Easy Appetizer for Any Occasion

Looking for an easy cheese ball recipe? Here’s one that you can use as-is or add other ingredients according to your taste! This basic recipe is one you’ll want to make often.

Any time I need a cheese ball recipe, this is the one I start with. Sometimes I add other seasonings, like garlic or onion powder. I’ve even added this steak seasoning, and it turned out great! It’s also good rolled in crushed roasted pecans.

We love cheese around our house. In fact, it’s a toss-up between cheese balls and these yummy cheese crisps. 

Homemade Cheese Ball Ingredients

You only need a few ingredients for the basic cheese ball recipe. Here is what you’ll need:

• Cream cheese
• Grated cheese (cheddar cheese, mozzarella, or Colby)
• Garlic (jarred garlic or fresh minced garlic – optional)
• Parsley (optional)
• Chopped pecans to top the cheese ball (optional)

Although garlic may not seem like an essential ingredient, I’ve found that it adds an important element of flavor the the cheese ball. But it’s actually up to you whether or not to add it. I say do it!

Cheese Ball Add-Ons

If you want to add more to your cheese ball, here are some things you can try besides the ones I already mentioned:

• Chopped walnuts
• Chopped green onions
• Ranch dressing mix
• Italian seasoning
• Taco seasoning
• Chili powder
• Curry powder
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Sour cream (in place of some of the cream cheese)
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• Bacon bits

I highly recommend starting with only one or two of the above add-ons before you add more. If you put too many different seasonings in the mix, it can overwhelm the taste buds.

You can add any of the above ingredients to the cheese mixture to give it flavor throughout. But be sure to set aside some of the chopped nuts, bacon bits, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and other items to roll the cheese ball in after you chill it.

Easy Directions

First, soften the cream cheese and put it in a bowl. Next, shred the cheese. I’ve found that cheddar cheese is much easier to shred than mozzarella, and we prefer sharp cheddar cheese. 

You can use mozzarella instead, or you can mix the two different types of cheese if you prefer. Pour the shredded cheddar cheese, garlic, and parsley into the bowl with the sour cream. Stir until it is well mixed.

Carefully form the cheese mixture into a ball and cover in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Put the cheeseball in the refrigerator and chill for at least an hour so it can firm up.

After the cheese ball is firm, roll it in nuts, chopped dried fruit, bacon bits, or parsley. During the holidays, you can choose colorful cranberries and either chopped chives or parsley.

After you put the basic ingredients in the bowl, you can add a variety of other ingredients to suit your personal taste. In fact, this one basic recipe can turn into dozens of recipes that provide plenty of variety so that you’ll never get tired of them.

Mini Version

If you want to get super fancy, make a bunch of mini cheese balls. I like to make them slightly bigger than a shooter marble or slightly smaller than a golf ball.

You can put them on a plate with some tongs for guests to pick them up. Or you can put a toothpick or wooden popsicle-style stick in each one.

How to Serve a Cheese Ball

I like to provide some color if the cheeseball is monochromatic. Place it on a bed of lettuce or spinach leaves. Spread out a variety of crackers, tortilla chips, or small breads on the plate.

Oftentimes, I include some crisp, fresh vegetables for those who don’t want crackers. Make sure you provide some cheese spreaders to make it easy for guests to get what they want.

Please feel free to share!