Summer is in full swing and so are backyard dinners and hang-outs. And every outdoor get-together requires something tasty: like a summer cheeseboard! We love a good theme, and these summer-themed boards make for delicious spreads that are sure to impress family and friends. From dessert to tailgating to craft beer, we’ve got a cheeseboard for everyone.
Give Me the Gouda Cheeseboard
Our two core Goudas — Original and Smoked — shine on this summery cheeseboard from The Cheese Board Queen which is perfect for snacking, an easy dinner, or dessert.
The long 4th of July weekend is here and having a crowd-pleasing spread at your backyard gathering or picnic is a must! To help you plan, we’ve put together a collection of festive & patriotic cheeseboard and recipe ideas loaded with award-winning Roth cheeses to keep your guests happy.
4th of July Cheeseboard
Bring the red, white, and blue into this simple cheeseboard by adding colorful berries and fun, cut-out cheese shapes. Simply arrange on a platter, and serve! Kid- and adult-friendly.
Every summer holiday needs a cheeseburger, and this simple, 4-ingredient recipe satisfies. The mild, nutty flavor of our award-winning Grand Cru® cheese makes this burger deeply delicious and complex. Top with lettuce, tomato, roasted red peppers, and condiments of your choice!
This fresh, 20-minute salad is chockful of summer vegetables and topped with our tangy, creamy Chèvre goat cheese. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, and everything in between.
These summer club sandwiches will bring sunshine-y goodness to your tastebuds! Smeared with our fresh, tangy Chèvre goat cheese & honey, then stacked with peaches, peppery arugula, sharp red onion, honey baked turkey, bacon, basil & honey Dijon.
These Smoked Gouda sheetpan grilled cheese sliders are the solution for feeding a hungry crowd. Just 7 simple ingredients and a quick 20 minutes to assemble before baking. Use premade pesto to make things even easier!
Now that the world is starting to reopen, I am tip-toeing into entertaining again. I have so missed having people over and being able to cook for them. Feeding people is my love language.
While I don’t think that I am ready for an inside gathering just yet, my backyard is ready to party.
This spring, we turned our patio into an outdoor living space that is made for enjoying summer nights with friends and family. We added new outdoor games, upgraded our fire pit and garden, and made a living room set complete with hanging chairs that are perfect for cuddling up in.
Now more than ever, I want to focus on my guests. And not on being in the kitchen cooking while they are catching up and enjoying themselves. I want to be out there having a good time too. I’ve missed my friends and can’t wait to spend time with them again. So that means I need some snacks that are easy to prepare and easy to eat.
My friends at Roth Cheese have a new Spinach Artichoke Gouda cheese that is so good and was the inspiration for this spread. Its creation was inspired by the classic dip that we all know and love: lots of spinach, artichoke, red pepper flake, and garlic flavor in creamy Gouda.
I love that each thing is bite-sized or personal. You don’t need to worry about utensils or double-dipping. (Please tell me that we said goodbye to that in 2020.) This creamy flavored Gouda is so versatile. It melts like a dream in and on everything and is delicious all on its own. It works perfectly in each recipe.
Now that it is finally feeling like summer, I’m going to break out the corn hole, get the pollen off the furniture, and fire up the fire pit, because I am ready to have some fun.
Spinach Artichoke Crostini //
Crispy toast topped with sautéed spinach and artichokes, and covered in melted Roth Spinach and Artichoke Gouda cheese.
24 pieces sliced baguette
½ cup olive oil
½ sweet onion, finely chopped
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet. Brush bread with ¼ cup olive oil. Toast until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Add oil to a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and artichokes, cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions soften. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and cook for one minute. Add spinach to the pan, and cook until it wilts, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Flip the bread over and top the untoasted side with the spinach mixture. Sprinkle generously with cheese. Put the pan back into the oven and cook until the cheese melts. If you like things a little extra spicy, sprinkle the tops with more red pepper flake.
