Love and Olive Oil

Savory Basil and Goat Cheese Cheesecake

Savory Basil and Goat Cheese Cheesecake

And Basil Week continues with this savory goat cheese cheesecake. That’s right, I said savory.

Now before you go saying, “Holy crap what has gotten into Lindsay?” let me say I acknowledge that this is completely out of character for me. But whatever the reason, I felt the urge to make a savory cheesecake.

I should have known better. I knew it was a savory cheesecake and there was no sugar involved, and yet, regardless, I think I was expecting many of the same characteristics that make a sweet cheesecake so enjoyable.

And to be honest? I was disappointed.

Maybe calling it a cheesecake is misleading. Maybe I should have been calling it a baked basil cheese spread. Because that’s really what it is. Despite the pretty little slice in the photo, you really can’t sit down with a slice of it and expect to eat it like a normal cheesecake. You might just gag. But if you spread it onto some good crusty bread or crackers, treat it like a soft cheese, then it becomes an enjoyable appetizer. (At the same time, Taylor observed it’d be just as good if you mixed some soft cheeses together with some herbs and called it a day. Which would be a heck of a lot easier.)

I’ll stop trying to fool myself now and acknowledge that I’m just a sweet kind of gal, through and through. And any efforts to turn sweet into savory just won’t cut it in my book. I’m saying here and now there will NOT be any savory ice creams or cupcakes posted here in the near future. You can hold me to that. (Any such concoctions created on April 1, however, are exempt from the aforementioned clause for obvious reasons.)

Savory Basil and Goat Cheese Cheesecake

Although I do admit that the idea of a goat cheese cheesecake is still intriguing to me, it just needs to involve sugar. A sweet goat cheese cheesecake just might be the best thing ever. Heck, even a sweet basil goat cheese cheesecake would be delicious. Same concept, just sweet. As it should be.

Savory Basil and Goat Cheese Cheesecake

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Ingredients:

For Crust:
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon butter, melted
pinch salt

For Filling:
8 ounces (1 cup) cream cheese, softened
4 ounces (1/4 cup) soft goat cheese
1/4 cup (4 ounces) sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 cup fresh basil, packed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt salt
pinch salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

To prepare crust, stir together cheese, bread crumbs, and salt. With a fork, mix in melted butter until incorporated. Press into the bottom of a 7-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Blanche the basil in boiling water for 15 seconds or until leaves are bright green. Transfer to an ice water bath to halt the cooking. Drain and place in a food processor. Pulse together with olive oil and salt until smooth.

For filling, in a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and goat cheese until smooth and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add sour cream and basil mixture and mix until just incorporated.

Pour filling mixture into crust. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until center is set but still barely jiggly. Remove to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight. Release springform sides prior to serving. Leftovers can be stored, covered or wrapped in aluminum foil, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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33 Comments

  1. I do not own a springform pan and try to keep off carbs.  Could I possibly bake it in a cake or pie pan?
    Thank you 

    • If you have a deep pan that would fit all the batter you could, however it wouldn’t come out of the pan in one piece. You’d serve it more like a pie where you kept it in the pan and cut out slices.

  2. Can this be frozen after baking? I’m wondering if I made two to have one in my freezer for a quick appetizer. I know sweet cheesecake freezes well…just wondering if the savory version would.

  3. This looks absolutely delicious, but I have to admit that the thought of eating a whole slice of nothing but cheese, no matter how much I love cheese, doesn’t sound very appealing…

    I think the trick is you have to add different flavors and textures to a savory cheesecake. Try making it into a main course by adding a few vegetables and other goodies to it.

    I made 2 different versions so far and have been very satisfied with them. Granted, they still need a little bit of tweaking, but the recipes are still very useable as is.

    I made a “Artichoke and Green Olive” http://thehealthyfoodie.net/2011/07/06/artichoke-and-green-olive-savory-cheesecake/

    As well as a “Broccoli and Spinach” http://thehealthyfoodie.net/2011/06/06/savory-cheesecake/

    As for your idea of a sweet goat cheese cake, all I can say is YUUUM! That sounds absolutely divine. I LOVE goat cheese with blackberry preserve. Bet it would make an incredible cheesecake combination. Or “Fig and Honey”…

    Ohhh, you really got me thinking now!

    Absolutely love your site, by the way. It’s simply gorgeous! Real glad I found you.

