Marinated Cheese

This is a beautiful appetizer! 2 suggestions for preparation and presentation: spray PAM on your knife when slicing the cheese (especially the cream cheese) and use a dark colored serving dish. I used white and it would have been prettier on a different colored dish.

I make this recipe all the time. My family and friends always ask for it. I use bottled Italian Dressing istead of the oil and seasoning mixture. I just pour the dressing over the cheese, onions, pimento and the parsley. It is much easier and tastes the same if not better.

This was so good. I used a small cookie cutter to cut the cheddar into small stars and flowers. I out the cream cheese in the freezer for a little while before I cut it and had no problem. Everyone's favorite was the cream cheese it really soaks up the flavor of the marinade. It made for a really pretty presentation. I doubled the marinade and put some in the middle of the platter with a small spoon so they could pour extra onto their cheese.

WOW! What an awesome recipe! Excellent! Made exactly as written & served with Triscuit Garden Herb crackers (you need a sturdy cracker). 8oz blocks of cream cheese and cheddar cheese, alternating standing squares, filled the bottom of a bread loaf pan perfectly! The marinade was fantastic! My family raved about it! The only suggestion from several was to not use the squares, but to cut the cheese (sorry for the pun) into halves again for smaller rectangles and just layer the bottom of the pan with them, which can be spooned onto a cracker a littler easier! The squares were slightly awkward to maneuver onto a cracker along with some of the marinade. Overall though, they LOVED it! Thanks!

I have made this 6 times now. People request it now! I have used sundried tomatoes in place of pimentoes. I like it both ways.

This is an outstanding recipe!! I used soft mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese--and was it ever good!!! The marinate is also good (along with some of the cheese) as dressing on salad greens with some toasted almonds along with crusty bread on the side. Thanks for a great recipe.

I made this for the first time and served it for Easter as an appetizer with crackers. Rave reviews! Everyone loved it. I'm not fond or pimentos and did not have them on hand, so I substituted chopped sun-dried tomatoes, which gave the same visual effect, and went nicely with the other ingredients. Yummy!

This was great! It had a beautiful presentation; one note is that there is a LOT of marinade - you'll definetly want to re-plate before you serve. Otherwise two thumbs up!

Wonderful recipe - everyone love it. SUGGESTION: I make double the marinade and divide in baggies. In addition to the cheeses I marinate mushrooms, steamed asparagus, steamed green beans and black olives. By dividing the marinade in baggies you can marinate individually. After marinating overnight, take each out of their bags (discard remaining marinade) and place on a platter. Presentation is beautiful when placed properly. I usually use roasted red peppers instead on pimentos simply because I usually have them on hand.

I had been looking for this recipe for quite some time and was pleased to find it. I used white balsamic vinegar instead of white wine vinegar and it was amazing! I didn't change anything else and it turned out fabulous. Thanks!

This is a great easy recipe. Make sure the cream cheese is super cold before you slice it. It makes a lot more than you would expect!!

This a very classy appetizer. I prefer to use fresh mozzeralla or other mild cheeses. Quite often the flavor of the cheddard will clash with the marinade. You can dizzle the marinade over the cheese, over fresh cut vegetables or save for dipping bread in.

My husband absolutely loves this recipe. I'm always asked for the recipe!

I give this 5 stars for taste but the prep and presentation needs some work. The cream cheese tasted wonderful but was very difficult to work with. I ended up with very tasty blobs. The cheddar cheese didn't seem to absorb the marinade as well as the cream chesse. I think when I make it again I will use other soft cheese like havarti, mozzerella or gouda. And find a different, softer yellow cheese. Any ideas?

This was a huge hit as an appetizer at Thanksgiving. I marinated it overnight and then poured off a little of the oil before plating it up. Gorgeous presentation and great flavor. I will definitely be making this again... maybe even as soon as Christmas Eve :) Oh... and to those that were having trouble with slicing up the cream cheese, I would recommend using a piece of dental floss instead of a knife.

I have been making this recipe for years--my family loves it. A few tips: Use ONLY Philadelphia brand cream cheese, cut in half long ways then put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes before cutting--if not, you will have a gooey mess. If you are using dried parsley, use 1 1/2 tbsp. You can sub red wine vinegar for white wine but white is best.

