Lemon Herb Goat Cheese Dip with Confit Garlic
Lemon Herb Goat Cheese Dip with Confit Garlic- A deliciously creamy mixture of lemon, fresh dill and chives, tangy goat cheese and sweet confit garlic. This recipe works perfect for healthy summer snack, a simple cold appetizer or as a tasty spread.
Today’s recipe is a good one! I find myself in the spring and summer months cravingg dips. It seems like every party or backyard BBQ has a multitude of dip options but always go for the cold ones. Nothing is better than sitting outside in the summer with a cold drink, sun on your skin and enjoying a good snack.
I have many goat cheese inspired dips because it is one of my favorite cheeses but today’s recipe is based off of one that caught my eye on my last Costco run. Leisurely strolling through the aisles and trying to avoid the pint of pimento cheese calling my name, I came across a La Terra Fina goat cheese and lemon spread. I resisted buying it because I knew I could make it without cream cheese and mayo at home. The recipe floated in and out of my thoughts for a week before I decided to test my own!
This dip is healthy and delicious with a bonus boost of protein from Greek yogurt and a special flavor from confit garlic. You may be wondering what the heck that is… I will get into that in just a bit! Don’t be intimidated by the addition of this special garlic; the recipe is worth the extra step.
So let’s get into it
How to make lemon herb goat cheese dip (with confit garlic)
I chose confit garlic for this dip recipe for two reasons. Raw garlic in a dip can be very overwhelming and almost spicy and roasted garlic can sometimes take over any light flavors; like the lemon and goat cheese. It really is super easy to make and takes minimal effort with maximum reward. And that’s how cooking should be. Simple yet delicious.
Gather the ingredients
Goat cheese- Always use log goat cheese in recipes. The texture is much creamier than a pre crumbled cheese.
Greek yogurt- This will be the base of the dip. It adds a creamy consistency and a little fat without having to use mayonnaise or cream cheese. BONUS. Greek yogurt adds a little boost of protein which I’m always looking for in a snack.
Parmesan cheese- The addition of Parmesan adds a salty flavor that plain salt just can’t offer. You can also use Asiago cheese which is a little bit cheaper but offers a very similar salty bite.
Lemon- Fresh lemon juice and zest are in this dip to brighten up the richness from the goat cheese and parm.
Fresh herbs- I used dill and chives when testing this recipe. The light onion flavor and almost sourness of dill complement the lemon and garlic perfectly.
Confit garlic cloves + oil
Honey- A little drizzle of honey adds just a touch of sweetness to balance all of the flavors.
salt + pepper
Step 1: Confit the garlic
The steps to confit garlic is very simple. Preheat the oven to 250. Add the peeled cloves of garlic to an oven safe dish and completely submerge the cloves with olive oil. Add a teaspoon of salt and slowly cook the garlic for 1.5-2 hours until the cloves are tender. I like to keep an eye on the garlic to make sure it doesn’t get too brown. Everyone’s oven is different; so just be sure to check on the cloves after 1 hour. Once the garlic has softened, all the oil to cool.
If you want to know even more about confit garlic, for additional cooking tips, or more ideas on how to use any leftovers, be sure to check out my post for a more in depth info!
Step 2: Make the dip
In a food processor or blender, add the room temperature goat cheese, Greek yogurt, lemon juice and zest, the cooled confit garlic cloves and oil, dill, chives, salt and pepper. Pulse the ingredients together until well blended and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed to get everything combined.
Once the mixture is smooth, add in the honey and grated Parmesan cheese. Taste for any addition salt and blend the dip once more.
Step 3: Chill and serve
I personally like to chill the dip in the fridge before serving but you could absolutely serve it room temperature as well.
How to serve lemon herb goat cheese dip. I LOVE to serve this dip with sweet potato chips. You can buy them from your local grocery store or make your own! Pita chips or crostini work beautifully as well. For a more veggie forward snack, try dipping with baby cucumbers and carrots. I have even used leftover dip folded into warm penne pasta for a quick weeknight dinner.
How best to store the dip. The goat cheese dip will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days in airtight container.
**Important note on confit garlic**
There are few important rules with confit garlic. If it is not stored correctly, confit garlic carries the risk of Clostridium botulinum; a bacteria that can lead to botulism. BUT don’t let this scare you off! With proper cooking and storing, confit garlic is completely safe to eat and totally worth the effort.
Refrigeration is essential. If you have leftover confit garlic cloves or oil, you must refrigerate them in air tight container once the oil has cooled. I also like to store any leftovers in glass container rather than plastic. Your confit garlic cloves and oil will keep fresh once refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Extra confit garlic? The oil in confit garlic has amazing flavor. I like to add into a pasta sauce or stir into wild rice or quinoa for extra garlic flavor. You can also make amazing garlic bread with the leftovers!
Looking for more easy cold appetizer recipes?
Bacon and Strawberry Jalapeño Jam over Goat cheese
Garlic-y Whipped Ricotta and Feta Dip
Before you go, if you make this Lemon Herb Goat Cheese Dip, comment and/or rate it down below. I’d love to hear what you think!
Lemon Herb Goat Cheese Dip with Confit Garlic
Equipment
- food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 4 ounce goat cheese log room temp
- 1/2 cup Plain greek yogurt
- 1 TBSP lemon juice
- 1/2 Of a lemon, zested about 1 TBSP
- 2-3 TBSP chopped dill
- 8 chives
- 4 cloves of confit garlic
- 2 TBSP confit garlic oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- 1/4 tsp honey
- 2 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese
For the confit garlic
- 6-8 cloves of garlic * NOTE *
- 1+ cup olive oil enough to cover the cloves completely
Instructions
To Confit the Garlic
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
- In an oven safe dish, add the peeled garlic cloves and cover the cloves with olive oil. You will need enough oil to submerge the garlic. TIP: I find it best to use a small dish so I don’t have to use as much olive oil.
- Cook the garlic slowly for 1.5-2 hours until the cloves are soft and lightly golden in color. Keep an eye on the garlic so it doesn’t burn. Everyone’s oven cooks differently.
- Once the garlic is softened, allow the oil to cool while you prepare the rest of the dip.
For the lemon herb goat cheese dip
- Into a food processor or blender, add the room temperature goat cheese, Greek yogurt, lemon zest and juice, 4 cloves of confit garlic and the oil, dill, chives and salt and pepper. Pulse the mixture together until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Next, add in the honey and Parmesan cheese and pulse again until combined. Check for any additional salt.
- SERVE along side pita chips, veggies or my favorite, sweet potato chips.TIP: I like to refrigerate the goat cheese dip for an hour before serving but you can also serve it room temperature. The flavors will be more intensified when served room temperature.
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