten-free alternative to crostini or crackers.
- Make sure cheeses are softened for easy mixing and smooth texture.
- The crostini can be toasted under the broiler if preferred for quicker preparation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 380 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
