This Pesto Torte recipe is one have been making for over 15 years. It is flavorful, colorful, and, with a little bit of planning, easy to make. I have also never seen anyone else bring this when I've brought this as an appetizer.
Although this appetizer can be made any time of the year, I love the Christmas colors and often make it during the holidays. Other favorite appetizer recipes that I like bringing to share include this cucumber cocktail sandwich appetizer and this bruschetta with fresh tomato and basil.
When you are trying to describe what this is when you are bringing it to a party, this is the description, I usually say, "a pesto & sun-dried tomato layered cheese ball". My home state is Wisconsin and everyone knows what a cheese ball is!
Table of contents
Why I love this pesto cheese ball
- The red from the sundried tomato and the green from the pesto make this a brightly colored and pretty appetizer. People do eat with their eyes!
- This recipe can easily be made ahead and can be frozen until needed. That makes this so convenient when it gets busy around the holiday time or any time you are entertaining.
- The combination of the ingredients are very flavorful!
- When you bring this, everyone loves it and I get asked for the recipe all the time!
Ingredients
Cream cheese - Buy the cream cheese in the block (not the whipped kind) and the full fat version. B
Butter - Either salted or unsalted can be used. You will want the butter softened to room temperature but NOT melted.
Sun-dried tomatoes in oil. The sound-dried tomatoes should be drained, and the oil should be blotted with a paper towel. These should be finely chopped.
Pesto - Either from the grocery store or home made.
Instructions
Step 1
Add an 8 oz block of cream cheese and 1 cup of butter (2 sticks) into a bowl. They either should be softened to room temperature by letting them them sit out for at least ½ hour.
Use your hand mixer to mix. You probably will have to scrape down the sides.
Step 2
Grab a small bowl, or even a ramekin. You want about a 2-cup capacity. Or, split the recipe in two and make two smaller ones.
Place some plastic wrap in it. Smooth it as well as you can into the bowl. You'll love how it helps you later! Make sure you have enough so that you will be able to cover the top with the plastic wrap when you are done.
Take a little less than ⅓ of the cream cheese mixture and pat it down on the bottom. I usually use a baggie sprayed with a no stick spray to flatten the cream cheese mixture without it sticking to me.
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Step 3
Then add about 4 oz of chopped sun-dried tomatoes (the jar kind, in oil). I usually 'dry' the sun-dried tomatoes with some paper towel so the oil doesn't run onto my cream cheese mixture. Put the sun-dried tomatoes to the edges, then fill in the middle.
Step 4
Mix the the parmesan cheese into the pesto. If you are using larger grated parmesan cheese, just chop it with a knife to get a finer consistency prior to adding it to your pesto.
Mix well, and it will end up nice and green.
Spread it evenly on top of the chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Take care that the sides are well covered with the pesto.
Step 5
REPEAT. A layer of about ⅓ of the cream cheese mixture, the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and then the pesto.
End with a final layer of the cream cheese mixture. Cover with some cling wrap.
Refrigerate overnight. Or, if you forget you have to do this, about 2 hours in the freezer and an hour in the fridge does a good job :).
To Serve
About ½ hour before serving, take out your beautiful pesto torte (in my mind, I'm saying 'pesto and sun-dried tomato cheese ball'). Let it soften a little to make serving easier.
Here is where you will love that you put the plastic wrap in the bow. Just lift it out!
Take the wrap off, flip, and serve on a pretty tray.
You'll want to serve with sturdy crackers or sliced baguette bread. This is good!
To decorate a bit, garnish with a little of the pesto and sun-dried tomatoes on top!
Storage
This stores well in the refrigerator for up to a week. I have frozen this for up to 3 months. Ensure it is well wrapped. I refrigerate and freeze in the container I use to shape it. Serve at room temperature by letting it sit out for a couple of hours from the freezer.
FAQs
Over the years I already have done that from the original recipe. I would not reduce it more or it may not hold it's shape.
I have not tried it with anything other than butter. I don't think this pesto torte will will hold it's shape if the ingredients are reduced more than they already have been.
Other Delicious Appetizer Ideas
Please come back and give this recipe a 5 star rating!
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Torte
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese Do not use low fat cream cheese.
- 1 cup butter softened to room temperature
- 8 oz sun dried tomatoes in oil use paper towel to remove oil and chop finely
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese finely shredded or grated
- 4 oz pesto
Instructions
- Add an 8 oz block of cream cheese and 1 cup of butter, softened into a bowl. Use a hand mixer to mix.
- Use a small bowl (about 2 cups) and line with plastic wrap. Make sure you have enough plastic wrap so that you can wrap the top of your pesto torte when done assembling.
- Add a little less than ⅓ of the cream cheese mixture and pat it down on the bottom of the small bowl. I usually use a baggie sprayed with Pam so I can flatten the cream cheese mixture without it sticking to me.
- Then add about 4 oz of chopped sun-dried tomatoes (the jar kind, in oil). I usually 'dry' the sun-dried tomatoes with some paper towel so the oil doesn't run onto my cream cheese mixture. Spread the sun-dried tomatos, making sure you spread close to edges.
- Mix shredded or finely grated parmesan cheese with of pesto.
- Spread ½ of the pesto mixture as a layer onto the cream chease mixture, making sure it is well spread to the edges.
- Do a second layer of cream cheese (reserving enough to do one more larger layer). Do second and final layer of chopped sun-dried tomoatos, and the pesto mix layer.
- The finishing layer is the cream cheese mixture. Take a good look at the picture to see roughly how the layers are placed.
- Cover up with the cling wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to serve, remove wrap and flip onto pretty serving dish. Top with a bit of pesto and sundried tomatos, if desired.
- Serve with sturdy crackers or sliced pieces of baguette. I usually have a small cheese knife to help serve this.
Notes
It also stores well in the freezer. I usually freeze in the container I use to form it and keep it in the freezer for a maximum of 3 months.
Nutrition (I am not a nutritionist. These are estimates only)
momcrieff
Thank you for letting me know the recipe list isn't there! This recipe post was written a long time ago and I've updated it with a printable ingredient list and recipe.