WOW! I had this for the first time at a Church function and it was fantastic. I was a little leery of trying it after I read some of the reviews posted here (mainly problems with the cream cheese), but I didn't have any problem. I used Meijer brand cream cheese (full fat brand), and put it in the freezer for a bit. If you work quickly slicing it, there shouldn't be a problem. The only thing I did differently was to use fresh basil instead of dry, and Splenda for the sugar. I also poured off most of the oil before serving, and it was fantastic. If you do pour off the oil, don't throw it away!! We saved it and brushed it on the bread we used to make the Double Tomato Bruschetta on this site, which is also fantastic. Thanks so much for this recipe!

This is absolutely fabulous!! It is very pretty with the checkerboard cheeses! The only thing I do different is I serve it right from the dish I marinated in. People like the "juice" I lost track of how many times I have been requested to make this!! Thanks for a great recipe!

I have used this recipe for years and I'm in the middle of moving, and can't find it. Luckily I found it here. It is always a hit and a very nice looking appetizer. I especially love to take it to a potluck when I have a busy schedule the day of the event and don't have time to be in the kitchen. That way I make it the night before and it's ready to go when I am! It is good with Triscuits or melba toast or pretty much any cracker!

Yummm...this is addicting! Looks good and tastes great. I always use mozzarella in place of cream cheese. Also, I tasted this after marinating for 6 hours and the vinegar was way too much. I recommend starting with half the vinegar, half of the oil, and tasting after a few hours and adding more if you think necessary. I always just cube the cheese, arrange on a pretty platter, and cover with the marinade. Nice change from normal cheese dips and cheese balls. Thank you for sharing such a unique and yummy recipe! One of the absolute best recipes I've tried - ever.

Very tasty. I found that the cream cheese was easy to cut if you wet the knife between slices.

This was such an easy recipe to make and so delicious!! I took it to a NYE party and it was a HUGE hit!! Even the pickiest of teenagers liked it! Definitely a keeper! A little advice...place the cream cheese in the freezer for a few minutes just to make it a little firmer for slicing. Having a cheese slicer helped too! Awesome recipe!

I have made this for years-it is always requested. The only difference in mine is I use Buffalo mozz. cheese and sliced baguette that had been toasted and rubbed with a garlic clove. Awesome

Everyone wants this recipe! I served it with thin slices of a crusty baguette. If you assemble this in a disposable aluminum pan (pound cake size), before serving just cut open the side of the pan and slide onto a serving tray. All of the marinade ingredients remain on top of the cheese for a beautiful presentation. I had to substitute chives for green onions and rice vinegar for the wine vinegar, but it was still great.

Awesome recipe! I only marinated for 3 hours and it still came out great! Next time I will cut the cream cheese into smaller pieces than the cheddar. I used mild cheddar cheese because I was scared sharp cheddar would overpower the marinade but I couldn't taste enough cheddar. If you like cheddar cheese, use sharp cheddar.

Loved this recipe. A friend of mine has this recipe but uses balsamic vinegar. I've made it both ways and I have to say if you like balsamic it gives this recipe one more star!

I was skeptical about this recipe but it was a big hit at my bunco party. I used cheddar, pepper jack and creme cheeses, marinated in bottled Zesty Italian dressing with green onion tops and roasted red peppers. I served it with Crunchmaster sesame crackers and everyone loved it. I will definitely make again for a crowd.

I marinated the cream cheese only and it was a hit. I had some extra marinade and I put some on my husband's sandwich the next day. I also made the marinade two days before the party. That really helps the flavors develop more. Tasty!

OUTSTANDING!! Took this to a party and it was gone in no time. Everyone kept asking who made this and what is the recipe. Thanks to a previous reviewer, who suggested putting the cream cheese in the freezer prior to slicing. This may have to be done several times while you are placing your cheeses. But that made the whole process a snap. The recipe is perfect as is. But you do need to swap out another plate for serving, because of the excess amount of marinade. Very pretty presentation. Thank you for Sharing.

Made this recipe for Ist time for family party. What a hit!!! did make some changes, added lots of sun-dried tom. chopped(in oil)and more garlic. Spooned it onto large round platter, using toasted bruscheta slices around outer edge of platter. Tossed remaining marinade with drained can of large black olives and filled opening in center of platter with them.Finished center with a tomato rosette. Looked great!!!

I made this for an appetizer for the 4th of July. It was very, very good. I substituted low fat cream cheese and it kind of melted into a blob, but a very delicious one. The cheddar held it's shape well and was very good plain or on a cracker. If it's warm and you want a good presentation, serve on ice. But it is so good, no one will really care what it looks like. Thanks!