  4. it still sounds delicious! maybe call it cheese pie…

  5. I’ve made a blueberry goat cheese basil pie that I got off from the Food Network which is a little sweet & has an almond-sugar topping which you may like better.I followed one reviewer’s suggestion by roasting the blueberries with balsamic vinegar to get out some of the juiciness so the pie won’t be watery. It’s excellent.

  6. I had a fantastic goat cheesecake at Tayst Saturday night. I was told it was just goat cheese, lemon, a little salt and pepper and a hint of cayenne. I could have eaten a huge piece and been happy. I need to ask for that recipe. Heh, I’ll see what happens if I do…

  7. How about turning it into a quiche with some zucchini or tomato?

  8. I’m sorry it wasn’t what you hoped for, but it sure is beautiful!

  9. You’re right about a sweet goat’s cheesecake being intriguing- Fergus Henderson does a lovely version- I made it for my husband last year as a parting gift before he left me to go to Oktoberfest. Luckily he came back in one piece. With some figs, it was fantastic.

  10. I’ve had a sweet goat cheese cheesecake and it’s pretty much incredible :)

    this sounds so good and different!

  11. it looks great even though i don’t try to confuse sweet for savory coz my mind is tuned to expect something different. Sweet goat cheese cake sounds great though!

  12. I was excited at first because I have a huge bundle of fresh basil to use and was looking for nontraditional basil options. Stinks that this disappointed as a dessert! But I really like the idea of it as a warm baked dip ;-)

  13. you’re my hero for your honesty with your disappointment; it’s always hard when we expect one thing and are faced with another. the savoury qualities of this DO sound delicious though, and even in little pots, this would make lovely individual first courses with bitter greens and some crusty bread.

  14. You really had me confused until I read Janet’s comment. I like savory things so I might try it as Susan suggested, with toasted pita and roasted tomatoes.

  15. I am definitely making this someday! Love the savory-ness of it! Gorgeous as well!

  16. Trader Joe’s has a goat cheese with blueberry vanilla compote and it is amazing. Its tastes just like cheesecake and I think about making one with those ingredients every time I eat it!

  17. yum! Im bookmarking this one – by the way the crust directions need to be adjusted -I hope you don’t mind me pointing that out it seems to be from a different recipe.

  18. This looks amazing since I love savory cheesecakes!!
    However, the first paragraph of the instructions is obviously a block and copy error.

  19. I’m more of a savory than sweet kind of girl, so this look amazing to me! But, I agree, it would be awesome as a spread.

    You must try making a (sweet) goat cheese cheesecake sometime soon! They are amazing! I made lemon goat cheese cheesecakes in a jar, and posted it on the blog back in May. My husband loved them and is still asking me to make some more of them :)

  20. Loved it…the pics looks wonderful

  21. I was thinking JUST last night about making a savoury cheesecake! I have a few ideas bobbing around and you have definitely given me the final shove to just go for it and try them out. Your cheesecake looks totally fabulous, and even if it wasnt totally to your taste its a great idea and a lovely post all the same :)

  22. I’m like you; I have a huge sweet tooth. The whole savoury cheesecake thing does sound a very rich (without all that sugar to cut through it, obviously), but the flavour combination sounds delicious.

  23. As much as I am no fan of sweet cheesecake, this sounds brilliant!

  24. This looks absolutely divine! Love a savory cheesecake. My friend makes a pesto cheesecake that is to die for and I bet yours is right up there. Have a great weekend!!

  25. This sounds amazing! I’ve been looking for good savory cheesecake since reading Good Grief by Lolly Winston.

  26. I mean put the tomatoes on top of the cheese: not the pita…

  27. A sweet goat cheese cheesecake is the best thing ever! I had some at a restaurant in Minneapolis and even though I was stuffed I couldn’t help but devour the whole slice. It’s incredible! I really want to make one at home!

  28. Maybe some pita bread that you cut up and toast, with roasted tomatoes drizzled on top?

    I’m like you were before you made it: an optimist.

    I think we could do something with this!

  29. I made this for my burthday in April as a party appetizer. It’s delicious with crqckers. Everyone loved it and left with the recipe to try at home. Like you, I was expecting it to have some of the same characteristics as sweet cheesecake. But it didn’t disapoint at all.

  30. Maybe this should not be called a cheesecake but I would definitely love this to spread on a warm baguette!

  31. Is it bad that I started singing, “I Shoulda Known Betta!” OUTLOUD by Richard Marx when you wrote that line?

    See, I’m a savory type of gal, so this is right in line with what I call GOOD in life.

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