burst cherry tomato and goat cheese skillet
Ever since I came across Heartbeet Kitchen’s baked goat cheese dip, I’ve been thinking a lot about her brilliant technique. Instead of nestling the whole log into the skillet — or crumbling the goat cheese on top of the fig jam — she freezes the goat cheese (just for 15 minutes!) to make it easy to slice into rounds.
As someone a little bit obsessed with adding slabs of feta into skillets (as seen in this roasted feta caprese skillet and this roasted squash and feta bake), I couldn’t wait to try it out.
creating a cherry tomato and goat cheese skillet
Although Heartbeet Kitchen’s recipe skewered sweet, I decided to go savory, opting to pair the goat cheese with cherry tomatoes (and garlic, and thyme, and a healthy drizzle of olive oil).
The duo proved to be perfection: the goat cheese softens and warms in the same amount of time it takes the cherry tomatoes to burst. But as I was eating it, I also thought how delicious it would be as a pasta dish.
an easy, creamy dip that doubles as a pasta
So now, this burst cherry tomato and goat cheese skillet is a choose-your-own-adventure. You can serve it as a dip with toasted baguette or crackers, sort of like an alternative to baed brie. OR, add some cooked al dente pasta directly to the skillet for a fast and flavorful weeknight dinner.
I used a log of plain goat cheese, but I’m sure a flavored one — like garlic and herb or even honey — would also be delicious.
If this recipe interests you, be sure to try my creamy tomato and white bean pasta, too 🙂
burst cherry tomato and goat cheese skillet
serves 4 to 6 as a dip; 3 to 4 as a pasta dish
Ingredients
- 1 (4-ounce) log goat cheese
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes (20 ounces total)
- 2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- freshly-ground black pepper
- fresh thyme leaves
- balsamic glaze, for serving
- toasted baguette, for serving
- 8 ounces cooked al dente pasta (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F with one rack in the center and one in the upper third. Place the log of goat cheese (in its packaging) in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and garlic to a 10-inch oven-safe skillet (such as cast iron). Drizzle with the oil and and season with salt, red pepper flakes, and several grinds black pepper. Toss to coat.
- Unwrap the goat cheese. Using a sharp chef's knife or a serrated knife, gently slice into 8 (1/2-inch thick) rounds, wiping the knife off between slices for the cleanest cuts. Nestle into the pan with the tomatoes and drizzle with a little more oil. Scatter thyme leaves over top (you can just eyeball the amount).
- Bake on the center rack until the tomatoes just begin to split, about 20 minutes. Use this time to cook the pasta, if using.
- Transfer the skillet to the upper oven rack and broil until the tomatoes are super juicy and just starting to take on some color, about 5 minutes. (Pop the baguette in there to toast now, too).
- Finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and more fresh thyme. Serve with the toasted baguette.
- If serving as a pasta dish: add the cooked pasta directly to the skillet and toss to coat.
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