Kick off the holidays with this festive Christmas Appetiser – an Italian Cheese Log! It’s like an antipasto platter in dip form packed with minced salami, olives, peppers, green onions, a hefty dose of Italian seasonings, AND topped with sun dried tomato.
Terrific easy, make-ahead economical alternative to expensive cheese platters – and bursting with the holiday cheer!!!
A FESTIVE CHRISTMAS APPETIZER IDEA!
Bringing on some Christmas cheer with this festive Italian Cheese Log!!
It’s a far cry from your usual cheeseball with a handful of token flavourings. This one is jam packed with flavour…. loaded with Italian flavours!!
The secret ingredients in this are finely chopped salami and sun dried tomato. Taking the time to mince the salami really makes a difference because then it’s all throughout the cheese log – nobody wants to be that person who takes a giant scoop of dip only to find it’s completely devoid of salami!
As for the sun dried tomato – well, I contemplated putting it in the cheese log, but I simply couldn’t resist how great it looks when piled on top. Add a few sprigs of rosemary, and it just looks so fabulously festive – it’s a perfect Christmas appetiser for sharing!! 🎄🎄🎄
WHY YOU NEED THIS IN YOUR LIFE!
It would be so easy to ramble on and on about how great this Italian Cheese Log is, but you don’t need that. So let me just get right down to why you’ll love this!!
✅ Looks fabulous – a great Christmas appetiser made for sharing!
✅ Tastes incredible – packed with flavour!
✅ Easy
✅ Make ahead – keeps for up to a week*
✅ Makes loads
✅ But can also be scaled down
✅ Economical alternative to expensive cheese platters
✅ Adaptable and versatile! Skip the salami to make it meatless, change up the add ins!
* Subject to shelf life of salami
AN ANTIPASTO PLATTER – IN CHEESE LOG FORM!
I just love the colours in this. Even making it brings on the holiday cheer – look at all those colours! ↑↑↑
We’ve got salami, olives, chargrilled peppers (I like to use the jar with mixed colours – yellow and red – just for extra colour), cheese, and a nice hit of freshness from minced green onion.
Add a good dose of Italian seasonings – I like to make my own simple mix here but you can absolutely substitute with an Italian seasoning mix – then simply mix it all together, scrap into a loaf pan or freeform it into the shape of a log and refrigerate.
The refrigeration time is to firm it up so it can be turned out onto a platter and also to give it time for the flavours to meld. It’s terrific made on the day, but it’s even better the next day… and the next… and the next!
QUICK FESTIVE LOOK
Decorating it is my favourite part – the beauty of it being that it’s so easy!! I literally just dump an entire jar of sun dried tomatoes over the top – oil and all.
The oil is infused with flavour and it’s part of the overall eating experience. So with every bite, you have crisp salty crackers, the soft flavour packed Cheese Log, some extra pops of flavour from sun dried tomato AND juiciness from the sun dried tomato oil.
Ahhhh, it’s the perfect bite!!! 😇
If your people are more civilised than mine, then consider serving this Italian Cheese Log with small cheese knifes to spread onto crackers.
But if your people are like mine, you’ll skip the cutlery and just let everyone dive in with their hands, grabbing crackers and dunking it straight into the cheese log.
Yep, it’ll get messy. All that effort you go to, prettying it up and they are going to annihilate it.
And that’s totally ok. That’s what sharing food is all about, right?? Especially during the festive season! 😂 – Nagi x
MORE CHRISTMAS APPETISER IDEAS!
