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! 😂
Jolise Look says
Oh my goodness, I LOVE the new website and the dedicated page for beautiful Dozer! Love love love! The website looks professional and is so user friendly. I am a HUGE fan.
Ian Logan says
Love the new look website, it compliments the great recipes
Dorothy says
Hi Nagi, I love so much of what you do. For me personally, the site is too busy but I don’t know how you would remedy that since you have so much content to get out. Perhaps a “jump to recipe” at the top so that people in a rush could easily get to where they want to go without scrolling?
Tijana says
The new site looks great! Super simple to navigate, can’t wait to try more recipes!
Valerie says
Love the new site. Easy to find your recipes which I browse constantly. Will make the Italian cheese log today as it is making my mouth water.
Susan McCluskey says
Nagi, Love the new website. All of your recipes are winners!
Jessie Apps says
Love the new website! Easy to use and easy to read on my phone or tablet in the kitchen. The photos always make me drool!
Maria Gonzalez says
The website looks lovely! So streamlined now, it’s fab.
Happy holidays to you!
P.S.: The photo shoot went long, that’s why Dozer fell asleep. You work him too hard! 😉
Steve Brown says
Hi Nagi,
What a superb idea!
Got to give this a try because my lot love to get stuck in, and it’s full of flavour, what’s not to like?
Gary says
Have been greatly enjoying your recipes, have saved and tried many. Thank you for constant and delicious inspiration.
Aga says
I LOVE THE NEW WEBSITE! 💕
It is super easy to find what I’m looking for! Also the tecipe looks delish and i am going to give it a go!
Karenn says
I noticed the new website today while looking up your pork chop marinade to make for dinner and love it!! Can’t wait to make your prime rib for Christmas 🤗
David Sass says
Love the new website!
Very easy to navigate.
Can’t wait to try today’s recipe. It looks great!
Robin says
Love the new website!! Great job!! This recipe looks great to, I think I’ll use it for a potluck next week!
Jan Cooke says
Love the new site. Looks great.
Bill Sherman says
Looking forward to using the revised website even more that what I do now. Thanks for all the great recipes.
Ann Chin says
I love your new format which is streamlined, easy to understand and more user friendly. The photos are awesome and inspires me to try your recipes.
Amanda says
Love the new website! Easy to navigate, beautiful fresh look 🙂
Elizabeth says
The new website is gorgeous! And I love that Dozer gets his own shout-out!
Craig says
Congrats on the new site – looks like a vast improvement !! My lack of will power could hurt me on this one !! Dozer is excited as well – obviously !! Craig