Mini Spinach Artichoke Gouda Tarts //
A one-bite cheese tart full of spinach and artichoke flavor. These are delicious served warm, but equally delicious at room temperature.
1 box ready made pie crust (there should be 2 crusts in the box)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut pie crust into about 2 ¾-inch rounds. Gently press into a mini muffin tin. Bake for 10 minutes. If the crusts puff up, use a spoon or tart shaper to press them back into shape.
Mix sour cream, green onions, red pepper, artichoke bruschetta topping in a medium bowl. Fold in shredded cheese and season with salt and pepper.
Add a tablespoon of the mixture into each pie crust. Put back into the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Charcuterie Cups //
Personal cheese boards or grazing cups full of delicious meats, cheeses, nuts, fruit, and crackers.
I have a confession. I don’t like goat cheese. I don’t like yogurt either. It’s always been too tangy for me. Yet I sometimes need to use ingredients that I don’t necessarily love and I have to try them. (The perils of being a recipe developer, some days are much better than others.)
So you can imagine my surprise when I dipped my flatbread into this herbed goat cheese dip and I actually loved it. No one was more shocked than me. Roth Chèvre might be my gateway into the world of goat cheese. It’s mild, fresh tasting, and not overly goat-y.
So why would I make a recipe with an ingredient that I don’t like? Well, because my husband likes it, and he loves a dip. I also had a ton of fresh herbs to use before they wilted in my crisper drawer.
Lastly, every month I get shipped a box of delicious cheeses from my friends at Roth Cheese and I wanted to expand my culinary horizons. I love their cheeses and can’t decide which one to eat first, but I always give the goat cheeses to my neighbors. (They also make a Wild Blueberry and Garlic Herb version.)
So I made a really delicious whipped herbed goat cheese dip and now I won’t avoid things with goat cheese on restaurant menus. Here’s to more beet salads in my future!
Ingredients to Make Whipped Chèvre, Roasted Tomatoes, and Homemade Flatbread //
This is a great recipe to make if you have some herbs and tomatoes to use up before they start to go. The flatbreads will impress everyone when you tell them you made them yourself. No one has to know how easy they are to make.
Whipped Goat Cheese Ingredients //
Roth Chèvre: This is a creamy, mild goat’s milk cheese that is perfect to start with if you think that you don’t like goat cheese. It’s soft, mild, and takes on other flavors beautifully. It comes in 4- and 8-ounce packages that can be found at your local Walmart. (You can also use the Garlic Herb version and really punch up the flavor.)
Honey: This doesn’t make the dip sweet, but it does balance out the tartness of the cheese.
Lemon: Lemon juice brightens the whole dip up. Feel free to fold in the zest when you are folding in the herbs.
Fresh herbs: I almost always have parsley, dill, and chives either in my fridge or growing in my garden. Fresh herbs add so much flavor and brightness to any dish you make.
Garlic: My favorite trick is to drop whole cloves into a running food processor and let the machine do all the work. I start a lot of recipes this way.
Olive oil: This adds a little fattiness and also helps mellow out all of the other flavors.
Roasted Tomato Ingredients //
Cherry tomatoes: I love the way that tomatoes on the vine look. But you can use any kind of tomato you like. I like to use cherry tomatoes because they take less time and are sweeter than large tomatoes.
Shallots: You can leave shallots out if you don’t have any available, but I love the way shallots get sweet when they are roasted. Quarter them to reduce cooking time.
Fresh herbs: I use rosemary, thyme, and oregano, but any herb will add flavor.
Olive oil: Be generous and coat everything well.
Homemade Flatbread Ingredients //
Flour: All-purpose flour is the base of this simple flatbread recipe.
Sugar: Just a pinch adds enough sweetness to balance the tang from the yogurt.
Baking powder: This gives the flatbread lift and helps create the bubbles when cooking.
Yogurt: Helps make a tender flatbread and replaces water in this recipe.
Salt: It might seem like a lot of salt, but you need it to flavor this flatbread.
