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This Easy Cheese Ball is a crowd-pleasing appetizer recipe to share with friends and family during the holiday season. Super easy to make and takes just about 15 minutes to put together. A perfect alternative to cheese boards.
A perfect no-fuss appetizer for every occasion, cheese balls make a great addition to your appetizer selection and they are guaranteed to be a crowd favorite. This Easy Cheese ball recipe is packed with flavor, made with cream cheese, mascarpone, white cheddar cheese, sliced toasted almonds, and then coated with chopped olives. They take just about 15 minutes to put together and require about an hour in the fridge to set.
If you are planning for a party why not try some of my other delicious party foods, like these addictive Buffalo Chicken Meatballs or these delicious Zucchini Pizza Bites.
Why this Easy Cheese Ball is so good
- Easy! Just 15 mins to prep.
- Perfect for Parties. It looks great and is a real crowd-pleaser, a great alternative to a cheeseboard.
- Delicious. A cheese lover’s dream! Cream cheese mixed with mascarpone and cheddar, coated in toasted almonds and salty chopped olives.
Ingredients
- Cheese: Cream cheese, mascarpone, and cheddar – all softened
- Green Olives: Chopped
- Almonds: Sliced. Toasted gives a touch of bitterness, works great!
- Garlic: Freshly minced gives the strongest flavor.
- Herbs: Oregano and Parsley, freshly chopped.
- Salt & Pepper: Adjust to taste.
- Crackers: Your favorite brands for serving.
How to make this Easy Cheese Ball
- Mix: In a bowl, mix the cheese, sliced almonds, garlic, and herbs. Then season with salt and pepper.
- Refrigerate: Shape the cheese mix with a spatula into a ball, cover in plastic wrap, and place in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Make the Olive Coating: In a food processor pulse, the pitted olives until they are small chunks. Then remove the Cheese Ball from the fridge and roll in the olive pieces.
How to store this Easy Cheese Ball
You can refrigerate your cream cheese ball, covered in a plastic wrap for up to 3-4 days. Prior to serving just roll in the chopped olives and serve. If you have leftovers, you may place it in a container before storing it in the fridge.
What to serve with a cheese ball
They can be served with a variety of crackers, which is what people serve it with mostly. But there are other options:
- bread, like mini naan
- veggies
- pretzel
- toasted mini bagels
- chips
- pita triangles
Other toppings
There are so many creative coatings! Options seem to be endless these days, but here are a few ideas:
- Dried cranberries and pecans
- A Variety of herbs
- Seeds like sesame seeds and poppy
- Bacon and jalapeno
- Chocolate chips
Can you freeze a cheese ball
To freeze a cheese ball, tightly wrap it with a plastic wrap without any of the outer coatings (whatever you plan to coat it with), then place it in a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to one month. When ready, place in the fridge the night before.
How long is it good for
Cheese ball lasts 3-4 days when stored properly in the fridge and up to one month in the freezer.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- To make this nut-free, omit the sliced almonds.
- Wrap the cheese ball well, so it retains its shape.
- Only add the crunchy coating just before serving. While the cheese ball itself keeps well for up to a week in the refrigerator, the crunchy coating it’s rolled in doesn’t — it can get soft and mushy in a matter of hours.
- When you’ve taken the cheese ball out of the refrigerator and rolled it in its coating, let it sit out at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Check out these other holiday-inspired recipes:
- Whole Roasted Cauliflower
- Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
- Garlic Butter Hasselback Potatoes
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
- Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Healthy Green Beans Casserole
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Easy Olive Coasted Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 8 oz Block Cream Cheese, softened, 1 block
- 4 oz Mascarpone Cheese, softened
- 6 oz Freshly grated sharp white cheddar cheese
- ½ Cup Sliced toasted almonds
- 1 Cup Pitted Green Olives
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 3 Sprigs Oregano Leaves, picked and chopped
- 2-3 Tbsp Freshly Chopped Parsley
- ¼ Tsp Pepper
- ¼ Tsp Salt
- Crackers for serving
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, cheddar cheese, sliced almonds, garlic, and herbs; Use a hand mixer to fully incorporate the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Using a silicone spatula, bring all the cheese mixture together and tightly wrap it into a plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, place the pitted olives in a food processor and pulse a few times, until olives are small chopped.
- Unwrap the cheese ball and roll it through the chopped olives. Pat the sides and top well, to ensure a full coating.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Place the cheese ball on a serving platter and serve with crackers.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious! Amazing with vegetables and pita. Zataar and olive oil too.