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! 😂
Pure genius Nagi you should carry a sword…… ’cause you’re nobility. This is the answer to my wife running around like a headless chook, organising antipasti for Xmas
Colourful vibrant appetising recipes coming alive makes me want to live in the kitchen! More inspiration to you! This cheese log is a must try! Note: if my previous comment went thru pls disregard this. It didn’t show on device so I just want to make sure I get to join the contest. Thank you.
While I don’t need to whip up a cheese board for christmas, this definitely looks like a great potluck dish! Love the new look of the website too!! x
New layout looks great! Love your recipes.
At first glance I didn’t like the new website (mostly because I don’t like things changing!) but it looks great and is really easy to read on my phone, which is what I use most of the time for recipes in the kitchen!
Hi Nagi,
I am making this for tonight’s DFF (drinks with family and friends) I am sure it will be a crowd pleaser. I must say I am loving the new site. It seems more user friendly. To, you, Dozer and family
Have a great Christmas.
Love the new website!
I love the new website…photos look brighter and very appealing, the text is slightly larger which is easier to read and it is easy to find recipes. Congratulations Nagi and the team😊😊can’t wait to cook this delicious recipe knowing that always they work!!
Great looking website!
Easy to look at.
All your recipes are so yummy!
Thank you for sharing! 🙂
This appetiser – Italian Cheese log looks amazing and I can’t wait to do it and lemme eat it myself with my family. I also plan to bring one log for my workforce in the office. Thanks much for sharing and indeed you inspire me to do more great recipes for the family. I love you Nagi!
Your website looks great! I like that Dozer has his own page. I’ve made your butter chicken and flat bread. So delicious. I’m looking forward to making more dishes from your recipes.
Good job Nagi! Your recipes are
simple and delicious but always
has that something special.
What a fresh bright new look you have in your website! Your recipe index is easy to peruse and I love that Dozer continues to be featured.
The new website looks great! I have to make your cheese log. It’s different than any I’ve ever seen. Looks amazing!
love the new look – all I ever ask for is ‘easy to print’ and this makes for an easy print option and in a font I can read woo hoo -thanks. love the step-by-step instructions too as I don’t always have time to watch the video (well not at work anyway) a fan forever JJ
Nagi, The new layout is exceptional, will make it easier to find that particular recipe when needed. As a older male Kitchen Klutz I find the videos of great benefit. On Dozers page I did note a small error in the text.
“With the significant amount of food he consumes but on and off the job, etc” I suspect it should say “food he consumes both on and off the job” For meal ideas you are the go to girl, IMHO!
Love your recipes and now with your new site I am thrilled to see Dozer….I’m one of the ones who will check out Dozer button first!😉🐶
This looks great, and just in time for Christmas.
Love the new website btw! Easy to navigate 🙂
National, hello again from Central Australia. The new sit looks great. Great recipes in a new home. Sweet! Love the Dozer page 😁
Auto-spell strikes again. Meant “Nagi”.
The new website design is refreshing and neatly organised. Searching recipe is super easy now!