Olive oil: Coat your pan with olive oil to keep it from sticking., but also it It also helps turn the flatbreads golden brown and crisp up.
How to Make // The Steps
I like to start by making the whipped goat cheese. It needs some time to chill so the flavors can get to know each other.
Add garlic cloves to a running food processor. Let the food processor do the hard work for you.
Add goat and cream cheeses. Let it run at high speed for 3-4 minutes, scraping the bowl every now and again. Make sure that it is really smooth and creamy.
Add lemon juice, honey, olive oil, and a good pinch of salt and pepper, to taste. Run again for another minute.
Transfer to a bowl and mix through the fresh herbs. Cover and chill for at least an hour before you serve it.
While the dip is chilling, start the tomatoes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Spread the tomatoes and shallots out in a single layer.
Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil, salt and pepper over the top. Add sprigs of fresh herbs.
Roast for 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.
Time for the flatbreads.
Add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl. Give it a good mix. Stir in the yogurt and when it starts to come together, turn it out onto the counter. Knead for about a minute or until it is in a ball.
Divide into 4 pieces and cover with a tea towel. Let rest for 15 minutes. Roll out to ⅛ inch.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the dough to the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the surface begins to bubble and the bottom turns golden brown. Flip and cook for another two minutes.
FAQs //
What’s the difference between goat cheese and chèvre?They’re the same thing! Chèvre translated from French means both “goat” and “goat cheese”. There are lots of different kinds of cheese made with goat’s milk, but the soft, creamy, fresh, white cheese is commonly known simply as goat cheese.
Can I make this dip ahead of time? YES! It will just get better and better as it chills out in the fridge.
What are the best kinds of herbs to use in this recipe? Honestly, whatever fresh herbs you have. Basil, parsley, chive, dill, thyme, oregano… they all work together and will add tons of flavor to this dip.
Recipe Tips //
It will be hard to not eat all of this dip right out of the bowl, but let it chill for before serving. It will add to the texture, and the flavors will get a chance to get to know each other.
Don’t want to make the flatbread? No problem. Serve on crusty bread, with crackers, or with sliced vegetables.
What else can I do with roasted tomatoes? I like to purée my roasted tomatoes and turn them into a pasta sauce or soup. The roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the tomatoes and elevates anything you put them in. They also make a great side dish all on their own.
Variations of Herbed Goat Cheese //
Roth Plain goat cheese is mild in flavor, so it can take on many different flavor profiles. Here are some other ideas for whipped goat cheese:
Blueberry and Orange: Skip the garlic and herbs, add more honey, orange juice, and orange zest. Maybe even a pinch of cinnamon? Top with blueberry sauce or fresh blueberries. You can also use the Wild Blueberry version to really add to the blueberry flavor.
Strawberries and Balsamic Vinegar: Whip the Chèvre with salt and pepper, olive oil, and top with chopped strawberries and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Everything Bagel Goat Cheese: Replace the fresh herbs with a tablespoon or two of everything bagel seasoning.
Goat Cheese Toast: Elevate your morning avo toast. Spread the herbed goat cheese on toast and top with fresh peach slices and a drizzle of olive oil and honey.
How to Store //
This dip will keep in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
You can make and freeze the flatbreads ahead of time (Although, I think they taste best eaten when they are made). Let cool completely, put in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to one month. To reheat, bake at 350° F for 5-10 minutes.
October is full of things we can’t resist, like pumpkin spice, Halloween candy, and October-inspired craft beer. Now also on our list: CHEESE. Making a cheeseboard for Halloween parties, gatherings or dinner during your trick-or-treat duties is simple and fun. Just gather some cheeses, your favorite candy and try some new flavor pairings.
The Cheese
This cheeseboard features all of our favorite Halloween-inspired Roth cheeses, from Moody Blue to orange-hued Prairie Sunset, spicy Sriracha Gouda and Vintage Van Gogh® Gouda with a dark rind.
