Goat Cheese Dip with Balsamic Strawberries
This Goat Cheese Dip with Balsamic Strawberries is creamy, sweet, salty, and so easy to make! You don't need a blender; you'll just spread the soft goat cheese on a plate and top it with delicious jammy strawberries with basil. The recipe takes 20 minutes, and it's one of the best appetizers!
- Total Time20 minutes
- Yield4-6 1x
- DietVegetarian
Ingredients
- 10 oz soft goat cheese
- 2 cups diced strawberries
- 1 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey (or maple syrup)
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Handful of fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced into strips
- 1/2 tsp tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
- 1 tsp water
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- Flaky sea salt for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Take your goat cheese out of the fridge and transfer it to a serving plate or a low bowl so it can soften at room temperature while you cook the strawberries.
- Add the diced strawberries, water, balsamic vinegar, honey, sea salt, and black pepper to a non-stick pan over medium heat.
- Stir constantly just until the honey dissolves. When it starts to simmer, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes. The strawberries will release water as they cook.
- Stir in the thinly sliced basil.
- Mix the tapioca starch with water to create a slurry and pour it into the pan while stirring quickly to make sure it mixes into the sauce without creating clumps.
- Gently simmer for another 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should continue to thicken as it cooks.
- Take the strawberries off the heat.
- Press the softened goat cheese into your plate or a bowl with the back of a spoon to create a flat, thin layer.
- Spoon the cooked strawberries over the goat cheese and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil.
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and more freshly ground black pepper if desired, garnish with more fresh basil, and serve with crackers. Enjoy!
Notes
Starch: Tapioca starch is optional but highly recommended. The sauce does thicken slightly without it, but it will still be quite thin. You can use tapioca, arrowroot, or corn starch interchangeably. Always mix it with a little bit of water first.
Storing: Store any leftover dip in the fridge in an airtight container or just cover the bowl with foil for 2-3 days. Allow the goat cheese to soften at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving after storing it.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American