Description
An incredibly easy and elegant Festive Holiday Antipasto Cream Cheese Log: a creamy, savory, make-ahead appetizer base wrapped in a vibrant coating of artichokes, olives, and roasted red peppers.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts
- ¼ cup chopped roasted red peppers
- ¼ cup chopped green olives
- ¼ cup chopped pepperoni (optional)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Mix the Base: In a bowl, stir together the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.
- Shape the Log: Spoon the mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap and form it into a log shape. Wrap tightly and refrigerate briefly.
- Make the Topping: In a separate bowl, mix the artichoke hearts, red peppers, olives, pepperoni (if using), and Italian seasoning.
- Coat the Log: Unwrap the chilled cream cheese log and press the antipasto mixture onto all sides until fully covered.
- Garnish and Chill: Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Wrap again and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Serve: Place on a serving board or plate with crackers, crostini, or fresh vegetables. Serve chilled.
Notes
- Cheese Prep: Ensure your cream cheese is very soft (room temperature) before mixing.
- Draining: Thoroughly drain and pat dry all marinated ingredients (artichokes, peppers) to prevent the cheese log from becoming watery.
- Make-Ahead: Prepare the entire log 1 to 2 days in advance. The chilling time allows the savory flavors of the antipasto to infuse the cheese.
- Vegetarian Swap: Skip the pepperoni for a vegetarian version, or substitute with chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
- Serving Tip: Serve the log slightly chilled (not frozen hard).
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chill Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-Bake, Mixing, Chilling
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ~30 g (about 2 tablespoons)
- Calories: ~90 kcal
- Sugar: ~1 g
- Sodium: ~300 mg
- Fat: ~8 g
- Saturated Fat: ~4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~3 g
- Trans Fat: ~0 g
- Carbohydrates: ~2 g
- Fiber: ~0.5 g
- Protein: ~2–3 g
- Cholesterol: ~20 mg
Keywords: Antipasto Cheese Log, Holiday Appetizer, Cream Cheese Log, Make-Ahead Appetizer, Italian Appetizer, Festive Log, Easy Party Food, No-Bake Appetizer, Olives and Artichokes