Cheddar and cream cheeses are topped with a mixture of sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, and garlic in this beautiful and delicious marinated cheese appetizer.
Using a sharp knife, cut the block of cheddar in half lengthwise. Cut each half into ¼-inch-thick slices to make squares of the cheese. Repeat with the cream cheese (this will be easier if the cream cheese is cold).
Place the squares of cheese in a serving dish that is at least 1-inch deep, alternating the cheddar and cream cheeses. A 9-inch baking dish works well for this (make several rows from the cheese squares), or a deep-dish pie plate works if you prefer to arrange the cheeses in a spiral. Set aside.
Finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes and finely mince the garlic. Add to a bowl or large measuring cup along with the remaining ingredients. Whisk to thoroughly combine.
Pour the marinade over the cheeses, spreading the tomatoes and herbs evenly over the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Serve the cheeses in the dish you marinated them in or transfer to a serving platter, making sure to spoon the marinade over the top. Serve with crackers.
Notes
This marinade works well with a number of softer cheeses. Other cheeses that work well include:
Feta
Goat cheese
Havarti
Colby jack
Monterey jack
Gouda
If you don’t care for sun-dried tomatoes, try substituting roasted red peppers, jarred pimentos, jarred sweet cherry peppers, or marinated artichoke hearts.
Feel free to use any herbs you like or have on hand, such as basil, rosemary, chives, etc. Aim for about 2 tablespoons total of finely chopped herbs. If you do not have fresh herbs, dried will work fine; if using dried, use about 2 teaspoons total since dried herbs are more “potent” than fresh.
For even more flavor, use some of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes in place of some of the olive oil in the marinade.