The Candy
Whether you use mini candy bars, candy corn, or opt for fancier accompaniments, you really can’t go wrong pairing cheese and sweets. Here’s what we loved:
Looking for an easy appetizer or new twist on your plain ol’ cheeseboard? Top a radish slice with a square slice of Roth Havarti cheese, then sprinkle the top with coarse sea salt. Try many Havarti flavors like Dill (pictured), Jalapeño or Original.
What you’ll need: 1 package (6 or 8 ounce) Roth Havarti cheese
1 bunch fresh radishes
Coarse sea salt, for topping
How to do it 1. Slice radishes into disks
2. Slice Havarti into strips, then cut into squares
3. Top radish slices with Havarti slices and sprinkle with sea salt. Or, place Havarti squares and radishes on a cheeseboard for quests to assemble their own pairings.
It’s finally Spring! Whether you’re making a cheese board for a party, a shower, or just because, you might as well make it as lovely, tasty, and seasonal as possible. Here’s our latest inspiration:
STEP 1: Choose your cheese
We recommend starting with a creamy, flavored Havarti. Roth Horseradish Havarti has just enough kick without overpowering your palate. Plus, it pairs especially well with seasonal ham.
Next, add a nice, nutty alpine-style cheese. Alpine-style cheeses, like Roth Grand Cru, have a rich, complex flavor and appeals to just about any party-goer. Plus, it pairs beautifully with nuts, fruits, and ham—which makes it a perfect partner for this spring board.
Add a pop of color with a mild cheddar or American Original cheese. Roth Prairie Sunset is a perfect choice for spring. It is slightly sweet with a hint of butterscotch, and so approachable that it tastes great in just about any combination.
Step 2: Pair with Accompaniments
Have fun adding color to your cheese board with seasonal vegetables, fruit, and nuts. Here are some ideas:
Marcona almonds: These simple salted, slightly oily almonds provide a great crunch between bites.
Pickled spring onions: You can make these a few days in advance in the fridge by putting trimmed spring onions into a simple brine—a quick search for pickled spring onions or scallions will turn up dozens of tasty options.
Grapes: Pick your favorite variety—we love the color of red grapes against the color of the Prairie Sunset.
Rhubarb jam: Nothing says spring like rhubarb!
Beauty heart radishes: Peppery-sweet and oh-so-pretty, these radishes may look boring from the outside, but when you slice them, they’re show-stoppers. Great on a sliced baguette with ham and your choice of cheese.
Candied Meyer Lemon: Meyer lemons have a distinctive taste—less sour than regular lemons, with a slightly floral aroma. If you can’t find them candied, you can make your own! Martha Stewart’s version calls for simmering sliced lemons in a simple syrup for 30 minutes, letting them cool, then laying them out on a rack.
Step 3: Add a Base
Bulk up your cheese board with meats, crackers and bread. For spring, we love:
Country ham: Salty country ham is a great choice for a cheese board, but an unctuous liver pâté would be lovely, too.
Whole wheat crackers and sliced baguette: These serve as the perfect base for stacking up adventurous cheese board combos.
There are plenty of ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Of course, our favorite is with cheese—that’s why we put together this little Valentine’s Day Cheese board for two.
To keep it light enough for two, we only used two cheeses: Roth Buttermilk Blue® and Roth Original Havarti.
Buttermilk Blue® is an exceptionally creamy blue cheese that traditionally pairs well with figs, pears, dates and dark chocolate.
Havarti is a crowd-pleasing, buttery cheese that pairs well with, well … just about everything.
For this cheese board, we dipped strawberries in dark chocolate—rich and sweet berries pair with either cheese. Honey, too, pairs well with both cheeses on water crackers, and the crunchy candied nuts make a perfect nibble.
The final touch on this board: Smoked oysters. Great with Havarti, and of course oysters are also a purported aphrodisiac.
And finally, of course, we chose a sparkling rosé to pair with our board. Make sure to look for a dry—or brut—version, as a sweeter wine doesn’t play well with the earthier flavors in this cozy cheese board.
