This garlic baked brie is packed with flavor, with a whole head of garlic, roasted cherry tomatoes, and fresh thyme! It is such a delicious appetizer or side dish for a dinner party or get-together. The first time you make this garlic baked brie with roasted tomato and thyme, you will fall in love and want to make it again and again!
What better way to wow your guests than pull this garlic baked brie out of the oven that fills your home with the aroma of sweet roasted tomatoes, fresh herbs, and bold garlic? This garlic baked brie with roasted tomato and thyme is my go-to appetizer when I want to impress my friends and family for a special occasion or my husband on date night.
Added bonus... it is super easy to make and only takes a few simple ingredients and four easy steps! It is one of those easy appetizer recipes that you can throw together last minute, and no one will know. This garlic baked brie is sure to be one of your favorite things to make for a party.
If you love brie recipes, you must try my baked brie with red pepper jelly, pear baked brie, and brie mac and cheese.
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ingredients 🧾
Brie: You will need one 8-ounce wheel of brie. This recipe can easily be doubled; just use a 16-ounce wheel of cheese instead. I like to get my brie wheel from Costco because it is such a large wheel and great for large parties; however, for simple gatherings with fewer people, a smaller wheel will do.
Garlic: We do not skimp on the garlic in this recipe. A whole garlic head is used, or about 10-15 garlic cloves.
Tomatoes: You will need a pint of cherry tomatoes, or 10-12 ounces. You can also use grape tomatoes or any other small tomato variety.
Olive Oil: Just 2 tablespoons of olive oil are used.
Salt and Pepper: ½ tespoon of sea salt and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper are added to the tomatoes for taste.
Thyme: Fresh thyme brings out the earthy notes in the tomatoes and brie. You will need about 6 sprigs of thyme for the recipe and more to garnish at the end.
Lemon: Just a squirt of fresh lemon juice brings this dish together by adding acidity.
Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!
variations & substitutions 📖
Add pastry to the appetizer. You can wrap the wheel of brie in puff pastry or croissant dough. Simply place the brie in the center of the dough and then wrap the whole thing, covering the sides and top of the brie. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until golden brown and the brie is melty. You can also bake the brie in a bread bowl by cutting the inside out of a boule bread and placing the bread at the bottom of the bread so when you're ready to eat, you can simply cut and pull.
Instead of baked brie, try baked camembert. Camembert and brie are very similar since they are both soft bloomy rind cheeses; however, brie has a milder, creamier taste, whereas camembert is stronger and earthier in flavor. Camembert can pair very well with savory flavors like the tomatoes, garlic, and herbs in this recipe. Simply substitute the wheel of brie with a wheel of camembert cheese.
Instead of tomatoes, try a different topping. This recipe is extremely versatile and can be adapted to whatever your favorite is. For a sweet rendition, try topping the cheese with fig jam or fresh fruit like apple slices drizzled in maple syrup. For another savory take, you can add caramelized onions or a different herb. For the holiday season, cranberry sauce with fresh rosemary is a festive, delicious combo!
Make it spicy! Add red pepper flakes to the tomatoes before roasting or drizzle hot honey on the melty brie cheese after roasting. A little bit goes a long way!
tips & tricks 👩🏻🍳
Use a brie baker. A brie baker is a ceramic or stoneware dish that is intended to fit a whole wheel of cheese. This makes it really easy to serve the brie because it has walls to prevent the melted cheese from oozing out, but also shallow enough for people to cut and enjoy without burning themselves. My favorite cheese baker is the Staub covered brie baker. If you don't have a brie baker, you can also use an ovenproof baking dish or baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Don't overbake the brie. You want the brie cheese to be just melted and gooey. It's a good thing at 15 minutes, check it by touching the surface of the center of the brie. If it easily pushes down, then that means the cheese under is melted and ready to eat. If you overbake it, it will become hard.
step by step instructions 🔪
Prior to starting, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Step 1 - Prep the tomatoes and garlic. In an oven-safe dish, baking sheet, or brie baker, place the tomatoes. Cut the top off the head of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes and the garlic. Cover the garlic in aluminum foil. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the tomatoes. Bake for 40 minutes until the tomatoes and garlic are roasted and aromatic. They have to roast for a little while to develop that roasted flavor.
