Healthy Cheese Ball Recipe
Enjoy a Healthy Cheese Ball recipe this holiday season by combining three kinds of cheese with a secret healthy ingredient (white beans!). This holiday crowd pleaser has classic flavor, texture, and look but is higher in protein, lower in fat and more nutritious!
Servings: 24 servings
Calories: 70kcal
Ingredients
- 15 oz can low sodium white navy, cannellini beans or chickpeas rinsed & drained
- 1 round Boursin cheese garlic and fine herbs
- 1/3 cup cream cheese regular or low fat
- 1 tsp hot pepper sauce
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
- 2 green onion sprigs finely chopped
- 2/3 cup pecans
- 1 tbsp Everything bagel seasoning
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add beans, Boursin cheese, cream cheese, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
- Add cheddar cheese and green onion; stir, form into a ball with spatula inside the bowl, and refrigerate for 2 hours to allow cheese mixture to firm up.
- Preheat medium skillet on medium heat, add pecans and toast until golden brown or fragrant, stirring often and watching closely not to burn.
- Transfer on a cutting board, chop finely, add to a wide plate and mix with Everything bagel seasoning.
- Using your hands, shape chilled cheese mixture into a ball and roll in chopped nuts.
- Serve with crackers, pretzels, vegetables or anything else you'd love to dip in cheese!
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate covered (in airtight container) for up to 1 week.
- Freeze: Wrap in plastic wrap (without nuts) and place in a freezer safe Ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and add nuts once completely thawed.
- Serving tip: Serve the cheese ball with a spreading knife. If you dip your cracker straight into the ball, chances are it will break.
- Hot sauce: Hot sauce addition is for flavor, it doesn't make cheese ball spicy.
- Alternative shredded cheese: Monterey Jack, Havarti, other cheddar, Fontina, gouda, etc., would work.
- To make mini cheese balls: I like to use an ice cream scoop to scoop out the portioned pieces onto a baking tray before chilling. That way, they're easier to roll quickly by hand afterward. Otherwise, the recipe and method remain the same.
- Use high quality ingredients: There aren't many ingredients used in this garlic cheese ball recipe, so every ingredient counts. Use high quality cream cheese, freshly grated block cheese, etc.
Nutrition
Serving: 2Tblsp | Calories: 70kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g