Name: Quick Guide to Goat Cheese
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Goat Cheese
Ingredients: 10 ounces goat cheese log; ½ cup orange apricot marmalade, or preserves or jam of any flavor*; 2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme); Crostini, bread or crackers, for serving

Goat cheese is endlessly versatile! Here’s what to know about creamy chevre: ideal for quick appetizers, salads, pastas, and more.

One of the most versatile ingredients in the dairy shelf, in our opinion? Goat cheese. This tangy, creamy cheese adds a bit of magic to any dish: toss soft crumbles on a fresh salad, warm it a simple tangy, creamy dip, or use it to make creamy pasta sauce. But goat cheese is more than just the fresh variety: there are ripened and aged versions too! What’s the best way to use this versatile cheese? Here’s what to know (plus our favorite recipes below).

What is goat cheese? What is chevre?

Goat cheese is cheese made from goat’s milk, both fresh and aged. Chèvre is another word for goat cheese (it translates to “goat” in French). The term chevre is often associated with the fresh variety of the cheese, but it can be used to describe any type. There are three basic categories: fresh, soft ripened, and aged.

The most common type is fresh goat cheese: cheese that is unaged and soft, often sold in a log shape. What does goat cheese taste like? It’s buttery and tangy, with a distinct earthy finish. It has a creamy texture that’s easily spreadable at room temperature.
There are many varieties of soft ripened or aged goat cheese, ranging from hard to semi-soft to crumbly to funky. Some examples of ripened and aged goat cheeses include:
- Goat Brie (France and Canada), like a milder version of cow brie
- Queso de Murcia al Vino (Spain), a smooth cheese washed in red wine
- Humboldt Fog (California, US), a funky soft ripened cheese with a gray ribbon of ash
- Aged Goat Gouda (Netherlands) is very hard with a crystalline texture (read more about types beyond chevre here)

Buying and storing goat cheese

What to look for when you’re buying goat cheese at the store? Here’s what to know:

Fresh goat cheese should be bright white and firm. It is often sold as logs in the grocery store, but you can also find it in tubs.
Aged goat cheese is available at the cheese counter. Store aged cheese wrapped in paper or wax paper in the refrigerator drawer for up to 1 week.
Unopened fresh goat cheese that’s vacuum packed in plastic can last up to 2 months refrigerated.
Opened fresh goat cheese lasts about 1 week refrigerated. Once it’s open, remove it from the packaging and store it in a sealed container in the fridge.

Is goat cheese good for you?

If you’re a cheese lover, goat cheese is one of your best bets. There are many benefits of this variety over a standard cow’s cheese like cheddar or mozzarella. Here are some of the benefits of goat cheese (via Prevention):

Goat cheese has more vitamins and minerals than cow’s cheese. Goat’s milk is richer in essential nutrients than cow’s milk (like vitamin A & B, calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium).
It has slightly less calories than cow’s cheese. Goat cheese has just 75 calories per ounce—less than cow-based varieties like mozzarella (85), Swiss (108), and cheddar (115).
Goat cheese is easier to digest. Even people who are lactose intolerant often can digest goat cheese! This is because it has less lactose than cow’s milk and a slightly different protein structure.

Goat cheese substitutes

What can you use instead of goat cheese in recipes? Cream cheese, ricotta cheese, feta cheese or labneh can work depending on the recipe. Go to Best Substitutes for Goat Cheese to read more.

Ways to use goat cheese

Fresh goat cheese is an extremely versatile ingredient, ideal for easy appetizers, a garnish for salads, or to dollop on pizza and pasta. For soft-ripened and aged cheeses, use them for cheese boards or to substitute in for aged cow cheeses in recipes. Here are a few of our top fresh goat cheese recipes:

Warm Goat Cheese Appetizer

This warm goat cheese appetizer is ideal for showing off the versatility of this soft cheese! It’s got just 4 ingredients, takes just 10 minutes to bake, and tastes like a dream. The tangy, gooey goat cheese against the citrusy marmalade and herbaceous thyme makes it a total crowd pleaser, spread on crostini or crackers.

Baked Goat Cheese Dip

There's something about the tangy cheese roasted in a sweet, garlicky roasted tomato sauce that keeps everyone coming back for more. Serve it with bread to dip and it tastes like deconstructed pizza!

Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula & Apple

One of the best ways to use goat cheese? Crumbled up in salads! This Goat Cheese Salad is simple and comes together quickly, but my does it deliver on flavor! The crunch of the apples, creamy goat cheese, and fluffy arugula are the ideal pair for the tangy sweet dressing.

Goat Cheese Pizza

This Goat Cheese Pizza is a true masterpiece, pairing soft pockets of chevre with tangy, garlicky tomato sauce. Shower it with a few sliced onions and a sprinkle of fresh basil, and we promise: the slices will be gone in a flash! This one is a massive crowd pleaser.

Whipped Goat Cheese

This party appetizer takes just 5 minutes to make and tastes like a dream! If you love the earthy, savory creaminess of goat cheese, you’ll park yourself right next to the bowl. Flavored with fresh herbs and garlic, this smooth spread is ideal for dipping crackers or crostini. Add it to a veggie tray or cheese board for party snack perfection.

Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta

Another great use for goat cheese? To make a creamy pasta sauce! This 20-minute creamy penne pasta is so tangy and creamy, sweet from the tomatoes and lightly peppery from the fresh basil. Goat cheese brings a body to the sauce that makes it almost like a vodka sauce.

Cranberry Goat Cheese

Try Cranberry Goat Cheese! This festive appetizer is perfect for parties, pairing the flavors of cranberry, pistachio and fresh rosemary with the tangy cheese. Drizzle honey over the top before serving for a sweet pop. It’s fast to put together and ideal for snack tables, scooped up with crackers or crostini.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates

Another way to use goat cheese? As a filling for dates! The sweet caramel chewiness of Medjool dates pairs beautifully with tangy, fluffy goat cheese for an out-of-this-world sweet-savory combo. It works as an appetizer, quick snack or “side” for a healthy lunch, and involves no cooking at all.

Goat Cheese Omelette

A great way to mix up those morning eggs? Add goat cheese! This Goat Cheese Omelette is the place to start. Tangy chervre makes gooey, cheesy pockets in the savory eggs, punctuated with the oniony finish of fresh chives. Omelettes are quick to make and ideal for breakfast or a fancy brunch, made to order. The goat cheese adds just the right hint of sophistication.

Blueberry Goat Cheese

Here’s a trick that works for anytime and season: this Blueberry Goat Cheese appetizer! Imagine: a glossy, sweet tart blueberry sauce draped over a warm log of goat cheese, punctuated with pops of fresh herbs. Serve it on crackers or crostini, and no one will be able to stop dipping! You can make this with fresh or frozen berries, or as a shortcut use purchased blueberry jam.

Goat Cheese Crostini

Goat cheese crostini could not be easier! Bake up some homemade crostini, top with goat cheese and honey, and you’ve got the most delicious sweet and savory taste treat. The flavor of soft goat cheese is so perfect in itself that you don’t need any other seasoning.

Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

Try the classic combination: beets and goat cheese! Throw together this Beet Salad with roasted beets or even pre-cooked from the store: and man is it good. It has all the right elements: baby greens, creamy goat cheese and a tangy balsamic beet dressing. Basically, it’s salad perfection!