Garden Herb Cream Cheese Spread recipe with tomatoes

Get this Garden Herb Cream Cheese Spread recipe and make easy meals and snacks your go-to! This delicious spread is full of fresh flavors that will pair well with so many things! 

 

In the summer, simple meals are a must for our family. We spend so much time outside once the weather is nice in the garden and with the animals that by the time I get in at night, I’m exhausted. Sometimes we are out doing things until 7:30 or later because it doesn’t get completely dark here until after 10 p.m. at the height of the summer. In fact, for a large portion of the summer, it’s still bright as day at 9 p.m. It can really mess a girl up when she’s trying to keep a few little kids on a schedule.

 

The easiest meals

But despite the sun, we still need to have a schedule of some sort at least and that includes making simple, fresh dinners that consist of things we get get right from our own garden.

Some of the easiest meals I can think of throughout the summer include summer salads, bruschettas and this simple Garden Herb Cream Cheese Spread recipe with cherry tomatoes and toast. It really doesn’t have to be difficult to be delicious.

The Garden Herb Cream Cheese Spread recipe is a particular favorite meal of mine because it’s something I can make once and enjoy for a few days. You can store it in the refrigerator for about a week in an airtight container.

The herb cream cheese spread itself takes less than 5 minutes to make. It is full of fresh herbs that you can get right from a small herb garden in your backyard, and if you have a cherry tomato plant, even better!

 

 

Starting with the correct cream cheese

To begin making the Garden Herb Cream Cheese Spread recipe, you need to start with the correct cream cheese. In this case, you want to get a block of cream cheese from the grocery store. (Or in this recipe’s case you want two blocks.) Don’t get the whipped cream cheese because that’s already been softened and it will be a little too mushy once you start to work with it.

I like to use full fat cream cheese because I tend to eat lower carb and will use this on a variety of other things. But, you can use a lower fat option if you like.

The only thing you really have to do once you’ve purchased the cream cheese is let it soften. So remember to take this out a few hours in advance of making the Garden Herb Cream Cheese Spread recipe. I do not recommend using the microwave to soften this.

 

The fresh herbs make all the difference

For the Garden Herb Cream Cheese Spread recipe, I like to use fresh herbs. To me, they just always taste better than dried herbs and in the summer they’re plentiful. Even if you don’t have a small herb garden, the grocery store is usually stocked full of herbs this time of year.

For my recipe I use dill, thyme, parsley and chives. They go really well with the cream cheese and unlike some other herbs, these can be minced in a way that really keeps the cream cheese spreadable. I will use herb cutting scissors {HERE} to get the dill, parsley and the chives cut to my liking. For the thyme, I often just strip the leaves and add those in.

Seasoning the cream cheese spread recipe

When it comes to seasonings, I tend to let the herbs steal the show. I keep everything else light. I will add in some fresh cracked pepper and I’ll add in a little olive oil. Other than that, I add sea salt when the Garden Herb Cream Cheese Spread is on toast or the bread. I find this is the best time to add salt so you don’t over salt the mixture and ruin the beautiful herb flavor.

If you want, you can also add in 2 teaspoons of garlic paste to the herb cream cheese spread. If you’re a lover of garlic this is the way to go. I prefer the paste because it helps with the consistency in the texture of the cream cheese.

 

How to serve Garden Herb Cream Cheese Spread

As you can see, I like to serve my herb cream cheese spread on baguette bread. I usually add a little olive oil to the top and then brown the bread under the broiler for about two minutes. It’s wonderful on this No-Knead Bread recipe {HERE}.

Additionally, I love to add tomatoes on top. Cherry tomatoes are some of my favorites in the summer time and they’re easy to cut into these cute flower shapes and serve with the Garden Herb Cream Cheese Spread. Homegrown chives are used for the stalks!

If you want to learn more about growing tomatoes, click {HERE}.

However, I also love eating this herb cream cheese spread with toast and smoked salmon too. And it can make a nice, thick dip for chunky vegetables like carrots, peppers, celery and broccoli. You can even use this as a sandwich spread!

 

 

Tips for making herb cream cheese spread

• Remember to soften the cream cheese. Do not microwave it. Let it sit out.
• Use block cream cheese and not whipped cream cheese.
• You can add garlic if you like, but garlic paste will work best.
• Season with salt once the Garden Herb Cream Cheese Spread is on bread.
• Store in an air tight container in the the refrigerator for up to a week.

 

Thank you so much for visiting today, friends! I hope you enjoy this simple Garden Herb Cream Cheese Spread. You can find the full, printable recipe below. If you’re looking for more simple, summer meals, click {HERE}.