The Key to Handling This Challenging Ingredient with Ease

Goat cheese adds a lovely tang to salads, especially when paired with beets. It's one of my go-to summer combinations, topped on a bed of fresh mixed greens. But here's the issue: soft goat cheese sticks together and doesn’t disperse evenly, making it tough to get a bite of that delicious cheese with every forkful.

Thanks to one of my Instagram favorites, Chef Thomas Straker, I may have found a solution. I first discovered Straker through his amazing compound butters, which he pairs with specific dishes. I’m eager to try his burger sauce butter the next time I fire up the grill for burgers.

Over the weekend, Straker shared a recipe for a peeled tomato and frozen goat cheese salad, and I had to stop and take notice. Frozen goat cheese? I was intrigued! When I saw him grate the frozen cheese over the salad, I thought, ‘That’s pure genius!’

Straker topped the peeled tomato salad with a delicate layer of finely grated goat cheese that didn’t clump. I can imagine that every bite of the salad would be perfectly balanced with that tangy, crumbled goat cheese.

How to Freeze Goat Cheese for Easy Use

In the video, Straker shows a full four-ounce log of goat cheese frozen solid. He then grates the frozen cheese just like you would a wedge of Parmesan or any other hard cheese.

Freezing goat cheese is a breeze. Here’s how to do it:

1. Cut the goat cheese into portions if you'd prefer. You can freeze the whole log or break it into smaller pieces for convenience.
2. Wrap the cheese tightly in freezer-safe plastic wrap. For extra protection against freezer burn, place it in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or cover it with a layer of foil.
3. Store it in the freezer. If you're keeping it long-term, label the packaging with the date and be sure to use it within 3 months.

Recipes for Using Grated Frozen Goat Cheese

Not all recipes are suited for grated frozen goat cheese. For example, dishes like Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta require the cheese to stay soft, creamy, and spreadable, so freezing isn’t ideal.

However, this technique could work wonderfully with recipes like these:

• Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese and Walnuts 
• Spinach Salad with Chicken, Avocado, and Goat Cheese
• Watermelon Goat Cheese Salad
• Roasted Asparagus with Herb Goat Cheese (I’d add grated goat cheese 2 minutes before the dish is done instead of the entire time as advised for large crumbles of goat cheese.)
• Warm Green Bean and Potato Salad with Goat Cheese

I’m excited to try this freezing method myself. The next time I pick up goat cheese, I’ll be sure to freeze a portion for upcoming salads and more.