This cheese ball recipe is so good, you won’t be able to stop eating it! It’s perfect for parties, potlucks, or just a night in with your family. The best part is that it’s easy to make, and only needs a few ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.
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We love appetizers, there’s something so satisfying about grazing your way through the appetizer table, and there’s nothing like a good cheese ball, retro yes, but still completely up to date in flavor!
Why you’ll love this easy appetizer
- The perfect Christmas or New Year’s Eve party appetizer, a cheese ball is a real crowd pleaser.
- Not just for the colder months, a cheese ball is perfect for outdoor entertaining.
- Make it ahead and spend more time with your guests.
- It’s such an easy recipe and only takes 10 minutes to prepare.
- All the ingredients are 100% vegetarian.
Ingredients you’ll need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
‘Just one last mouthful’, that’s what people always promise themselves, but they always go back for more, again and again!
How to make a classic cheese ball with step by step instructions
Making cheese balls is easy if you follow our simple instructions.
A full printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.
Place your finely chopped pecans and walnuts on a plate and set them aside.
Put your softened cream cheese in a large bowl and mix it until it’s smooth.
Add sharp cheddar cheese, vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, fresh green onions, hot sauce, garlic powder, dried parsley, dried oregano, and black pepper, and mix thoroughly to combine.
Using a rubber spatula, scrape the cheese ball mixture into the center of your bowl, ensuring all the sides are scraped.
Then, with slightly greased hands, so the cheese mixture doesn’t stick, shape the cheese into a large ball.
Now, either gently roll the cheese ball in the chopped nuts or hold the ball in one hand and carefully coat the ball with nuts.
Once the cheese ball is evenly coated, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour before you want to serve it.
If you don’t give it time to chill, it’ll become too soft and mushy, you can leave it in the fridge overnight if preferred.
Once the cheese ball has firmed up, remove it from the fridge 15 – 20 minutes before you want to serve it so that it softens slightly.
Serve the cheese ball with crackers, bruschetta, crostini, apple slices, vegetables, or your favorite food to eat cheese with.
Enjoy your delicious appetizer!
We hope you enjoy making and eating our classic cheese ball recipe and would love to hear how you got on with making it.
Please leave a comment below and feel free to ask any questions you may have.
Recipe notes and expert tips
- No green onions?
Use fresh chives or onion powder instead.
- Cheese
To shape the cheese ball your cream cheese needs to soften, leave it out of the fridge for 30 minutes. Freshly shredded cheddar cheese has a better flavor than store bought pre shredded cheese and only takes a couple of minutes to shred.
- Add extra creamy taste
Mix sour cream into the cream cheese, just give the cheese ball a little extra time to firm up.
- Give it time
Homemade cheese balls need at least an hour to firm up, it’s even better if you make them the night before.
- Storage tips
This cheese ball recipe will keep for up to one week when stored in the fridge in an airtight container or in wrapped in plastic wrap.
What to serve with a cheese ball
For this cheese ball recipe, we love to serve it with Ritz crackers, bruschetta, and pita chips, or for a more refreshing taste, slather it over a slice of freshly cut apple.
It takes pride of place on a cheese ball platter and looks great with freshly cut vegetables and crackers surrounding it.
If you want to serve it as finger food at a holiday party, then make sure you have a butter knife to hand for people to spread the cheese.
Add different flavors
Add vegetarian bacon bits for an umami taste and extra flavor.
If you like spicy food Then add some red pepper flakes.
Can you make a cheese ball the night before?
Yes, you can, we actually recommend this in order for the cheese ball to firm up and it stops it from becoming too soft.
How long does a homemade cheese ball last?
Any leftover cheese ball will last for up to a week if stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap, in the fridge.
More easy recipes for you to try at home
If you like cheese ball recipe, then why not try these?
- Caprese skewers – a little taste of Italy on a skewer!
- Baked Brie – a cheese lovers dream come true!
- Air fryer zucchini fries – the perfect healthy snacking food!
- Pesto aioli – refreshingly cheesy and perfect on bruschetta!
- Tzatziki – perfect party dip!
Cheese ball recipe: Party appetizer
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Pecans roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup Walnuts roughly chopped
- 16 oz Cream cheese softened
- 2 cup Sharp Cheddar cheese freshly grated
- 1 tsp Vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Green onion chopped
- 1 tsp Hot pepper sauce
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Dried parsley
- ½ tsp Dried oregano
- ¼ tsp Black pepper ground
Instructions
- Place your pecans and walnuts on a plate and set aside⅓ cup Pecans, ⅓ cup Walnuts
- Place your cream cheese in a medium bowl and mix it until it's smooth. Add cheese, vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, green onion, hot sauce, garlic powder, dried parsley, dried oregano, and black pepper and mix thoroughly to combine16 oz Cream cheese, 2 cup Sharp Cheddar cheese, 1 tsp Vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, 2 Green onion, 1 tsp Hot pepper sauce, ½ tsp Garlic powder, 1 tsp Dried parsley, ½ tsp Dried oregano, ¼ tsp Black pepper
- Using a rubber spatula, scrape the mixture into the center of the bowl, ensuring all the sides are scraped. Then, with greased hands, shape the cheese mixture into a large ball
- Now, holding the cheese ball in one hand, scoop the nuts with the other hand, and press them gently into the cheese, ensuring an even coating of the ball
- Once the cheese is coated, then wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for approximately an hour in order for it to firm up. Remove it from the fridge 15 – 20 minutes before serving so that it softens slightly. Serve with crackers, bruschetta, vegetables, or your favorite foods to dip in cheese. Enjoy your delicious cheese ball!
Notes
Use fresh chives or onion powder instead
Cheese
To shape the cheese ball your cream cheese needs to soften, leave it out of the fridge for 30 minutes. Freshly shredded cheddar cheese has a better flavor than store bought pre shredded cheese and only takes a couple of minutes to shred
Add extra creamy taste
Mix sour cream into the cream cheese, just give the cheese ball a little extra time to firm up
Give it time
Homemade cheese balls need at least an hour to firm up, it’s even better if you make them the night before
Storage
This cheese ball recipe will keep for up to one week when stored in the fridge in an airtight container or in wrapped in plastic wrap
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.
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