Simple Goat Cheese Appetizer Recipe

This attractive simple goat cheese appetizer with honey drizzled over fig jam and encrusted with delicious chopped pistachio nuts its welcome at any gathering.

The tangy goat cheese is a perfect foil for sweet fig jam and honey. The chopped pistachios add salty crunchy texture to this soft goat cheese appetizer.

Chances are it won’t last long on your table. People enjoy the tangy creamy spreadable cheese with its sweet and crunchy accompaniments.

We enjoy goat cheese appetizers and have several recipes for them on this blog. This is our only goat cheese log so far. It was a hit at our Thanksgiving party with all ages. The flavors and ease of making and serving this log make it a great choice for any sized gathering.

How Long Can Goat Cheese Go Unrefrigerated?

Goat cheese is food safe at room temperature for up to four hours. This appetizer is served cold rather than as a warm goat cheese appetizer. However, it will last all afternoon at 70 degrees F. or so with no food safety concerns.

To make it last even longer on your party table, serve this goat cheese log straight out of the fridge right before serving time. You will add at least an extra hour to the time it can sit on a room temperature party table when you begin serving when it is cold.

Substitutions for this recipe:

You have some options for the goat cheese log. We used Costco brand pre-made cheese log. It has a nice size, shape and flavor we prefer for this recipe. And it makes last minute party prep easy since this appetizer assembles from start to serving in less than 10 minutes.

• You can make your own cheese log (or form it into a cheese ball if you prefer from a warmed and softened block of goat cheese.
• Goat cheese is also available in several flavors. Herbed goat cheeses will work well with this recipe, but stay away from the really strongly flavored cheeses. The fresh tangy flavor of goat cheese works extremely well with this recipe.
• The pistachios are really a great choice for this goat cheese appetizer. We highly recommend them. Crushed pecans can be used instead.
• The fig jam is a pretty, yummy compliment to goat cheese. We loved it in this recipe. if you prefer any jam you enjoy that has a rich sweet flavor will work well with the honey.

Substitute for Goat cheese:

If you are not a fan of goat cheese, you can use Boursin cheese as a substitute. Here is a great way to prepare it:

1 block Boursin cheese (I used Cracked Black Pepper)

1/8 cup chopped pistachios ( I use salted and roasted, chili flavored are also delicious if you like extra spice)

3 tbsp fig jam

2 tbsp hot honey (this is just honey with a hint of spice added to it, my favorite is Mikes Hot Honey)

Serve with crackers: I use the Rosemary flavored La Panzanella crackers

How do you cut goat cheese?

Cold goat cheese is firmer than warm. But goat cheese is soft so it will cut easily with a butter knife or cheese knife, even cold. However, as the cheese warms it will cling to the knife.

Soft warm goat cheese is sticky. The cheese log will take some damage and degrade as it is warming and continually stuck with the knife.

If your appetizer is going to stay out for hours and you prefer to keep the tray cleaner …

Another way to serve this goat cheese appetizer is precut. You can use dental floss (or a cheese slicer) to slice through the soft cold goat cheese log before you begin the recipe.

Once you precut the log into thin slices for 20 servings, sprinkle on the chopped nuts rather than roll the log in them OR grind up the nuts into tiny particles so they form an easily cut layer on the cheese. Return the log to the fridge until serving.

At serving, complete the recipe and serve. The cheese will soften as it warms but precutting the log will help the tray look cleaner as the slices easily fall away from the log.

How To Serve This Goat Cheese Appetizer:

How do you serve and eat goat cheese? There are many many ways to enjoy goat cheese as an appetizer. This goat cheese log is a good one. We have more goat cheese party recipes listed at the end of this post. However, this particular recipe is extremely simple and very well received at a party.

What goes well with Goat Cheese On A Charcuterie Board?

Serve and eat this goat cheese log on a tray or charcuterie board surrounded by delicious extras.

If you plan to use this goat cheese log as the center piece of your charcuterie board, here are some favorite companions to consider. You low carb guests may appreciate some options other than crackers. They can spread the yummy log onto a piece of meat and roll it up.

• Prosciutto and salamis, even turkey make great compliment to the tangy sweet flavors in this goat cheese log.
• Fruits like Grapes, sliced figs and berries
• Antipasto items like marinaded artichokes work well paired with this log.
• Goat Cheese Crostinis can be set alongside this log and eaten plain or as we did in out recipe.
• We suggest several types of crackers in the section below that go well with this goat cheese log.

What kind of Cracker Goes with Goat Cheese?

You want a strong flat cracker that will hold up the spreading the thick goat cheese on it.

We served this appetizer on a tray with fresh herbs (we used festive fresh rosemary sprigs to dress up the tray). This goat cheese log looks beautiful surrounded by crackers on a large flat tray. Just add a knife so your guests can dig right in!

Crackers or toasted baguettes can be set on the tray with this log or put them into a basket or separate serving tray alongside the cheese log.

Some Crackers that go well with goat cheese include:

• Black truffle crackers La Panzanella – We served our goat cheese log with these and some others. SO good.
• Breton crackers assortments of original, sesame and multi grain make great companions for this appetizer.
• Carrs variety pack has water table, sesame and cracked black pepper crackers that will work as a ‘plate’ for this yummy goat cheese appetizer.
• Kellogs toasted variety pack includes harvest wheat, butter crisp and rosemary and olive oil crackers.
• Good and Gather also has a variety pack of nice flat crackers that will pair well with goat cheese.
• Great Value (Walmart brand) also has a nice variety pack of flat party crackers in various flavors.

As you can see, there are many great choices of crackers that work well to serve with this goat cheese appetizer. You can find these brands of party crackers at your local grocer.

Is Goat Cheese Healthier Than Regular Cheese?

Goat cheese, like Feta cheese, is lower in calories and fat than cow cheese. According to Healthline Goat cheese has many health benefits over cow cheeses.

The pistachios are also good for you. Learn more about pistachio health benefits at Web MD.

The honey and fig jam are both delicious and have some nutrients. However, this appetizer will have some carbs especially since it is served with crackers.

Read our nutritional label in the printable recipe card below to see the details on the nutritional profile of this recipe.

Find All Our Appetizers and Party Foods Here!

Is Goat Cheese Kosher?

Yes, goat cheese is Kosher. The other ingredients in this appetizer can also be kosher when properly processed. Please check the labels on your ingredients. Making this goat cheese appetizer kosher ensures it’s a great choice for a large gathering appetizer. Or your kosher friends.

More party Food Ideas:

Here are more ideas for your party. Veggie Stuffed mushrooms, Goat cheese crostinis, stuffed dates, pull apart bread and yummy sweets.

Click the links in the picture caption to find these recipes. Enjoy!