Southwest Mesa Cheese Stacks (Print)

Crisp cracker stacks layered with assorted cheeses and fresh garnishes for a vibrant, flavorful bite.

# What You Need:

→ Crackers

01 - 24 assorted crackers (multigrain, wheat, rye, or seeded, various shapes and sizes)

→ Cheeses

02 - 3.5 oz sliced cheddar cheese
03 - 3.5 oz sliced pepper jack cheese
04 - 3.5 oz sliced Monterey Jack cheese
05 - 1.75 oz sliced smoked gouda
06 - 1.75 oz blue cheese, cubed (optional)

→ Garnishes

07 - 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
09 - 1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
10 - 1 tablespoon toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

# Steps:

01 - Cut all cheese varieties into slices slightly smaller than the crackers to facilitate stacking and enhance presentation.
02 - On a large serving platter, alternate layers of crackers and different cheese slices, building stacks between 3 to 7 layers to resemble flat-topped rock formations.
03 - Incorporate various cheese types within each stack to provide both visual interest and flavor complexity.
04 - Insert red bell pepper slices, cilantro leaves, and optional jalapeño slices between layers and on top of the stacks to mimic desert vegetation and add color contrast.
05 - Sprinkle toasted pumpkin seeds around the bases of the stacks to evoke a desert floor effect.
06 - Serve immediately or cover loosely and refrigerate until ready to serve.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • Zero cooking required—just slicing, stacking, and serving within minutes.
  • Every bite offers a different flavor combination since you choose which cheeses and garnishes hit your palate.
  • The visual impact stops conversations, making it perfect for impressing without stress.
02 -
  • Let your cheeses come to room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before assembly—cold cheese tears and crumbles instead of slicing cleanly, and cold cheese tastes muted.
  • The crackers are your structure, so pick sturdy ones; delicate wafers will crumble under the weight of cheese and garnish.
03 -
  • If a tower starts to wobble, gently press it down onto the platter or add a small dab of soft cheese at the base to anchor it—this is not failure, it's problem-solving.
  • Taste a cracker before you buy a box; the difference between a good one and a forgettable one is everything when a cracker is doing most of the structural and flavor work.
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