Marinated Cheese
I remember this Marinated Cheese at every potluck and picnic during the 90s, and it's the perfect savory make-ahead appetizer. It's easy to assemble, and you can transport it to any get-together. When I was a kid, it was often made with pimento and Italian seasoning, but you'll love the homemade marinade with roasted red pepper and fresh herbs that takes the flavor over the top.
Servings: 12
Calories: 262kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces cream cheese freeze for 1 hour
Marinade
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced, see notes
- 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning 1 tsp if you don't have fresh herbs
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs finely chopped, 2 tbsp chives, 1 tbsp basil, 1 tbsp parsley
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- First, freeze the cream cheese for 1 hour so it's easier to work with.
- Then start by stirring together all the ingredients for the marinade. Set it aside and let the flavors meld, this gives the Italian seasoning a little time to rehydrate in the marinade and add flavor.
- Next, cut the cheddar cheese into equal squares. Mine are about 1.5”x1.5” and 1/4” thick.
- Then, slice your partially frozen block of cream cheese into squares matching roughly the same size as your cheddar cheese.
- Make rows of cheese in your baking dish, alternating between cheddar and cream cheese. I used a 9"x6" baking dish.
- I started the first row with cheddar and the second row with cream cheese, which gives the cheese a more variegated appearance. You can refrigerate the cheese separately from the marinade for a day or two.
- About four hours, or up to 2 days before you're ready to serve your marinated cheese, spoon the marinade equally over the cheese. Tightly cover and refrigerate it to let the flavors meld.
- Remove the marinated cheese about 30 minutes before serving so the olive oil is liquid. Serve with your choice of crackers.
Bonus StepIf you made this recipe, please leave a rating/comment. Ratings really help us continue to bring you high-quality free recipes.
Notes
I don't recommend jarred garlic here. If you don't have fresh, try using 1/2-1 tsp garlic granules or unsalted garlic powder.
This recipe 'technically' serves 12, but it's always so popular I find it usually serves 6-8!
Nutrition
Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 405mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 739IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 289mg | Iron: 0.2mg