Best appetizer ever! I make exactly as the recipe states and serve with wheat thins. Marinade is also great for dipping bread!

Made this yesterday for a cocktail party where everyone brought a dish and it was gone by the end of the evening. I served on crackers, or you could stick in toothpicks and serve that way. One suggestion, make sure you have a large serving tray or it won't all fit if you are taking this with you. I had a lot of marinade left over so I used it as a salad dressing today.

I made this for a party at my husband's co-worker's house and had to abandon it and buy something at the last minute. I froze the cream cheese to make it easier to cut, but in no time it was soft again and impossible to pickup. It began sort of melting into the dressing and looked terrible. It tasted good, but it was ugly to look at and not appetizing. We ate it at home, but there was no way that I could bring this to a party

Such an easy appetizer...THAT EVERYONE LOVES! Took this to a Christmas party and everyone raved about it to the host wanting to know the recipe. Putting the creme cheese in the freezer for a bit then using dental floss to cut it was a huge help, it turned out awesome. GIVE IT A TRY :)

This was a great recipe. Everyone loved it. You do have to let it marinate however, if you want to get all that flavor. I did try to make it with sweetner one time, instead of sugar. Wasn't quite as good, but an option.

This was very good, but I will make a few changes next time. Specifically, I will use more cream cheese, and if I use cheddar again, I will slice it thinner and longer. The cheddar never gets a texture where it becomes easy to use on a cracker or crostini; so next time, I'll just cut it directly into a shape that will work well with my breads. If you let it marinate for days on end, the oil solidifies, but you can just scrape it off and discard or just leave your cheese on display at room temperature and the oil solids melt again. Not a pleasant mental image, but doesn't hurt the flavor either!

This is one of my favorite things to take to a party. It always gets rave reviews-especially from the women! I have layered cheddar, mozzarella and cream cheese or any combination. The cream cheese soaks up the flavor better than the other cheeses. i think soft cheeses absorb the flavors better.

This is a great recipe. I dont have pimentos so I would used grilled bell peppers (green, red, and yellow), to add more color to it and the grilled peppers add a nice smokey flavor to the cheese. Cut back a bit on the oil, it may be a little too runny or greasy. Also instead of using crackers and having it as a type of dip, do it hors d'eourve style. Cut a baguette into 1" slices spread a little butter on them and toast them, than top with the cheese marinade, making it into a crustini. Place on a nice platter and all your friends will be amazed at the beautiful display.

Heaven on a cracker!!

This was a BIG hit!!! I took the suggestions of others & gently froze the cream cheese & then cut it with dental floss. I also drained off the extra liquid before serving. Thanks for a great recipe!!

Everyone loves this! Just wish I could make my cream cheese slices look nicer. :) But tastes delish.

Disappointed with this especially since there are so many wonderful reviews. I thought maybe it was just my personal taste but I took it to dinner party and it did not go over very well. I think everyone tried it but I recieved no compliments or requests for the recipe. I only marinated for 5 hours (thank goodness as the wine vinegar is very strong) I removed from the marinate to plate and it was still very greasy. I will not make again.

This is an absolutely amazing appetizer! I have made this for two parties. My daughter has made it for a party at her house and every time it is a huge hit. Be sure to freeze the cream cheese for about 45 minutes before you cut it. It makes it so much easier. Otherwise follow recipe as printed for the one of the most delicious cheese appetizers ever!

Wonderful recipe. Beautiful presentation. I took this to a couples Bunco and it disappeared! The men enjoyed it even more than the women. they couldnt stop eating it. I did add and 8 oz pkg of Moneray Jack cheeze, as I knew I would be serving many. Other than that i didnt change a thing!

I took this to a party and it was a big hit. I did make a few minor changes. I substituted diced sundried tomatoes for the pimento and used 1-1/2 tsp minced fresh basil. I also used cheddar and monterey jack cheese. I want to try mozzarella and other cheeses next time.

Amazing! Full of flavor. A friend shared this recipe with me and I served this at a Pampered Chef party. Every single person LOVED it. My copy of the recipe walked out the door with the demonstrator. I served the remainder of the marinade with french bread slices per my friend's suggestion. Thanks Elle!

This was H-U-G-E hit at our Thanksgiving table. Everyone commented on how absoloutely beautiful it looked and were impressed by the taste. Needless, to say it was gobbled up within minutes. The only complaint: You didn't make enough! I am going to triple the recipe for Christmas! Thanks for this outstanding, absolutely georgous appetizer! We're from Philly so we love cream cheese in anything, of course! Four Stars!

