Your Guests Will Love This Modern Take on the Classic Cheese Ball
Editor’s note: Looking for a last minute appetizer or party fare your guests will love? Update that classic holiday appetizer, the cheese ball, for contemporary palates. Retro no more! The cheese ball is BACK.
Consider the cheese ball. A creamy mix of cream cheese and grated cheddar, spiked with something sharp to cut through the richness of the cheese and coated in chopped nuts. Your mother used to serve it at cocktail parties, or your next-door neighbor gave out at the holidays. (Actually, in my case, it was our across-the-street neighbor.) Tasty, certainly, but perhaps a bit old-fashioned.
Indeed, the cheese ball seems to have fallen out of favor with party hosts along with stuffed mushrooms and fondue. In a world of cocktail parties populated by elaborate charcuterie boards, lamb lollipops and tuna tartare wontons, is there any place today for the humble cheese ball?
The answer is a resounding yes. The cheese ball is a classic appetizer for a reason and has much to recommend it. First, a cheese ball feeds a lot of people at a reasonable price. You can’t say that about lamb lollipops! Second, you can - and indeed you must - prepare it in advance, which is always a plus when entertaining. Lastly, a cheese ball is easily transportable, meaning that you can give it as an edible gift - as my childhood neighbor did - or bring it to a potluck.
In short, the cheese ball deserves to come out of retirement. But there is no need to make the same old cheddar-pecan or bacon ranch cheese ball you remember from your childhood. (Unless you want to, of course, in which case, you have my blessing.) By updating the cheeses and seasonings used and expanding the exterior coating beyond chopped pecans, we can create a cheese ball that reflects how we cook and eat today - with global flavors and surprisingly contemporary combinations.
What is a Cheese Ball?
But first, let’s review what a cheese ball is - as it may have been a while since you last encountered one. A cheese ball, at its most basic, is a mix of a creamy, spreadable cheese product, like cream cheese, and a firm, grated cheese. This mixture can be seasoned with condiments, aromatics or fresh herbs and may have some solid ingredients folded into it as well. Lastly, the ball usually has an exterior coating of something crunchy, such as the aforementioned chopped pecans.
Even within these parameters, however, the cheese ball can be quite the chameleon - capable of going in countless different directions - by altering the combination of cheeses, seasonings and coatings. But there are a few, important guidelines to follow no matter how you plan to flavor your cheese ball.
Cheese Ball Tips
1. Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. Cold cheese right out of the refrigerator will not mix well with the other ingredients. An hour on the counter should be sufficient to bring the cheeses to room temperature.
2. Plan ahead. Once the cheese ball mixture is made, it needs at least 8 hours - and preferably overnight - to become firm. So, make the cheese ball at least one day before you plan to serve or give it. But you can also make it several days in advance if that is more convenient. (That being said, a cheese ball is made up of perishable ingredients, so do not plan to store it for more than a week.)
3. Do not apply the exterior coating until just prior to serving. The coating is designed to be crunchy - a contrast to all that smooth, creamy cheese. If you apply it too far in advance and let the coating sit in the refrigerator, it can become soft and lose its all-important crunch.
The Cheeses
To update the cheese ball for the 2020s, the key is to draw on their enormous variety of artisan cheeses and global ingredients that earlier generations of cooks did not have access to. Cream cheese is the traditional base for a cheese ball, but today, we can experiment with other, spreadable cheeses such as fresh goat cheese, quark, or mascarpone.
As for the second cheese, any firm cheese that grates well will work. Cheddar is the classic choice, but you can also use Gruyère, Fontina, Colby, Swiss, Havarti, or Monterey Jack. Most cheese balls require a splash of liquid, such as citrus juice, wine, or spirits, to thin out the mixture. Try a liquid that is in keeping with the flavor profile of your other ingredients. So, for example, you could create a Mexican-inspired cheese ball with a spicy Pepper Jack cheese, a splash of lime juice, and a dash of hot sauce. Or opt for an elegant French-themed cheese ball with goat cheese, Gruyère, Cognac, and herbes de Provence.
Season It
Other seasoning ideas include Dijon mustard, finely minced aromatics - like shallots or garlic - fresh herbs, and ground spices, such as cumin, paprika or coriander. You can also add extra interest and texture to your cheese ball by mixing in some finely minced solids, from dried fruit to cured meats to smoked fish. Again, try to stick to a theme, or a flavor profile, which will ensure that your flavors and ingredients will work well together.
Coat It
The final variable is the exterior coating. Chopped nuts are the cheese ball go-to. Nuts pair beautifully with cheese and provide much-needed texture, so they make sense as a finishing touch, but you can certainly think beyond pecans. Walnuts, pistachios, and other firm nuts all work well. Other coating ideas include spice mixes, like za’atar, crushed chips or pretzels, puffed rice or quinoa, and chopped dried fruit.
In my quest to modernize the cheese ball, I have developed two recipes inspired by my love for Jewish cuisine. The first draws on Mediterranean flavors - replacing the cream cheese with goat cheese, mixing in some fresh and dried fruit, and substituting chopped pistachios for the classic pecans. The second is an homage to everyone’s favorite Sunday breakfast, bagels, and lox, with a coating of trendy Everything Bagel spice. But these are just two ideas to get you started. The possibilities are endless.
So this holiday season, won’t you join me in rescuing the cheese ball from appetizer obscurity?
Two Modern Cheese Balls
Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer
Bagels and Lox Cheese Ball
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
8 oz. Colby or Edam, grated
Zest and juice of half a lemon
1 clove garlic
2 oz. smoked salmon, minced
2 TB fresh dill, minced
2 TB chives, minced
1/2 tsp, white pepper
Coating: 1/4 cup everything bagel spice
Mediterranean Cheese Ball
8 oz. plain goat cheese, at room temperature
8 oz. fontina, grated
2 TB white wine
3 TB honey
1/4 cup dried apricots, diced
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
Coating: 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, finely chopped
For serving: crackers, pita chips, bagel chips, crostini, and sturdy raw vegetable crudités, such as cucumber, carrots, celery, and bell pepper.
1. Make the cheese ball at least one day before you plan to serve it. Place the cream cheese or goat cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (If you do not have a food processor, you can use a large mixing bowl and a handheld electric mixer.)
2. Add the grated cheese and process, or mix, for another minute until the mixture is well combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. Add any liquid, such as citrus juice or wine, honey, and garlic (if using), and process until completely smooth and the mixture is thick and fluffy, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
4. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and fold in any additions, such as herbs, dried fruit, or smoked salmon, and spices. The mixture will be soft, but it should be thick enough to mold into a ball. (If your mixture is runny, fold in room temperature butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, and process until thick enough.)
5. Place a large piece of plastic wrap on your work surface. Mound the cheese ball mixture in the center of the plastic wrap and cover. Using your hands, gently mold the mixture into the shape of a ball. (It does not need to be perfectly round at this point.) Cover the ball with foil and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and preferably overnight. (May be done up to 6 days in advance.)
6. Prior to serving, place the coating on a plate. Remove the cheese ball from the refrigerator and unwrap it. Using your hands, smooth the cheese ball, which should be quite firm at this point, into a round ball. Roll it in the coating mixture, gently pressing the coating onto the outside of the ball, until completely covered.
7. Arrange the ball on a platter with a knife for spreading and plenty of crackers, chips, and crudités and serve.