Cheese Ball Antipasto is the perfect centerpiece for just about any occasion. With New Year’s Eve around the corner, this crowd-pleasing appetizer is a natural fit alongside wine, champagne, and good company. It brings together everything people love about an antipasto platter in one bold, creamy bite.

Packed with classic antipasto ingredients on the inside and coated with even more on the outside, this antipasto cheese ball is rich, savory, and full of texture. Serve it on a platter with cold meats like salami and prosciutto, plus plenty of crackers for scooping, and watch it disappear fast.

Delicious Antipasto-Cheeseball on a plate - 1
  • What Makes This Recipe So Good
  • What Goes Into Cheese Ball Antipasto
  • How To Make Cheese Ball Antipasto
  • Tips For Making Cheese Ball Antipasto
  • Recipe FAQ’s
  • Antipasto Cheese Ball Recipe

What Makes This Recipe So Good

This Cheese Ball Antipasto delivers everything you want from an antipasto platter in a single, scoopable centerpiece. The creamy cheese base holds together bold, savory ingredients like cured meats, olives, and peppers, so every bite is balanced instead of scattered across the board. It is rich without being heavy, making it easy to keep going back for just one more cracker.

Shaping it as an antipasto christmas tree cheese ball turns a classic appetizer into something festive without adding extra work. It looks impressive on the table, pairs effortlessly with wine and champagne, and saves you from assembling multiple bowls and plates. You get maximum impact, strong antipasto flavor, and a presentation that feels intentional and celebratory.

What Goes Into Cheese Ball Antipasto

Flat lay photo of ingredient shot of parsley, onion and garlic powder, salt, prosciutto, salami slices, ritz water crackers, pitted mixed olives, chopped salami, cream cheese, red bell pepper, chives, chopped sun-dried tomatoes - 2

This Cheese Ball Antipasto keeps things bold, creamy, and unapologetically savory.

  • Cream Cheese: The rich, creamy foundation that binds everything together and balances the saltiness of the antipasto ingredients without overpowering them.
  • Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Intensely savory and slightly sweet, these add concentrated flavor both inside the cheese ball and as part of the outer coating.
  • Salami: Finely chopped salami brings that unmistakable cured-meat bite, giving the cheese ball its hearty, antipasto-style backbone.
  • Mixed Olives: A blend of black, green, and Kalamata olives adds briny contrast and texture, especially when pressed into the outside for a bold, eye-catching finish.

Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.

How To Make Cheese Ball Antipasto

In a large bowl, combine all of the dip ingredients and mix until evenly blended - 3
  1. Mix The Dip: In a large bowl, combine all of the dip ingredients and mix until evenly blended and well combined.
Lay non-stick plastic wrap on a clean surface. Spoon cream cheese onto the center and cover with another sheet of plastic wrap - 4
  1. Wrap: Lay non-stick plastic wrap on a clean surface. Spoon cream cheese onto the center and cover with another sheet of plastic wrap.
Using your hands, mould the wrapped mixture into a ball. Peel away the bottom layer of plastic wrap and place the cheese ball onto a serving plate. - 5
  1. Shape Cheese Ball: Using your hands, mould the wrapped mixture into a ball. Peel away the bottom layer of plastic wrap and place the cheese ball onto a serving plate.
Pat the olives and sun-dried tomatoes dry with paper towel to remove excess oil - 6
  1. Prep The Toppings: Pat the olives and sun-dried tomatoes dry with paper towel to remove excess oil so they stick better to the cheese.
Lightly press the olives and tomatoes into the cheese ball until evenly coated. - 7
  1. Decorate: Lightly press the olives and tomatoes into the cheese ball until evenly coated. Brush lightly with sun-dried tomato oil if desired for extra flavor and shine.
Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve, alongside crackers, rolled salami, and prosciutto - 8
  1. Serve And Enjoy: Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve, alongside crackers, rolled salami, and prosciutto for scooping and sharing.

This Cheese Ball Antipasto pairs well with dishes that add texture and a little contrast without stealing the spotlight. Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus is a great choice, offering salty crunch and a fresh bite that cuts through the creaminess. Bruschetta Stuffed Avocados add a cool, creamy element with bright flavor that complements the antipasto notes beautifully.

To round out the board, Buttery Garlic Mushrooms work especially well served warm alongside the cheese ball. Their savory richness echoes the antipasto flavors while adding variety to the spread, making everything feel cohesive, generous, and made for grazing.

