Healthy Goat Cheese Appetizer Recipes

Buttery puff pastry is a tasty shortcut ingredient that can be used in many delicious ways. Here we roll out a pastry sheet and cover it with fig jam and crumbled goat cheese, then roll it up into a log and bake it. The end result is a sweet-and-savory appetizer that looks and tastes impressive, especially considering it has just three ingredients.

This fruit, cheese and cracker box inspired by Starbucks' bistro boxes is a fun and healthy alternative to your standard sandwich. It's the perfect personal-size cheese plate to pack for a work lunch or a picnic in the park.

This classic combination of melon and prosciutto gets a bit of creamy deliciousness from goat cheese. The avocado adds a touch of decadence and good-for-you nutrients. This appetizer recipe is worth bookmarking for your next dinner party, since all of the ingredients are incredibly simple to find and easy to keep on hand.

Vary this quick-to-assemble vegetarian appetizer recipe with the season. Try sliced nectarines in place of the strawberries in the summer and halved grapes in the fall. Chopped pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts are all delicious in place of the walnuts as well.

In this easy guacamole recipe, we mix in a little creamy goat cheese for a tangy version of a classic favorite. Serve it with tortilla chips and crunchy vegetables like kohlrabi and carrots.

Here, dried figs are simmered in just enough liquid so they soften into a thick jam. Try stirring the leftover compote into your yogurt or oatmeal the next day.

This olive-and-goat-cheese-stuffed cherry tomato recipe makes a great pop-in-your-mouth appetizer. Scooping out the insides to stuff the tomato can be a little tricky without the right tool--a 1/4-teaspoon measuring spoon works very well for the job.

These pretty hors d'oeuvres are perfect for holiday parties. And they're super-easy to make, thanks to premade pie dough. Simply press the dough into mini muffin tins to make tart shells, then fill with goat cheese and sun-dried tomato tapenade. (If you can't find sun-dried tomato tapenade, you can use sun-dried tomato pesto instead.) Chopped parsley is a pretty garnish if you're open to adding a fourth ingredient.

This recipe is the perfect easy dinner party-worthy appetizer: it's quick to make and calls for a short list of ingredients. You can even make it ahead of time--simply mark the figs on the grill and reheat them in the oven just before adding the cheese and serving. Most importantly, the flavor combination is divine--figs get a smoky char from the grill before they're topped with a tangy, slightly sweetened goat cheese.

This creamy, cheesy dip is spiked with green chiles and smoky chipotle pepper. Be sure to drain the ricotta the day before you want to serve the dip. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

The delightful flavors of goat cheese and dried tomatoes make a spread that's perfect on crackers for an appetizer or a snack.

Each of these bite-size savory treats has a bit of dried fruit tucked inside for a slightly sweet surprise. They make wonderful holiday gifts as well as elegant little hors d'oeuvres.