Vivian Howard's Party Magnet: The Ultimate Cheese Ball
Vivian Howard's Cheese Ball is the perfect way to effortlessly elevate your hosting game!
Servings: 8
Ingredients
For the Salt-and-Butter Pecans
- 1 cup pecan pieces
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt plus more for finishing
For the Cheese Ball
- ¼ cup (2 ounces) high-quality blue cheese at room temperature
- 5 tablespoons (2 ½ ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¼ cup (2 ounces) fresh goat cheese at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) cream cheese at room temperature
- ¼ cup chopped dates see note
- 1-2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions both white and green parts
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce optional
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅔ cup Salt-and-Butter-Roasted Pecans
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
For the Salt-and-Butter Pecans
- Melt butter in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add pecans and salt. Coat in the butter and toast for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle with a pinch more salt, and let the pecans cool before using, or store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
For the Cheese Ball
- In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer, beat the blue cheese, goat cheese, cream cheese, dates, scallions, hot sauce, and salt until smooth and combined.
- Lay out two long sheets of plastic wrap perpendicular to one another. Transfer the cheese mixture to the middle and wrap it tightly, shaping it into a rough ball. Refrigerate until firm, for at least 3 hours. (The cheese ball can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
- Once the cheese ball is firm, reshape as necessary to form a smooth ball. On a sheet of parchment paper, scatter ⅔ cup pecan pieces and parsley. Unwrap the cheese and roll in the mixture to coat the ball. Transfer the remaining pecan pieces to a plate or platter and place the cheese ball on top. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Serve with crackers or crostini. Enjoy!
Notes
- Do not use pre-chopped dates from a bag, as they are coated in sugar. Use whole, pitted Medjool dates; you'll need about 5 to 6 dates to equal ⅓ cup chopped.
- Make-Ahead: The cheese ball can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated.
Nutrition
Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 266mg | Potassium: 125mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 621IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg
