Caramelized Onion And Goat Cheese Bites are jam packed with flavor! With juicy homemade onions and creamy goat cheese in flaky pastry these mini appetizers hit the mark. The combination of caramelized onions and goats cheese will make your entertaining game a breeze!
Recipes like the Puff Pastry Bites, Brie Cranberry Tarts, Apple Custard Tarts and the Apple Crumble Tartlets offer pastry tarts with sweet or savory flavors.
The Caramelized Onion Brie, Caramelised Onion Sausage Rolls and the Caramelised Onion Tarts offer a variety of ways to use the Quick Caramelised Onions recipe.
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๐ค Recipe Highlights
I have summarised everything that you will come to know and love (LOVE โค) about the recipe in the points below:
- Party starter: during the festive season we all love cheese and we all love appetizers! These caramelized onion & goat cheese bites are the perfect bite sized pastry to entertain with!
- Taste and texture: from the sweet caramelized onions and tangy goat cheese to the crispy flaky puff pastry, there is a lot going on in such a small appetizer. Puff pastry with caramelized onions will let you tick the taste and texture box and yet it really doesn't take too much effort to bring them together!
- Vegetarian: it can be super handy to have a couple of vegetarian appetizers up your sleeve to whip them out when entertaining. If you are not sure if those dropping by are meat eaters or prefer a vegetarian lifestyle then these bites will give you an option that works for all.
- Simple ingredients: you will be able to get everything you need to make the recipe from the local grocery store. They are year round available ingredients that will be easy to get your hands on.
๐ฅ Ingredients
The photo below is to show you everything you need to make the goats cheese bites recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card for specific ingredient measurements as well as detailed instructions.
As you can see the recipe calls for:
- Olive oil: we use a little bit of olive oil to cook the onions on the stove top.
- Butter: we then also add some butter to keep the onions moist and juicy with a jam like texture.
- Balsamic vinegar: aromatic and fresh the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar are the key ingredients to enhance the flavor of the caramelized onions.
- Brown sugar: as above.
- Onions: I like to use 2 brown onions for this recipe. It switches it up from my other caramelized onion recipes on the site where I use red onions.
- Thyme: thyme is a very aromatic and fresh herb that adds a few pops of colour and taste to a wide variety of recipes. It is optional, however and a great way to garnish the bites for serving if you choose to do so.
- Goat cheese: you can get goat cheese in slices, a spreadable barrel or round log like portions. We want to use either the spreadable type or the logs. Doing so allows us to crumble to cheese over the pastry bites before we pop them into the oven.
- Caramelized onions: the onions that you see here are the ones that I made from the ingredients set out above. You can make them in advance if you wish to and them simply bring them together on the day. That way you will only need to have the ingredients shown in this photo on hand.
- Puff pastry: store-bought puff pastry is what we are after! It is easy to use and a 'pantry staple' that works for so many recipes!
๐ณ Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions to make the recipe. We start by preparing the onions. You will need a knife and cutting board for the initial steps.
- Slice the onions (Photo 1)
- Separate them into rings (Photo 2)
- Add the oil to a sauce pan (Photo 3)
- Add the onions (Photo 4)
๐ฉโ๐ณ How to Make Caramelized Goat Cheese Bites
To make the caramelized goat cheese bites we start by slicing and separating the onions into individual rings. Once done we place a large sauce pan onto the stove top, add the olive oil and turn the heat to high. Next add the onions and let them start cooking.
We cook the onions for an initial 8-10 minutes using a wooden spoon to move them around in the pan during this time. When this time is up we turn the heat to low and add the butter.
- Add the butter (Photo 5)
- Then add the balsamic vinegar (Photo 6)
- Add the brown sugar (Photo 7)
- Cool slightly then blitz (Photo 8)
After adding the butter, we add the balsamic vinegar, followed by the brown sugar. We then continue to use low heat and let the onions caramelise for 15 to 20 minutes. During this time you can stir the onions every now and then which helps to deglaze the pan.
When the cook time is up and all of the liquids in the pan have been absorbed, you can turn off the heat. Then let the onions cool slightly before adding them to the food processor.
We want to blitz the onions (ever so slightly) so that their texture in the goat cheese bites is not too stringy. You will see what this will look like in the photo below.
- Onions blitzed and ready for filling (Photo 13)
- Cut the pastry (Photo 14)
- Grease a mini muffin pan (Photo 15)
- Place the pastry squares onto the muffin tin (Photo 16)
Next we start on the pastry. To do so, place a thawed sheet of puff pastry onto a clean, dry chopping board. Then use a pizza cutter to slice the square into 16 equal (ish ๐๐) pieces.
