You already know that fresh goat cheese (a.k.a chèvre) is the ideal salad cheese, owing to its tender crumble and mild tanginess that can brighten any mix of leafy greens. But it’s a lesser-known fact that goat cheese is great for cooking too. Keep a fresh log of it on hand for experimenting and you’ll find, as we did, that chèvre offers more versatility than most. Here are five mouth-watering summer recipes to prove it.
1. Mini Chèvre and Tomato Tarts
If available, use ripe heirloom and specialty tomatoes of various colors in these individual tarts. Thanks to cheesemaker Montchevre for the inspiration for this adapted recipe.
2. Frozen Lemon Chèvre Cookie Bites
These frozen filled lemony cookies—adapted from a recipe by Laura Chenel’s Chèvre—melt quickly, so serve them promptly from the freezer. You can also forgo the cookies and simply spoon the mousse-like lemon curd and cheese mixture into individual serving bowls. Scatter fresh, seasonal berries on top for a party-worthy summer dessert.
3. Stuffed Potatoes with Goat Cheese, Peppers, and Ham
For your next no-fuss brunch, try this hearty side dish that we adapted from the recipe files of French goat cheese maker Ile de France.
4. Goat Cheese & Summer Veggie Lasagna
This veggie main-dish recipe, from the kitchen of Allison Hooper of Vermont Creamery, substitutes tangy goat cheese for the usual ricotta filling in lasagna.
5. Melon, Arugula, Goat Cheese, and Pistachio Salad
Adapted from a recipe created by chef John Ash for Redwood Hill Farm creamery, this gorgeous summer salad has it all: sweetness, spice, tang, and texture.
Elaine Khosrova
Elaine Khorova is the original Editor-in-Chief of culture magazine and the current recipe writer extraordinaire. She resides in the Hudson Valley of New York where she is working on a book about the history of butter.
