Whipped Goat Cheese with Bacon and Dates
Appetizers should be easy and delicious and absolutely gorgeous, so this Whipped Goat Cheese with Bacon and Dates needs to be your go-to! I can’t envision any cocktail party without it!
This app is hands-down delicious…when you whip goat cheese with honey, something magical happens. And when you top that with a mixture of chopped medjool dates sautéed with shallots, apple cider vinegar and, yes, more honey, it’s hard to find anything more delicious. Unless, of course, you sprinkle crispy bacon and rosemary leaves over the top! There it is…the ultimate appetizer!
It’s also a very easy recipe to make. Rather than dirty up your cooktop, put the bacon in a cast-iron skillet and pop it into a hot oven for about 20 minutes.
While the bacon is cooking, whip up the goat cheese in a food processor with greek yogurt, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper. Spoon it into a shallow serving dish and set it aside. I like to drizzle olive oil over the top of the whipped cheese but it’s optional.
Once the bacon is crisp, remove it from the skillet and throw a couple of rosemary sprigs in. Quickly crisp up the sprigs over a medium heat on the cooktop. Remove the sprigs from the skillet and add the shallots.
Sauté the shallots for a few minutes until they are tender and caramelized. Finally, add the dates, apple cider vinegar, and honey and simmer until it’s reduced and sticky, just a minute or two.
Spoon the date mixture over the top of the whipped goat cheese. Crumble up the crisp bacon and sprinkle that on the goat cheese along with the rosemary leaves. Drizzle more olive oil over it all and serve with toasted bread or crackers.
Look at how beautiful it is! Taste how delicious it is! Am I right that this will now be your appetizer go-to? I’m betting on it!
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Whipped Goat Cheese with Bacon and Dates
Makes: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 6 oz raw bacon slices
- 12 oz crumbled goat cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 4 tbsp honey, split
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 tbsp water
- 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 12 medjool dates, pitted + roughly chopped (about 6 oz chopped)
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Toasted bread or crackers, for dipping
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lay the bacon in one, even layer in a 12” cast-iron skillet. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until crisp.
Meanwhile, combine the goat cheese, greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons of honey, olive oil, water, salt, and a few cracks of black pepper in a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Spoon the whipped goat cheese out onto a large plate or into a shallow bowl. Set aside.
Transfer the bacon onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Place the skillet (with all of the bacon drippings) over medium heat. Add the rosemary sprigs. Allow the rosemary to fry on both sides until crisp. Transfer it to the plate of bacon to drain.
Add the shallots to the skillet. Cook for a few minutes until caramelized and tender. Stir in the dates, apple cider vinegar, and remaining 2 tablespoons of honey. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for just about a minute until reduced and sticky.
Spoon the date mixture over the goat cheese. Crumble the bacon and rosemary leaves over top. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and a few more cracks of black pepper. Serve with toasted bread or crackers alongside for dipping.
Recipe from The Original Dish
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