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! 😂
Awesome recipe, but love so many you do. Thank you.
Kia ora Nagi
I love the layout of your new website – I’ll explore it more over the weekend and let you know of any issues.
Loving your recipes as well
Have a safe and happy Christmas
Hi Nagi. Haven’t tried this Italian Cheese Log yet, but intend to. It looks spectacular. I’m only leaving a comment now as you suggest in regards to your new layout. So far, I cant fault it & it is much easier to navigate to the types of meals a person is browsing for. The layout of the recipe is easier for printing up & reading also. I’m very happy with it.
Nagi, I must tell you that over many many years, I have collected & cherished many cookbooks. I adore cooking a variety of meals.
Since coming across your site, I have with all honesty, just taken boxes & boxes full of my books to lifeline. I did copy a few of my favourites before doing so, but your recipes are what i’m very excited about now. I’ve purchased a few colourful folders & plastic inserts, & adding your recipes to them. All my folders will be predominantly Nagi’s. I’m so taken with your recipes & tips Nagi, & love all the little bits of info on yours and Dozers life. A great job you have done. Thanks again
What a great recipe for a Christmas appetizer. I love the festive tomatoes and rosemary on top. Sounds delicious and congrats on the new website, it looks great!
Wow another great recipe to try. The new website is great, nice and colorful, quicker than the other one, the recipe is bigger than before but when you print it has the original format which is great for my collection of my favs. And you still have your mums recipes
Lovely
Our favourite slow cooker dinner is your lamb recipe with red wine-it’s so good! The new website is easy to use & love Dozer’s own section!
New website looks awesome! I’m trying the cheese log for my Xmas party. I no it will be another winner
Festive appetizer! Looks delish. 🙂
Italian Cheese Log looks awesome!
Saved many of the recipes!
I love the new layout. Recipe details look great and easier to read. Very modern and user friendly
New layout and website refresh is great. Hope the search function lives up to expectations
LOVING the new website, it looks so good!
My husband religiously browses your recipes and uses them to cook up the scrumptious meals. I particularly lile the mushroom rice. The new website looks great. Keep the great recipes coming.
Nagi, love your new website. It’s easy to print your recipes and I’ve started a collection of those I really like. Keep up the good work.
OMG Naggi u r amazing & u are our life savior in our house when it comes to what to cook for dinner or any special occassion. Love all your recipes. Thank you. Merry christmas & happy new year. Lots of cuddles to Dozer. Ohhh by the way new website looks fantastic. Good job
I was just putting together the Christmas Day lunch menu and this recipe showed up. How perfect! Cheese, olives, salami. What more could you want!!!
Fabulous website Nagi and Dozer, it’s easy to get around to the recipes your looking for and the photos are just stunning, well done 🐶😊 Cheers
Hi 👋 Nagi,
Your new website looks great, so much easier to navigate.
You’ve set a lovely mood, showcasing your passion & flair for food.
It expresses your reality, shining through, your personality.
I love ❤ that it’s pretty, sophisticated & bright. I think you got it just right!
Hi love the website. Love all yr receipes plus yr mums have made so many and get comments on them.
You h
Love the new website, recipes are so easy to find and especially like the one pot recipes