In a medium bowl combine marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Pour half the tomato mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Place the log of goat cheese in the middle of the pan, then pour the rest of the tomato mixture over the goat cheese.
Drizzle balsamic vinegar then olive oil over the top of the goat cheese.
Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the contents of the pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbling.
Serve warm with toasted bread.
Toast the Bread (Optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice bread into individual-sized servings.
Spread the bread evenly on a large baking sheet and brush the surface of each piece with olive oil.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes, until the bread is toasted but not too hard/crispy. I should be soft to bite into but toasted enough to hold the goat cheese.
Video
Notes
Ingredient Substitutions
Goat cheese. plain goat cheese or a flavored variety like Italian/herb are great choices for this recipe. You can also use feta, if desired.
Marinara sauce. We prefer a tomato basil marinara sauce, use your favorite variety.
Diced tomatoes. use a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes or 1 ½ cups fresh tomatoes, diced.
Minced garlic. 1 teaspoon garlic powder can be used in place of 1 tablespoon minced garlic.
Balsamic vinegar. use a high-quality balsamic vinegar that is thick and sweet and pours like molasses (not watery).
ServeLet the goat cheese cool slightly, then serve it warm warm with toasted bread. Alternatively, you can serve it with a warm soft bread like homemade french bread, no knead bread, etc. Our favorite restaurant served it with a soft bread that was similar to pita.StoreStore leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven. You can heat it up, mix it together and serve it over pasta (yum).