I've made this recipe several times and get comments about how elegant and gourmetish is looks. Instead of crackers I go to the neighborhood bakery and have a demi sliced thin. The bread is great with the marinade.

Made it exactly by the recipe and it was delicious.

This tastes best with Cilantro instead of parsley. Forget serving with crackers, tastes fabulous served with french bread to absorb all the marinade. My husband and I made this "dinner" with a glass of wine. :)

This is a quick and easy recipe that tastes amazing! Everyone I serve it to always wants the recipe

This is a wonderful recipe if the recipe is followed as is - no igredient substitutions. I've been making it for years - everyone always wants a copy of the recipe.

Excellent recipe! It's very attractive when plated nicely. I had a handful of swiss and mozzarella to use up so I cut those up too and they were delicious in the marinade.

DIVINE! Very festive. Lots of oohs and ahhs for presentation. It's KEY to freeze the cream cheese before cutting!

This is divine! A nice change from plain cheese and crackers, or a cheese ball. Give it a try!

This recipe is awesome! I've made it a few times for friends and family and it's always a hit! It's best to make the recipe the night before but be sure to use it the next day, because it doesn't keep well past the next day (the cream cheese turns to liquid).

I made this dish for a church function and everyone loved it. I've never had so many people ask me for a recipe before. I couldn't find white wine vinegar so I substituted balsamic vinegar. It still tasted great, but some of the colors of the dish were lost in the darker color of the vinegar. I also substituted the sun-dried tomatoes for the pimentos, as another reader suggested. I am looking forward to making this again with the white wine vinegar. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.

This was avery tasty dish. I could not find white wine vinegar, so I used a quarter cup balsamic and a quarter cup white vinegar and people still loved it. YUM!!

This recipe is a staple in my party planning! Guests always love it.

I made this for a New Year's Eve party. It was the hit of the party!! I will definately make again.

I can't believe how good this is! I didn't think the cream cheese would be good at all and my husband wasn't going to even try this. After being talked into trying it, he absolutely loved it. He kept talking about how good this was several hours after eating it. Thanks.

Followed the recipe exactly and it was FANTASTIC. I served it at a party and several guests asked to copy the recipe to take with them.

This recipe is excellent made with Cilantro. Tried this by chance. Didn't have parsley, but had Cilantro. I will use Cilantro in the future.

No one cared for this much, I ended up eating most of it myself. Won't make it again.

Love this recipe! It gives a kick to the normal cheese and crackers. I've taken it to many parties, and it's always one of the first things to be eaten.

This is a wonderful appetizer.Beautiful presentation. I have also tried it with balsamic vinegar. AWESOME

Wow, this was wonderful. Everyone who tried this ask for the recipe. I have served this at a Christmas party (looks very festive) and a progressive dinner. I placed the cream cheese in the freezer for a while, it really helps in making nice clean slices.

I am very sorry to say that I just didn't like this recipe at all. I thought the marinade tasted really bad. I must have done something very wrong!

this is always a hit at parties. i make it just as the recipe says

Amazing! I ended up having to put the cream cheese in the freezer for a bit because it was too soft to cut. Next time I'll try using fresh mozzerella balls.

I didnt give the cheese overnight to marinate. Ended up cheese in soup! Yeck. Will follow directions next time, b/c this seemed to have good flavor.

I made this with 1/3c. white wine vinegar and 1/3c. olive oil and used regular Havarti, Havarti with dill, and Edam and just fresh cilantro and a roasted red pepper. Everyone loved it!

A friend of mine told me about this recipe and I'm so glad she did! It's pretty much the perfect recipe. Easy, you can make ahead, tasty and looks great! I made it for the first time for Thanksgiving and can't wait to make it again for Christmas!

I've made this recipe twice and it has been the hit of the evening both times. Everyone asks for the recipe (including a neighbor who is a chef)and it is gone by the end of the night. I know the reviews on this recipe are mixed, but everyone in our neighborhood rates it at 5+. Hint: I put the cream cheese in the freezer just long enough to make it stiffer. This made it hold together better while cutting.

If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. This is a hit every time I take it to a party. One of my favorites. Visually impressive, too, and great because you can make it a day in advance. Great for a wine party!

