This Goat Cheese Sun Dried Tomato Appetizer is one of my favorite holiday appetizers because it couldn't be easier and it's absolutely packed with flavor. Creamy goat cheese topped with garlicky marinated sun-dried tomatoes and fresh rosemary is perfect served with crackers or toasted baguette and is exactly the kind of appetizer people hover around at parties.
For me, this Goat Cheese Sun Dried Tomato Appetizer is right up there with Christmas cookies and sausage rolls when it comes to holiday food traditions. Every year my mom would put out a log of goat cheese covered in rosemary, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes with warm bread on the side, and without fail people would hover around it for half the night.
What I love about this recipe is that it delivers huge flavor with almost no effort. You can make the tomato mixture ahead of time, assemble everything in minutes before serving, and just maybe keep a few breath mints nearby because the garlic is not shy.
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Equipment
- Paper towels
- Mise en place bowls (optional): I love Duralex nesting glass food prep bowls from Amazon. I seriously use them all the time.
- Baking Sheet
- Spoon
- Sharp Knife
- Cutting Board
Ingredients Needed for these Goat Cheese Crostini with Garlic & Rosemary Sun-dried Tomatoes
- Sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil: I like Mezzetta Sun-dried tomatoes in oil but your favorite brand will do. If you can't find sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil you can use the dried version. Just soak in a little warm (not hot) water for about 15 minutes before using.
- Fresh rosemary: Definitely use fresh, not dried, for this recipe.
- Fresh garlic: Freshly crushed garlic is always the best option. I know those little jars of pre-minced garlic are tempting timesavers, but they really don't have the same flavor as fresh.
- Olive Oil: You will want to use a good quality olive oil for this recipe. Something you would like in a dressing.
- Goat Cheese: I like plain goats cheese for this recipe since the tomatoes have so much flavor. You can use herbed goat cheese if you prefer.
- Baguettes: I love toasted baguettes for this dish. You can also use crackers or bread.
- Salt & Pepper
Serving Suggestions
If you don't have baguettes the spread goes really beautifully on crackers. The key here is to give the flavors some time to really meld together. You also want to focus on using quality ingredients as it really does make a difference. Give these a try and let me know what you think!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, and honestly I think it's even better that way. The sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, and olive oil develop more flavor as they sit. You can make the tomato mixture several hours ahead or even the night before.
I recommend it for this recipe. Rinsing off the excess jar oil helps keep the flavor fresh and balanced and let's it blend better with the high quality olive oil and other ingredients.
I don't recommend it. Fresh rosemary really gives the best flavor and texture in this recipe, especially since it's one of the main ingredients.
Stored covered in the refrigerator, the tomato mixture will keep for about 4-5 days. The goat cheese is best assembled shortly before serving.
Absolutely. The recipe is intentionally very garlic-forward, but you can reduce the amount to suit your taste. Even cutting it down to 3-4 cloves will still give you plenty of flavor.
More holiday appetizers for you to enjoy.
Made this goat cheese sun dried tomato appetizer recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
Goat Cheese Sun Dried Tomato Appetizer
Ingredients
- 8 oz jar sundried tomatoes in olive oil
- 2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 6-10 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup olive oil, good quality
- pinch of salt & pepper
- 1 10.5 oz log of goat cheese
- 2 baguettes
- olive oil
Instructions
Marinate the sun dried tomatoes
- Drain the sundried tomatoes and then rinse the oil off with water. Pour onto a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
- Combine rosemary and minced garlic in a bowl with ½ cup olive oil.
- Pour sun-dried tomatoes on a cutting board and finely chop into small pieces. Pour into the bowl with the garlic, rosemary and olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- If serving immediately, set aside and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour before serving. *If making ahead, cover the bowl and put in the fridge to marinate for a few hours to overnight. Take out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving to let it come closer to room temperature.
Make the crostini (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Slice the baguettes on the diagnol to about ½ inch thickness. Arrange on a baking sheet and use a pastry brush to brush a little bit of olive oil on the top of each slice. Sprinkle with a small pinch of sea salt.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden brown and crisp but not hard. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Serve
- Take the goat cheese out of the fridge and put on a serving platter. Spoon the marinated sun-dried tomatoes over the top and around the sides. Arrange the crostinis on the platter and serve. Enjoy!
Adriana
You got me at goat cheese. Appetizers some times we have them as dinner so this is perfect for wine pairings too.
Kim Guzman
Beautiful presentation and wonderful flavors. This is a keeper!
Addison
So many great flavors here! Yum!!
Ksenia
What a classic combination! I love a good crostini with goat cheese, and have one I’m making this year with cranberry sauce and a spicy Moroccan condiment called Chermoula. Yours looks fantastic as well - love the addition of rosemary.
Crysta
I’m making this! Yumm! Thanks!
Linda
Love this recipe! The sun-dried tomato blends beautifully with goat cheese and this makes a quick and delicious appetizer
Judi Goldmann
Can you make the tomato mixture 24-48 hours ahead of time?
jamjarkitchen
Yes, definitely! Making it 24-48 hours ahead works great and actually gives the flavors plenty of time to meld as they marinate. Just keep it in the fridge, and then let it come back to room temp before serving asthe oil can firm up a bit when it’s super cold.