Marinated Cheese Appetizer

This marinated cheese appetizer is made up of your favorite cheeses topped with a mixture of olives, roasted red peppers, onions, fresh herbs, and balsamic vinegar. It’s easy to assemble, incredibly tasty, and sure to be the hit of any party!

If you’re searching for a crowd-pleasing dish that’s as easy to make as it is impressive, look no further. This festive marinated cheese “wreath” has been one of my holiday go-tos for parties and potlucks for years, and everyone always goes crazy for it.

All you need is 15 minutes, your favorite cheeses, and a handful of easy topping ingredients for this beautiful and flavorful appetizer that will have your guests coming back for more. (But don’t think this marinated cheese appetizer only works for the holidays! Feel free to serve and enjoy it year-round.)

Table of Contents

• How to make this marinated cheese appetizer
  • Start with your favorite cheese
  • Mix a topping of olives, herbs and aromatics
  • Put it all together and chill
• Serving tips and suggestions
• Make it in advance
• More holiday appetizers
• Get the recipe

How to make this marinated cheese appetizer

This marinated cheese wreath has maximum appeal with minimal effort. All you need is a knife, a cutting board, and 15 minutes (plus some chill time). Let’s get started, shall we?

Start with your favorite cheese

You can honestly use whatever kinds of cheese you like. Here are a few recommendations: 

• Cheddar
• Mozzarella
• Monterey jack
• Gouda
• Gruyere
• Goat cheese
• Cream cheese

I prefer to use slices or cubes of harder cheese to make this wreath, but you can carefully slice softer cheeses too. Or leave them whole and have guests scoop servings up (it won’t be in a wreath shape though). I used cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese for the appetizer pictured in this post.

Mix a topping of olives, herbs and aromatics

Cheese serves as the base, but it’s really this delicious marinade topping that makes this dish so special. It’s made with:

• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Olives, I use a mix of kalamata and pimento-stuffed green olives
• Roasted red peppers
• Scallions/green onions
• Minced garlic
• Fresh parsley
• Fresh basil
• Salt and pepper

Put it all together and chill

1. Place cheese slices or cheese cubes in a circular wreath pattern (or other desired pattern) on a round serving platter. 
2. Use a spoon to portion the mixed topping evenly over the cheese.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour (and up to 24 hours). Waiting is the hardest part, but it makes a difference and has a better flavor.

Serving tips and suggestions

Serve marinated cheese with crackers, bread, or a toasted baguette. Since I originally created this recipe I’ve found that it’s better to slice the cheese small (they’re rather big in these photos) so they can be easily scooped up with a spoon or fork.

Other presentation and serving ideas: This wreath shape is so fun, but you can also simply layer cheese and toppings onto any serving platter. For more holiday looks, assemble it in a shaped dish or on a shaped charcuterie board (such as a Christmas tree, candy cane, etc.)

Make it in advance

This marinated cheese wreath appetizer will keep very well, up to about 24 hours, though I do recommend serving it the day it’s assembled so the cheese looks fresh. If you want to prep farther in advance, you can slice cheese and mix the topping up to 2 days before, and then assemble them a few hours before serving.

More holiday appetizers

Get the recipe

Disclosure: This recipe was originally published in December 2016, and was sponsored by Cache Valley Cheese.