Step 2 - Prep the brie. While the garlic and tomatoes roast, prep the brie. Remove the brie from the wooden box it came in and remove the outer plastic wrapping. Be sure to use cold brie, not room temperature, so that it is easier to cut. Using a sharp knife, cut 1 inch deep small slits around the top of the cheese. I like to do this in a crisscross pattern by slicing lines in the top rind horizontally and vertically.
Step 3 - Add the garlic to the cheese. Remove the roasted tomatoes and garlic from the oven. Carefully open the aluminum foil. The garlic should be golden brown. Using tongs, squeeze the bottom of the garlic head to release all of the garlic cloves upwards. Using a fork gently mash the garlic cloves to create a thick chunky pate. Then add the mashed garlic cloves in the slits on top of the rind.
Step 4 - Bake the brie. Add the garlic stuffed brie to the dish with the roasted tomatoes. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until the brie cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and place on a serving platter. Add just a squirt of fresh lemon juice, top with fresh thyme, and enjoy!
serving suggestions 🍽️
Serve this garlic baked brie on a serving plate while hot, alongside a cheese knife or small knife. Have your favorite crackers or baguette slices on the side for dipping.
Some great recipes to serve alongside this brie on an appetizer platter would be fried goat cheese balls and air fryer brie bites.
storage & reheating ⏲️
Store leftover brie in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To learn more about storage methods and brie expiration, check out my post that answers how long does brie last.
The best way to reheat leftover brie is in the microwave. Reheat for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. A whole wheel of brie takes 2 minutes to reheat, so gauge the reheat time based on how much brie you have left.
faq’s ❓
Alongside baked brie, serve sliced baguette, crackers, garlic bread, or fresh fruit and vegetables.
If you have leftover roasted garlic, try making roasted garlic butter! Simply slice garlic cloves and mash with a fork. Add the roasted garlic to the melted butter. Roasted garlic is a great thing to add to any dish to elevate it and make it more delicious. You can add it to mashed potatoes, soups, Bloody Marys, roasted vegetables, olive oil, and so much more! If you have any remaining garlic that you don't know what to do with yet, you can store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
The rind or "crust" on brie is completely edible. It is important to leave the rind on the brie when baking it because that is the structure that keeps the melted cheese contained. Otherwise, the cheese would ooze all over and quickly harden.
more appetizer recipes
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recipe 📋
Garlic Baked Brie Cheese with Roasted Tomato & Thyme
This garlic baked brie is packed with flavor, with a whole head of garlic, roasted cherry tomatoes, and fresh thyme! It is such a delicious appetizer or side dish for a dinner party or get-together.
Ingredients
- Brie (8 ounce wheel)
- Whole head of garlic
- Pint of cherry tomatoes (10-12 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 sprigs thyme
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 squeeze fresh lemon
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 375F. In an oven-safe dish, baking sheet, or brie baker, place the tomatoes. Cut the top off the head of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes and the garlic. Cover the garlic in aluminum foil. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the tomatoes. Bake for 40 minutes until the tomatoes and garlic are roasted and aromatic.
2. While the garlic and tomatoes roast, prep the brie. Remove the brie from the wooden box it came in and remove the outer plastic wrapping. Be sure to use cold brie, not room temperature, so that it is easier to cut. Using a sharp knife, cut 1 inch deep small slits around the top of the cheese. I like to do this in a crisscross pattern by slicing lines in the top rind horizontally and vertically.
3. Remove the roasted tomatoes and garlic from the oven. Carefully open the aluminum foil. The garlic should be golden brown. Using tongs, squeeze the bottom of the garlic head to release all of the garlic cloves upwards. Using a fork gently mash the garlic cloves to create a thick chunky pate. Then add the mashed garlic cloves in the slits on top of the rind.
4. Add the garlic stuffed brie to the dish with the roasted tomatoes. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until the brie cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and place on a serving platter. Add just a squirt of fresh lemon juice, top with fresh thyme, and enjoy!
Notes
Storage Instructions:
Store leftover brie in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating Instructions:
The best way to reheat leftover brie is in the microwave. Reheat for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. A whole wheel of brie takes 2 minutes to reheat, so gauge the reheat time based on how much brie you have left.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 69Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 278mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 0g
All nutrition facts are estimations. Please see a physician for any health-related inquiries.
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