Description
Ina Garten’s creamy cheese ball blends rich cream cheese with sharp cheddar and tangy herbs. Guests will devour this classic appetizer, spreading its luxurious mixture across crisp crackers during festive gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz (454 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 8 oz (227 g) bacon, chopped and divided
- 1 ¼ cups (125 g) cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
- ½ cup (50 g) Mexican blend cheese, shredded
- ½ cup (50 g) walnuts, chopped and divided
- ¼ cup (60 ml) green onions, chopped and divided
- ¼ cup (60 ml) sour cream
- 3 tbsps Ranch seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 ¼ tsp poppy seeds, divided
Instructions
- Bacon Preparation: Sauté bacon until crisp and golden, reserving some pieces for garnishing. Chop the remaining bacon into small bits.
- Cheese Mixture Composition: Combine chopped bacon, sour cream, cream cheese, Mexican cheese blend, cheddar cheese, half the green onions, half the walnuts, ranch seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper, and poppy seeds in a large mixing bowl. Blend thoroughly until ingredients are uniformly integrated, creating a smooth, cohesive mixture.
- Exterior Decoration: Finely chop remaining green onions and crush walnuts. On a flat surface, create a coating mixture by combining reserved bacon pieces, chopped green onions, crushed walnuts, and additional poppy seeds.
- Cheese Ball Formation: Expertly shape the cheese mixture into a perfect spherical form, ensuring smooth contours and consistent density. Carefully roll the cheese ball in the prepared topping mixture, guaranteeing complete and even coverage.
- Serving and Storage: For optimal flavor and texture, serve immediately or refrigerate to allow ingredients to meld and achieve a firmer consistency. When ready to serve, let the cheese ball rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes to enhance spreadability.
Notes
- Crisp Bacon Technique: Sauté bacon until golden brown and perfectly crispy, ensuring maximum flavor and ideal texture for the cheese ball’s topping.
- Cheese Blend Balance: Mix different cheeses carefully to create a rich, complex flavor profile that complements the other ingredients.
- Coating Precision: Roll the cheese ball evenly in the topping mixture, pressing gently to ensure a complete and uniform exterior coverage.
- Make-Ahead Magic: Refrigerate the cheese ball to let flavors develop and achieve a firmer texture, making it perfect for advance party preparation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 345
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 570 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg