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 the new website. Lot easier to get great ideas from an find recipes. As my wife and I are pensioners here in N.Z we find your ideas ideal for just two. The flavours are awesome. Keep the great recipes coming.
Hi Nagi,
I really loved your recipes. Most of it are easy to made, even for a beginner cook like me. When I have no idea what to cook, I just browsed your website and voilaaa! A delicious meals are served. The video you made in each recipe helped me a lot. You also gave notes about any substitution ingredients and nutrition list in the meal.
I love your new website (not that I dislike the old one). It gave a refreshing look, with appealing cover photo. I cannot wait to cook your recipes again!! Thank you so much x
This looks so good! Festive too.
And I love seeing the little bits about Dozer..
Love the new look Nagi !!
Easy to navigate, easy to use and easy to search for recipes from our favorite chef 🙂
The ‘meet Dozer’ is awesome. Every time I get your email with the latest recipe and have a look, my daughter always asks “Whats Dozer up to today mum?” LOL
Thanks Nagi, you are amazing!
Will definitely be making this Xmas Day. Thank you!! The new website looks great!!
I love your new website, Thanks for sharing all of your delicious recipes and your Mom’s.
Hi Nagi, New website looks good,
Thanks
Love the new web site … and i am also a big fan of YOU…
I used all your recipes for my thanksgiving dinner and all were a hit… thanks
I really enjoy making you recipes. The new website is great and makes it easier to find my favourites.
Just found out i’m on nibbles duty for Christmas lunch – this will be perfect for the cheese loving hordes!!
Love the new recipe set up on the new site too 🙂
This sounds really special
Just shared the recipe with the sister in charge of appetizers for our family Christmas this year…crossing my fingers she chooses to make it! The website is clean and easy to navigate, the font is appealing, and it honestly feels like it matches your personality better – inviting, cheerful…
The new website looks great, very professional and the cheese log looks scrumptious!
Dozer is cute living up to his name 😉
Love, Love the new website! The pictures are amazing. I got hungry just looking. I also love the larger print. Can’t wait to try this recipe for Christmas. It looks divine. Love Dozer. He’s a cutie. Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas
Nagi, This sounds so good! Guess I’m off to the store again…So far I’m loving the new site and love that DOZER has his own (well deserved) little space! Not only are your recipes, photos and directions great, but I so look forward to hearing about the one and only Dozer. Keep up the good work!!!
Love your new site (although I also loved the original). Thanks for this recipe. This is going to be perfect for the gathering I’m attending next weekend!
The new website is wonderful. Organisation is on point! You’ve just made dinner time a whole lot easier for this busy mum! Thanks Nagi 🙂
Your new website looks great!
/Users/jeannerodgers/Desktop/IMG_2760.jpg/Users/jeannerodgers/Desktop/IMG_0244.jpeg Love the new website….Here’s a pic of my “Admiral” one as a pup and one all grown up….he crossed the rainbow bridge this past summer (13 yrs.) put he’ll forever be in my heart and thoughts. Best friend. Love Dozer, he gives me my doggie fix every time. thanks for sharing your recipes and Dozer…..
Big thumbs up for the new website! ESPECIALLY the button to click for DOZER ; )