Tips For Making Cheese Ball Antipasto

  • I always let the cream cheese sit out until it is fully soft, not just slightly pliable, because it mixes far more easily and keeps the antipasto pieces evenly distributed instead of clumping together.
  • Chopping the salami, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes finely really makes a difference. Smaller pieces give you a smoother texture, cleaner slices, and a cheese ball that holds its shape without cracking.
  • Patting the olives and sun-dried tomatoes dry is a step I never skip. Removing excess oil helps them stick properly to the outside instead of sliding off as soon as you start decorating.
  • A short chill in the fridge firms everything up just enough for neat slicing and easy scooping. I usually do this while setting up the rest of the platter so it is ready the moment guests arrive.

For food safety, it is best to keep it out for no more than 2 hours. If your room is warm, I like to return it to the fridge for short breaks between serving.

Thin, sturdy crackers like water crackers or wheat crackers work best. They scoop easily without overpowering the flavor of the antipasto cheese.

This usually means the cream cheese was too warm or the mixture needs more chilling time. A quick 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge will help it firm up before decorating or serving.

A bite taken from Antipasto-Cheeseball on a plate - 9 Karina in a white and black dress with her hair blowing back, standing in front of her cooktop, cooking salmon in a pan - 10

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IngredientsUSMetric1x2x3x

For The Dip:

  • ▢ 24 ounces cream cheese softened
  • ▢ 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
  • ▢ 1/2 cup red bell peppers diced
  • ▢ 3.5 ounces chopped salami pieces chopped
  • ▢ 1/4 cup chives chopped
  • ▢ 1/4 cup parsley chopped
  • ▢ 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • ▢ 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • ▢ 1 pinch salt to taste, if desired

For The Decorations:

  • ▢ 2 cups pitted mixed olives halved lengthways, I use a variety of black, green and Kalamata olives – dried with paper towel
  • ▢ 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped, dried with paper towel
  • ▢ 1 handful ritz water crackers or pretzels for serving
  • ▢ 1 handful salami slices, for serving
  • ▢ 1 handful prosciutto slices, for serving

Instructions

  • In a bowl combine all the ingredients for the dip and mix until the ingredients are well combined.
  • Place a piece of non-stick plastic wrap on a clean bench top or work surface. Scoop the cream cheese mixture out onto the plastic wrap and completely cover with another piece of wrap.
  • Use your hands to mould the cream cheese mixture into a ball. Carefully pick up the cheese ball with one hand and peel off the plastic wrap on the bottom of the ball with your other hand. Place the ball straight onto a serving plate.
  • Decorate: dry each olive and sun dried tomato piece on a sheet of paper towel to soak up the oil before placing them on the cheese ball so they adhere better.
  • Lightly press them into the cream cheese to ensure they stay on. Brush with some sun dried tomato oil from the jar (optional but adds even more flavour)!
  • Serve with crackers of your choice, salami and prosciutto slices rolled up! ENJOY!

Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Antipasto-Cheeseball on a plate - 11

Antipasto Cheese Ball

Ingredients

For The Dip:

  • 24 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
  • 1/2 cup red bell peppers diced
  • 3.5 ounces chopped salami pieces chopped
  • 1/4 cup chives chopped
  • 1/4 cup parsley chopped
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 pinch salt to taste, if desired

For The Decorations:

  • 2 cups pitted mixed olives halved lengthways, I use a variety of black, green and Kalamata olives - dried with paper towel
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped, dried with paper towel
  • 1 handful ritz water crackers or pretzels for serving
  • 1 handful salami slices, for serving
  • 1 handful prosciutto slices, for serving

Instructions

  • In a bowl combine all the ingredients for the dip and mix until the ingredients are well combined.
  • Place a piece of non-stick plastic wrap on a clean bench top or work surface. Scoop the cream cheese mixture out onto the plastic wrap and completely cover with another piece of wrap.
  • Use your hands to mould the cream cheese mixture into a ball. Carefully pick up the cheese ball with one hand and peel off the plastic wrap on the bottom of the ball with your other hand. Place the ball straight onto a serving plate.
  • Decorate: dry each olive and sun dried tomato piece on a sheet of paper towel to soak up the oil before placing them on the cheese ball so they adhere better.
  • Lightly press them into the cream cheese to ensure they stay on. Brush with some sun dried tomato oil from the jar (optional but adds even more flavour)!
  • Serve with crackers of your choice, salami and prosciutto slices rolled up! ENJOY!

Notes

Nutrition

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