I made this and took it to work to see how it would go over. Most people (including myself) loved it and it was gone by the end of the day. My husband loved it, too. The cream cheese was the best! Would use sharp cheddar instead of medium next time. This is a great low carb snack on a Triscuit. YUM!

I could not find white wine vinegar so I used red. I used white cheddar cheese, but I think the orange wouuld give more contrast against the cream cheese. One of my friend suggested arranging the cheese in a circle and it would look like a Christmas wreath. There was a lot of marinate left over.

I hate to be in the minority here, but I didn't like this at all and I'm not a picky eater. I took it to a potluck over the weekend. I didn't hear one compliment on it and there were 50 people there. I used cilantro instead of the parsley, but followed everything else as stated. Sorry!

This was very good. I didn't have white vinegar on hand so I used Rice Vinegar and it tasted better than I expected. I kept nibbling on this while preparing for the party.

We loved it!

This is beyond belief. I took it to a potluck and it disappeared. I used celentro instead of parsley, and marinated tofu vegan friends. The cream cheese is my personal favorite.

I had this at a party and wanted to make it for my own New Year's Eve party. AWESOME! I did try the cream cheese, but I'll skip it next time. It was too mushy. However, the dish was much prettier with the white cream cheese. The marinate was wonderful and a huge it with my guests

My mother-in-law introduced this to me and I absolutely love it! I like it best with triscuits.

I have made this many times, following the recipe exactly. It not only tastes great but looks beautiful on a serving platter. I always get requests for this recipe.

I am so excited...I found this recipe once in a holiday cookbook and ended up losing it over time.My family are cheese fans and we love this.Also looks pretty on holiday buffets.Great also with toasted bagel pieces.

This recipe is amazing. I went to a wine tasting last night and it was wonderful both tangy and creamy. I'm so glad I found the recipie. I read the other reveiews and the suggestions are spot on - use a dark colored plate to highlight the dish and you may want to replate as there is a lot of marinade.

I have been making this recipe for about 10 years. It's always a favorite and I even coveted it for a long time : ) giving it only as very special secret recipe gifts to friends. A wonderful appetizer! I usually add a bit more dried basil ,use sharp cheddar & always extra garlic, though you really don't have to change it a bit!

OUTSTANDING! My sister-in-law made this as a Christmas appetizer and it was devoured in no time. The flavor of the marinade is absolutely divine. And the color from the pimento was so festive for the holidays. This recipe is going in my Appetizer File immediately! Oh, I just thought some people would like to know: She started marinating hers around 7 a.m. Christmas morning, and it was delicious by 2 p.m. (in case you forget the night before!)

Fantastic! I take this everywhere and everyone (I do mean everyone) loves it! It's great on Triscuits, bagel chips, or baby baquettes. I make it in a shallow quiche dish and don't even worry about transferring it to another dish for serving. I have been asked for the recipe so many times I have it memorized. The key is to let it marinate at least 24 hours.

Wow!! This was sooo good. The favorite was the cream cheese but is was so hard to cut and didn't hold its shape while marinating so I just marinated the whole block and served it with the sauce poured over it. Awesome!!

Fantastic! This was a big hit at my dinner party. I put the (low fat) cream cheese in the freezer for about two hours to make cutting it easier. Have your cheddar ready to go before preparing the cream cheese. That way you're ready to start assembling as soon as you've sliced the cream cheese (it will get soft quickly). I had some roasted red peppers on hand, so I used those in place of the pimento. I served with wheat crackers and pita chips. Yummy!

Delicious and unique appetizer! I recently served it at a party and everyone wanted the recipe. It's especially nice during the holidays. I serve with triscuits or wheat thins.

Great recipe! It's a nice change from boring cheese platters at parties. I made it for my bridesmaid luncheon and they pigged out on it!

Big Hit! had this at a friends party - soo- yummy! The key is to freeze the cream cheese before slicing(If that doesn't work for you, I think it would be nice with mozzarella or provolone in it's place)

I love this recipe and have used it for 15 years.

I have been making this for years, got the recipe from an old friend. Everytime I bring it to a new function I get several requests for the recipe. This is the same exact recipe I use I am shocked to see someone else has it. Enjoy!

I make this often for parties. It makes a beautiful dish. The flavors are a little too strong though. I use only 2 TBSP of green onions and 1 clove of garlic and bump up to 2 tsp of sugar. I generally like rich, spicy food and even so prefer these changes.

This is awesome. I have made this on numerous occasions and everytime I take it somewhere, I am asked for the recipe... EVERYTIME!