Spicy Marinated Cheese

Spicy Marinated Cheese is an easy, make-ahead party appetizer that gets better with time. Squares of cream cheese and cheddar cheese, (I sometimes use Colby Jack as well), are marinated in a spicy mixture of oil, vinegar, dried basil, and garlic and sprinkled with green onions and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. It makes a visually stunning summer appetizer or a festive Christmas appetizer.

The spice comes from a chopped jalapeno and some crushed red pepper flakes.

The cheese gets cut into squares that are just the right size for putting on a cracker.

The cream cheese slices are the best.  🙂

Seriously. They take me to my happy place.

You’ll want to put the cream cheese in the freezer for a little while so that it is firm enough to cut.

You can use roasted red peppers or pimentos instead of the sun-dried tomatoes.

Spicy Marinated Cheese is great for sharing. Put out a bowl of olives next to it for a tasty treat. Maybe add a tray of cured meats and you practically have a whole meal.

Serve Spicy Marinated Cheese with crackers and you have a real crowd-pleaser.

Spicy Marinated Cheese

5 from 4 votes

By Christin Mahrlig

Servings: 10

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Spicy Marinated Cheese is an easy, make-ahead party appetizer that gets better with time. 

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1/2 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
• ▢ 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
• ▢ 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves,, minced
• ▢ 1 jalapeno,, minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sugar
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, placed in freezer for 20 minutes
• ▢ 1 (8-ounce) block sharp cheddar or colby jack
• ▢ 2 green onions,, sliced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil

Instructions 

• Combine oil through red pepper flakes in a medium bowl and whisk well.
• Cut cream cheese and cheddar cheese in half lengthwise. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange slices alternately on a serving dish that has a little bit of an edge. 
• Pour marinade over cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
• Sprinkle green onions and sin-dried tomatoes on top and serve with crackers.

Notes

Cream cheese will be easier to cut if it is partially frozen. It helps to spray a knife with cooking spray or to use dental floss to cut it.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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