CHRISTMAS APPETISER – ITALIAN CHEESE LOG!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Christmas Appetiser: Italian Cheese Loaf
Ingredients
Cheese Log:
- 500g/ 1 lb cream cheese , softened (Note 1)
- 1/3 cup sour cream (Note 2)
- 1/2 tsp EACH thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, black pepper OR 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp EACH garlic powder, salt, red pepper/chilli flakes (adjust to taste)
- 2 cup cheddar or other cheese , freshly grated (Note 3)
- 280g / 9 oz roasted peppers , drained and finely chopped
- 180g / 6 oz salami , finely chopped (Note 4)
- 3/4 cup green olives , finely chopped
- 1/3 cup green onion , finely minced (3 – 4 stalks)
Topping/serving:
- 220g / 7 oz sun dried tomato strips with OIL , roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley , finely chopped (or chives)
- Rosemary sprigs (decoration)
- Jatz or other crackers , for serving
Instructions
- Spray a loaf pan with oil then line with cling wrap with overhang.
- Mix Cheese Log ingredients together. Taste and adjust salt if needed (bear in mind saltiness of crackers you are serving with).
- Scrape into loaf pan and level surface, pressing to remove air pockets. Smaller pan = taller loaf.
- Cover with cling wrap overhang and refrigerate for 4 hours+ (up to 1 week).
- Turn out onto platter, peel off cling wrap.
- Top with sun dried tomato and pour over oil. Garnish with parsley and rosemary sprigs to give it a festive look.
- Best to serve closer to room temp than fridge cold. Serve with crackers! Knives for smearing optional – it’s soft enough to scoop with crackers.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Cute Christmassy photos of Dozer is all part of the Christmas tradition. Except…… he fell asleep mid photo shoot! 😂
much more brighter and colorful. easier to find what you want. i like that you have the season recipes as a different category. you made me cook with pleasure. thanks
I liked the old site, but the simplicity of this one… great overhaul! Site loads super fast and it’s easy to find recipes. You’ve inspired me, because I need to fix my recipe catalog too. Love your fast and easy recipes, the step-by-step photo display (reduces scrolling) and Dozer… cutest dog ever!
Best wishes for the new year!
The new look is so much brighter and easier to read. Love the bigger font and more spacing. And as always everything looks delicious!
New website looks very user friendly, looking forward to continued use. Always get compliments.
Hi! Love ❤️ The new look to your website! Easy to follow and your recipes are ALWAYS delish! Happy holidays🎄❤️😋 looking forward to trying this new one!!
Love the look of the new site! Already searched for a breakfast casserole for Xmas brunch! By the way, when will you have your list of Vietnam eateries & places to go ready? I head there in a month so would love your travel tips!
Love the ease of finding things on your new website. Great job!!
Mt favorite cooking site just keeps getting better.
Thanks for making my family get together easier.
Love the new site! Beautifully laid out and colors used are appealing to the palette 🤪 (everything on this site is appealing to the palette)! Today’s recipe is me in a plate! My style of food and entertaining. Thanks for the daily inspiration. Can’t do without my daily dose of recipetineats 😍
The cheeselog looks scrumptious! I want to win the knife.
I really like your new website. The photos are more colorful and close up. Also, the title of the recipes are easier to read in the larger type. Bravo, Nagi!
I can’t wait to try this festive cheese log
Nagi, the new website is lovely but I was already in love with you and Dozer and the fine recipes. My family loves so many of your recipes and the videos are the BEST! Now, we are making this log. Happy holidays, Carroll
Having just redone the website for the non-profit Board I’m on, I totally appreciate and ‘get’ your new look! Everything ‘pop’ out so much now and the newly designed logo is perfect!
Great web site , have found it easy to navigate and find all the good stuff!!!!!!!
Love the new design- awesome!
This cheese log looks delicious. Love the new website! I’ve made so many of your recipes and never once been disappointed Love, love, love Dozer!
Quick scan using my cell phone found no glitches. I like how quickly I can move from one part of the website to another & of course the very helpful level of detail you provide, especially the step by step photos and the video.
Merry Christmas!
Your new website is amazing, however there seems to be a lot more ads? I would see if you get the same feedback from others. Otherwise I like it, but I loved your previous website. Hope this helps.
love your recipes. I’ve been following you for years. This website is easy to follow. Love both the old and new!