Mexican Goat Cheese Dip Recipe

Kate Ramos

A whipped goat cheese dip recipe with a spicy chile-garlic oil, toasted pine nuts, and fresh orange zest.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Total Time 20

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Mexican-American

Calories: 204

1/2 cup olive oil
5 dried morita chiles stemmed, seeded and finely chopped (about 1/4 cup chopped) This is easiest to do with scissors.
6 cloves garlic peeled
8 ounces fresh goat cheese room temperature
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
cilantro leaves and mint leaves for serving

Combine the 1/2 cup oil, the 1/4 cup chopped chiles, and the 6 cloves garlic in a medium frying pan and place over medium heat. Warm oil until garlic is fragrant and chiles begin to toast a little, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes.
Combine 8 ounces room temperature goat cheese, 4 ounces room temperature cream cheese 2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Spoon out the chile and garlic pieces from the oil and add to the food processor.
Blend on high until fluffy and smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with remaining oil. Sprinkle pine nuts, cilantro and mint over the top and serve with crackers, chips, and veggies.

Serving: 1gCalories: 204kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 8gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 229mg

Room temp cheeses = fluffy texture. Let goat cheese + cream cheese sit out 30–60 minutes. Cold cheese won’t whip smooth and can stay a little grainy.
Orange zest tip. Zest the orange before you cut/juice it, and use only the bright orange part (no white pith) so it stays fragrant, not bitter.
Morita chile swap. Moritas are smoky + medium heat. If you can’t find them, use chipotle chile flakes (start with 1–2 teaspoons) or 1–2 canned chipotles in adobo (different flavor + thicker, but still great).
Pine nut alternatives. Toasted pepitas or slivered almonds work well (and are usually cheaper). Always toast for best flavor.

Let us know how it was!