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! 😂
Love your new website. Now much easier to search from my fav food blogger!
Great recipe idea and sounds yummy! will definitely try it for my Christmas party next week!
Hi Nagi! Congratulations on the new website! I am so happy that Dozer is still all over it 🙂
New website looks good
Just what I’ve been looking for, thanks Nagi. PS love the new website 😀
Hi Nagi. Love the clean design of the new website. Especially love the “Quick & Easy” filter in the categories.
Delicious! Made it without meat and added artichokes. It was a winner 🙂
Hi Nagy – When I entered the new website yesterday I thought WOW!! It’s clean, crisp and easy to follow like one of your great One Pot recipes. Love them all!
Your new website is lovely, and, like others have mentioned, looking at pictures of Dozer is a kick. I’ve made a number of your recipes (tonight I’m actually doing your chicken shawarma) and always enjoy seeing what you have to offer. Best of luck with the new format!
New website is easier to read and follow ecipes
Thank you Nagi!! I first came across you when I was searching for a sausage roll recipe and found your incredible pork and fennel one which was amazing! When I discovered you on insta I was amazed to realise I had already known you and loved your food for so long! Have tried many recipes since to rave reviews so Thank you for the deliciousness!! 😀 love the new website – so easy to navigate!! Can’t wait to get stuck in and create some Christmas magic with you by my side! =D
P.S sorry for the novel! Couldn’t help myself! 😛 lol
The new website is great. I love the tab especially for Christmas .. my favorite time of the year. This cheese log looks amazing and I am definitely going to make it ahead of time for my Christmas eve party. Nagi, I love your recipes and this is my number one go to recipe site for inspirations.
Love the headers! Thanks. Enjoy the holidays***
Hello, I LOVE IT! it’s very user friendly and the design is fantastic. I too love the quick scroll function to recipe, video and DOzer (of course). Happy Holidays to you and your family. xoxo
Hi Nagi! Congratulations on the new website, so clear and easy to use. Love the Categories section. Have an amazing Christmas and a happy and healthy 2019!
I’m on dips and snacks for Christmas day so am going to give this cheese platter a go…. looking forward to it!
Thanks for all the fabulous recipes… I check my emails everyday to get inspiration for dinner each night. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas….. and the new website is awesome.
Just when I thought your website couldn’t get any better, Nagi! The new site looks great and is so easy to navigate!
Hi Nagi, I have cruised the new website – and think it’s great! More importantly – love the “Dozer Button”
Nagi, Love, Love your new website! The visuals are beautiful. I’m a real bad computer person and this new format is easier to navigate.
Hi Nagi,
Wanted to reply and say congrats on the new website. Much more engaging feel to it.
Love your recipes & videos, so easy got my daughter onto your website.
You and your Mom are by far the best. I’ve cooked so many of both your recipes and I’m happy that they are very easy to follow and the details do help.. The new website makes the food look much more appetising.