This fancy pants appetizer is a snap to make!
It’s the time of year for gatherings galore – which means growing your repertoire of potluck dishes to impress your hostesses and guests. I’m going to show you a dish that looks all fancy-pants, but is super easy to make: Pesto, Olive and Roasted Red Pepper Cheese Torta Appetizer.
Spoon a layer of pesto evenly on top of the cheese mixture, then gently spoon another one fourth of the cheese mixture, spreading it evenly.
Repeat these steps, next with roasted red peppers and cheese mixture, then the diced olives and last bit of cheese mixture. I like using my Rubbermaid Brilliance containers for this recipe, because I can clearly see how my Torta layers are looking while I work. 
For best results, refrigerate the Torta for at least two hours.
To serve, simply invert the Torta onto your serving dish and remove the plastic wrap. Serve with toasted French bread. Simply slice your bread to the desired thickness, brush the slices lightly with olive oil, and broil on low for just a few minutes, until slightly brown.
Isn’t it pretty? It tastes even better.
This savory appetizer is sure to get rave reviews at your next holiday gathering.
Pesto, Olive and Roasted Red Pepper Cheese Torta
Ingredients
- 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and pressed dry
- 2 bricks cream cheese, softened
- 2 Tbsp Greek seasoning
- 8 oz crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 C prepared pesto
- 1/4 C finely chopped red or black olives
- 1/4 C finely chopped rinsed drained bottled roasted red peppers
Instructions
- Combine Feta and cream cheese until well mixed. Then, line your dish with plastic wrap - leaving some overhang (this step will help the Torta release and keep its shape later).
- Begin layering ingredients. Start with spooning one fourth of the cheese mixture, pressing it evenly into your dish using a rubber spatula or the back of your spoon.
- Spoon a layer of pesto evenly on top of the cheese mixture, then gently spoon another one fourth of the cheese mixture, spreading it evenly.
- Repeat these steps, next with roasted red peppers and cheese mixture, then the diced olives and last bit of cheese mixture.
- To serve, simply invert the Torta onto your serving dish and remove the plastic wrap.
- Serve with crackers or toasted French bread. Simply slice your bread to the desired thickness, brush the slices lightly with olive oil, and broil on low for just a few minutes, until slightly brown.
This looks delicious! Like so delicious I could eat it all right now 😐 LOL!
xo, Amanda | http://www.thegoldengirldiary.com
It’s definitely dangerous that way!
This looks really easy to make, and I bet it is a big crowd-pleaser. It looks delicious. I mean, you had me at cream cheese.
Haha! I like your style 🙂
That DOES look good. This is on the list for reals
Awesome!Let me know how you like it!
This looks UNBELIEVABLE!!! I can actually taste it through the screen (ha!) I will be adding this to my MAKE NOW list for sure!
I hope you love it as much as we do!
I’m not much of an olive fan, but I love cheese so much I’m willing to overlook that! I have a feeling I can eat this in one sitting! {client}
You can totally omit the olives on this recipe! If so, I’d choose to use the substitute ingredient of sun dried tomatoes instead of roasted red peppers to add a richer flavor.
Includes all the tastes I love! But I had an unbelievably difficult time spreading the cheese, first onto the plastic and then over the wet layers of pesto/peppers/olives. I even softened the cheese mixture to make it as spreadable as possible. Any tips to help me out? Oh wow, how about a video of you making one!
I’m so glad you like this recipe! I think the trick is to just focus on this looking nice on the top (first cheese layer) and the edges, and don’t worry about the middle as much! 😉 I, too, make sure to use softened cheese. I’ve had the best success by dropping it by spoonfuls using a quick-release scoop, and then using a silicone spatula to spread it. On top of the wet layers, I use the same technique but also “press” the cheese using the spatula to evenly spread it. I hope that helps!
I always add minced garlic and basil to the cheese mixture. Don’t care for olives, so use pesto and Sun dried tomatoes in olive oil for the other layers. Best appetizer ever-don’t like remaking other recipes, but this works for me.
Those sound like delicious additions! I sometimes add a greek rub to my cheese mixture and I, too, also love sun dried tomatoes for this!
used the left over olive,peppers mix from a muffaleta sandwich i made and it worked out great ( did this instead of the chopped olives )
That sounds incredible! Thanks for sharing your spin on leftovers!
Can’t wait to try this. Can you tell me what size container you used for the cheese? Going out tomorrow to get mine. Thanks
Hi Cathy! I used the medium container for this recipe. Enjoy!
I’ll be making this for a party next weekend. I’ll roast my own peppers and make my own pesto because that’s the way I am. I also plan to cut petals from some of my roasted peppers to make a poinsettia to decorate the top. I’ll place the “flower” on the bottom and then very carefully cover it with the first layer of cheese. I’m also thinking of putting the cheese in a food processor to get a better blend. How’s that sound? When you say you used a “medium” container would you say about a quart size dish? Thanks.
Denyse – I have to see this roasted pepper poinsettia when you’re done – it sounds AMAZING! The “medium” dish I referred to was specific to the Rubbermaid Brilliance container I used – it holds 3.2 cups, and the Torta filled every last bit of it!
Thanks for your info. Let me know how I can send you a picture. I’ll be putting it all together Saturday morning and unmolding it at the party on Saturday night.