Description
Tangy Marinated Cheese, an easy appetizer, transforms simple cheese into a flavor bomb. Perfect for parties, it’s a make-ahead delight with herbs and olive oil.
Ingredients
Scale
- Base Ingredients:
- 1 (8-ounce) block sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
- 1 (8-ounce) block mozzarella cheese, cubed
- 1 (8-ounce) block provolone cheese, cubed
- 2 cups good quality extra virgin olive oil
- Flavor Boosters:
- 6 cloves fresh garlic, minced (or more, I’m not judging!)
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for a little warmth)
- Seasonings & Finishing Touches:
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
- Optional Extras:
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
- 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
Instructions
- Prep Your Cheese for Marinated Cheese:: First things first, get your cheese blocks out. I usually aim for about 1-inch cubes, give or take. Don’t worry about them being perfectly uniform; a little rustic charm is good! I just grab my biggest cutting board and go to town. The smell of fresh cheese always makes me happy, even before the marinade hits it. Try to keep them somewhat similar in size so they marinate evenly, but if one’s a little chunkier, it’s just a bonus bite later!
- Mince the Aromatics:: Next, let’s get those flavors ready. Peel and mince your garlic really, really fine. The smaller, the better, so it can really infuse into the oil. Then, finely chop your fresh rosemary, thyme, and parsley. I love the smell of the herbs as I’m chopping them; it just fills the kitchen with such a fresh, vibrant aroma. I always make sure to get them super fine, because nobody wants a huge chunk of rosemary in their Marinated Cheese, oops!
- Whip Up the Marinated Cheese Base:: Grab a medium-sized bowl or a glass jar. Pour in your good quality olive oil. Now, add the minced garlic, chopped fresh herbs, a pinch of red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and a good sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Give it a really good stir to combine everything. This is where the magic starts to happen! You’ll see the oil start to take on the colors of the herbs, and the smell is just incredible. Taste it! Adjust seasonings if you feel it needs a bit more oomph.
- Combine Cheese and Marinade:: Carefully add your cheese cubes to the bowl with the marinade. I like to use a spatula to gently fold the cheese into the oil, making sure every single cube gets coated. This step is where I always get a little messy, a rogue cheese cube always tries to escape! Just be gentle; we don’t want crumbly cheese. We want beautifully coated, ready-to-soak-up-flavor cubes of Marinated Cheese.
- Let Your Marinated Cheese Chill Out:: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or put a lid on your jar. Now, the hardest part: waiting! Pop it in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but honestly, overnight is even better. The longer it sits, the more those amazing flavors meld and deepen into the cheese. I’ve tried rushing it, and it’s just not the same. Patience is a virtue, especially with Marinated Cheese!
- Serve Your Flavorful Marinated Cheese:: When you’re ready to serve, take the Marinated Cheese out of the fridge about 30 minutes before so it can come to a more palatable temperature. The olive oil might be a bit solidified, but it will loosen up as it warms. Give it another gentle stir. I usually transfer it to a pretty serving bowl, making sure to get plenty of that delicious herby oil with it. It should look vibrant, smell incredible, and taste absolutely divine!