Once done, use cooking spray to grease the mini muffin pan like you see in the photos above.
Then transfer the cut pastry squares into the top of the muffin tin.
- Push the pastry into the pan (Photo 17)
- Prick the pastry with a fork (Photo 18)
- Add the caramelised onions (Photo 19)
- Add the goat cheese (Photo 20)
Repeat this process to place a square of pastry onto each muffin hole then push them in and twist to form the pastry cups.
Once done, use a fork and prick each of the bases like you see in the photo above.
Next use a teaspoon to spoon in some of the caramelised onions and repeat to fill each muffin hole.
Then crumble the goat cheese over the top of the caramelised onions like you see above.
Once done, we place the mini muffin tin into the oven and cook the goat cheese bites for 12 to 13 minutes. During this time the pastry will cook through, turn slightly golden and the goat cheese will soften and get some crispy edges in parts - it is a mouth watering process to observe! ๐๐.
๐ฝ Serving Suggestions
When it comes to serving your goat cheese bites I find 2 small tricks handy to elevate their presentation.
A drizzle of balsamic glaze (thicker than balsamic vinegar and in a squeezy bottle) over the top and some fresh thyme leaves seal the deal.
These small tricks add some pops of additional colour and flavor as well as giving visual appeal that your guests will love!
Get ready to whip them up for an upcoming holiday party, your next gathering, bridal showers or simply just because! They offer the perfect balance of flavors that work on a cheese board or as is.
๐ How to Guide
How to Store
Transfer leftover goat cheese bites into a sealed airtight container. They can be kept in the fridge for 3 days and are best warmed or heated before being consumed.
How to Freeze
If you want to freeze your caramelized onion and goat cheese bites, you can do so after getting up to the step of adding the onions to the pastry. Then place a large plastic bag over the whole muffin tin and push to remove the air and seal. The bites can be frozen for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat
For refrigerated bites place them onto a plate and reheat in the microwave in 10 second increments until warmed through. I don't tend to use the air fryer to reheat these as they are so light that they can fly around in there and get a bit messy with the cheese etc. If however, you have used a small enough muffin pan to fit the air fryer, you can place this in and reheat the bites whilst still in the pan. Or use the oven with the goat cheese bites in the pan.
If you have frozen a tray of these, remove that tray from the oven, pop it on the bench, remove the plastic and then top the tarts with the goat cheese. The muffin pan can them be put into the oven and the bites cook like this. I recommend this as goat cheese can have mixed results when being frozen and cooked. So adding it fresh before baking the bites is the best approach.
๐ Substitutions and Variations
Here are my sub ins and outs that you might be thinking about as you read the post and I will tell you if I think they will work or why they won't:
- You can use either 2 brown onions, 2 red onions or 1 brown and 1 red onion. Each will deliver the results we are looking for.
- I haven't try using another type of sugar. Brown sugar is always my go to, so I can't say if using another sugar would work for the recipe.
๐ก Tasty Tips
Here are my top tips and tricks that I want to share with you so that you master the recipe from the get go:
- We want to liberally spray the mini muffin tin with cooking spray. This will ensure that the pastry won't stick to the bites when we are removing them from the pan.
- Once the goat cheese bites are cooked and you have removed them from the oven, we want to leave them in the pan for a little bit before using a teaspoon to gently remove them from the pan.
- This recipes makes 24 bites. You can easily double the recipe by using 2 mini muffin tins at the same time or make one batch and then later use the same muffin pan to make another batch.
- You can make the caramelised onions in advance if you wish too and then simply bring the bites together on the day (doing so will save around 30 minutes).
- Do you love making Caramelised Onions? Then you might like to try the Caramelised Onion Burger ๐๐.
- Or do you love goat cheese? Then try the Goat Cheese Log ๐.
๐ค Frequently Asked Questions
Caramelized onions are an excellent pairing with goat cheese. Combined the 2 offer both sweet and savory flavors that will appeal to a wide audience.
Goat cheese goes well on crackers and pastry. The crispy cracker or flaky pastry offers a combination of textures that are both creamy and smooth or firm with a little bite to it.
No, shortcrust and puff pastry are 2 different types of pastry. Whilst both sold in square shapes and indeed a pastry they work best in different ways. Shortcrust pastry works well as the base for quiches, tarts or pies where as puff pastry works best for sausage rolls or the pastry on top of a pie.
