Mediterranean Style Cheese Terrine Recipe

This Mediterranean style cheese terrine is a delicious party appetizer with layers of cream cheese, feta and flavorful pesto and sundried tomatoes. Make this 4-layer spread to top crackers, bread or crostini. It’s perfect for holiday entertaining or for girls night in. 

Layered cheese terrine with pesto and sundried tomatoes, on white plate with crostini.

Mediterranean-style cheese terrine makes a pretty presentation with it’s colorful layers of green pesto, white cheese mixture, and red sundried tomatoes. It’s festive enough for Christmas appetizers, and the flavors lend themselves well to a Greek theme party.

The layers of color look fabulous! If you’re a fan of pesto and sun dried tomatoes you’re going to love this.

Layered Cheese Spread

This is one of my go-to appetizers I first made about 20 years ago, and added it to my recipe collection. Serve it when you’re hosting a neighborhood ladies night, or game day get-together.

You can make this ahead and freeze for a couple of months, making it ideal for easy hosting.

photo collage showing steps to making a layered cheese terrine appetizer.

How to Make It

Begin by lining a mold (a bowl or dish) with plastic wrap and leave plenty to overhang on the sides.

  1. Combine the cheese mixture and separate into 3 even portions. Place a third of the cheese mixture in the bottom of the mold.
  2. Top with pine nuts and a layer of sundried tomatoes.
  3. Add another layer of cheese mixture and top with pesto.
  4. Finish with the last third of cheese mixture and pull the plastic wrap over the top to cover. Refrigerate for 24 hours. It tastes even better if it sits in the fridge for 48 hours!

Helpful Tips

  • Make sure the cream cheese, butter and feta are softened at room temperature so they blend easily.
  • A food processor works well for combining the cheese mixture, but a hand mixer can also work.
  • Use a jar of prepared pesto and drain off any excess oil. After adding the layer of pesto in the mold, I dab it again with a paper towel to remove even more oil.
  • Use sundried tomatoes packed in oil. Remove them onto a paper towel and pat dry to remove oil. Then chop them finely so they’re easy to spread and eat.
  • You’ll love the crunch of the pine nuts but they can be pricey. If you want, you can leave them off or substitute with chopped walnuts or pistachios.
  • Lightly toast the nuts before using them. I toast pine nuts on the stove in a small pan over medium heat for about 3 or 4 minutes. For other nuts I use the oven to toast them at 375 degrees for about 5 to 7 minutes.
Layered cheese terrine with pesto and sundried tomatoes, on white plate with a scoop taken out with a small knife.

Serving Tips

  • Take this out of the fridge and let it soften at room temperature before serving so it’s easy to cut through. Otherwise, it will break and crumble when you cut into it.
  • This is best with a sturdy cracker or toasted baguette slices (crostini). I like it with pretzel crisps, bagel chips, or plain water crackers.
  • Double the recipe and make two molds. Eat one now and freeze one for later.
  • For the cheese terrine pictured here, I used a bowl that’s 4½ inches in diameter and 2 inches tall for the mold.

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layered cheese terrine with pesto and sundried tomatoes, on white plate with crostini.

Mediterranean style Cheese Terrine Recipe

Yield: serves 12
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Additional Time: 1 day
Total Time: 1 day 30 minutes

Serve this delicious layered cheese terrine at your next party. This appetizer spread has layers of creamy cheese, flavorful pesto, and sundried tomatoes for a mouth watering topping for crackers or bread.

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
  • ½ stick of UNSALTED butter
  • ½ (4 ounces) package cream cheese, softened
  • â…› teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 ½ tablespoons dry vermouth (or dry white wine)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup pesto sauce, drained of excess oil
  • ½ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
  • ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, DRAINED AND PATTED DRY
  • Baguette (crostini) or pretzel chips for serving

Instructions

  1. Combine the cream cheese, feta, butter, garlic powder, onion powder, vermouth and pepper together until smooth; using a food processer makes it quick and easy.
  2. Choose a medium size bowl and line it with a large piece of plastic wrap.
  3. Divide the cream cheese mixture into 3 equal parts and spoon a layer into the bowl. Smooth it out so it reaches the edge and is level.
  4. Add a layer of pine nuts and top with a layer of sun dried tomatoes, smoothing it out to the edges.
  5. Add another layer of cheese mixture and spread out to the edges. Top with a layer of pesto, spread to the edges.
  6. Add a final layer of the cream cheese mixture. This will actually be the base once it’s served. Pull the plastic wrap over the terrine to cover.
  7. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, but over night is best. Make 2 days ahead to save prep time and the flavors really blend together!
  8. When ready to serve, open the saran wrap and invert the terrine on to a serving plate with crackers or crostini, and enjoy!
  9. Garnish with toasted pine nuts, chopped pistachios or walnuts, or fresh basil leaves.

Notes

Make this and freeze for up to 2 months. Double wrap it with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. When ready to serve, thaw it in the fridge for 24 hours.

Double the recipe for a large party.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Back when I was a young newlywed, new to Richmond, and working in an office, my husband and I were invited to go with a group {from the office} to the steeplechase and tailgate all day. Everyone was assigned food items to bring and share, and mine was “cheese.” Well, eager to impress this crowd with my entertaining prowess I decided I would provide the best cheese selection possible. I made 2 different cheese terrines + loaded up a new marble cheese board I bought for the event, with a variety of cheeses and crackers. It was overkill to say the least! Sure it would have been a nice spread for a wine and cheese party, but there was tons of other food so…  It makes me giggle to this day.

This is one of the cheese terrines I made for that event. It’s pretty easy to put together, and the layers make it look so special and festive. It would be beautiful for a red and green Christmas party too!

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3 Comments

  1. I have made this but my recipe calls for pine nuts on the top (or bottom)–the top when flipped over AND it is sinful and DELICIOUS!!!!

    1. Yes, I like to garnish the top with them…of course, I forgot, since I was getting ready for the party 😉