Poking holes in puff pastry is done to let steam escape as the pastry bakes.
No puff pastry and filo dough are 2 different types of pastry. Puff pastry is thicker and more robust and you can use 1 sheet of it. Filo is very thin, fragile and most often used in multiple layers to create a thickness to hold a variety of fillings.
๐ More Easy Finger Food Recipes
When its party time, you need lots of food ideas to whip out and impress your guests with! Here are some more ideas to try.
- Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs
- Bacon And Cheese Cob Loaf
- Mini Meatballs
- Chicken Sausage Rolls
- Spinach Cob Loaf Dip
- Tater Tot Cups
- Baked Feta With Honey
It is time to get our caramelized onion and goat cheese bites on my friend! You can also find all of my appetizer recipes, dips and spreads or Christmas recipes in the one spot!
Adrianne
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๐ Recipe
Caramelized Onions And Goat Cheese Bites
Ingredients
Caramelized onions
- 2 large brown onions Note 1
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 20 grams/1 tablespoon butter unsalted, chopped into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Pastry
- 2-3 sheets puff pastry thawed, Note 2
- 100 grams/3.5 oz goat cheese Note 3
To serve (optional):
- balsamic glaze
- thyme
Instructions
- Caramelized onions: use a sharp knife and chopping board to peel and slice the onions into thin rings. Once done, use your fingers to separate the onions into individual rings. Next place a large sauce pan onto the stove top, add the olive oil and turn the heat to high. Add the onions and then use a wooden spoon to stir for 8-10 minutes. Once this initial cook time is up turn the heat to low. Next add the butter, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar then stir to combine. Let the onions keep cooking on low heat for an additional 15 to 20 minutes and stir them occasionally during this time. Once they have caramelized with the liquids being absorbed, turn the heat off.
- Blitz: let the onions cool slightly, then transfer them into the food processor and blitz for mere seconds to chop them up slightly.
- Preheat the oven:ย preheat the oven to 180ยฐC / 350-375ยฐF / Gas Mark 4-5. Note 4
- Pastry: place a thawed sheet of puff pastry onto a clean, dry chopping board. Then use a pizza cutter to slice it into 16 even squares. Repeat for a 2nd sheet.
- Muffin tin: grease a mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Then place the squares of pastry onto the top of each hole. Use a twisting motion to push the pastry down and into the base of the tin. Then repeat for all holes. Next use a fork and prick the base of each pastry cup.
- Filling: use a teaspoon and spoon a small amount of the blitz caramelized onions into the pastry. Repeat for all holes. Next crumble the goat cheese over the top of the onions and repeat for all of the bites.
- Bake: next place the mini muffin tin into the oven on the middle shelf. Let the goat cheese bites bake for 13 to 15 minutes. Once done, use an oven mitt to remove the muffin tin and place it onto a heatproof surface. Let the bites cool for a couple of minutes and then use a teaspoon to gently remove them and place on a wire cooling rack.
- To serve; drizzle a little bit of balsamic glaze over the bites and sprinkle with thyme leaves.
Notes
- Note 1 - Onions: you can use either 2 brown onions, 2 red onions or 1 of each. All of these combinations will work.ย
- Note 2 - Puff Pastry: if you are making the caramelized onions on the same day as the goat cheese bites, keep the puff pastry in the fridge until you are ready to use it. Otherwise if it is sitting on the bench it will become sticky and tacky. It doesn't take too long to thaw, so another option is simply to remove it from the freezer after you have finished caramelising the onions before you blitz them and wait for it to thaw.ย
- Note 3 - Goat Cheese: this is a very soft cheese. As such we want to only take it out of the fridge when we are ready to use it. If it sits on the bench too long it will become smudge like when you crumble it between your fingers. So after you have filled the pastry with the onions, grab it out, remove the packaging and crumble it over the top. You can try using a teaspoon but I find crumbing in your finger tips works the best.ย
- Note 4 - Oven: also with the oven whilst we want to preheat it so that it is ready to cook the bites when we are ready to cook them, we don't need it on for the 30 minutes that it will take to cook the onions. So again, you can do this step after you have caramelised the onions.ย
Rebecca says
Yum! Giving these a go next weekend.
Adrianne says
Thanks Rebecca, I hope you love them ๐.
Connie Barker says
Came out great!! Would make them again for sure..
Adrianne says
Thanks Connie for your feedback ๐.