Cheddar Chutney Cheese Ball

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It’s that time of year, when the calendar is scary full looking. I already have lots of events scheduled that I am either hosting or will be a guest at. I love it, don’t get me wrong, but it can be a little stressful. Especially the “having to bring something” part. I love to cook, but even I feel the I-don’t-have-time-to-make-anything-pinch. I have a few recipes up my sleeve that 1) Everyone loves 2) Can be made ahead of time and 3) Use ingredients that I probably already have in my pantry or fridge. Cheese balls is one of them.

What is a Cheese Ball //

A cheese ball is made by mixing cheese, butter, and other ingredients (like herbs, spices, chopped nuts…), shaping the mixture into a ball or log shape and then rolling it into chopped herbs or nuts. I like serving cheese balls as an appetizer with crackers, bread, or vegetables. A cheese ball can come off as a little retro, but there is a reason why it has stood the test of time. It is delicious, easy, can be made in advance, only uses pantry staples.

There are a million ways to make a cheese ball. Really, anything you want can go into one. But I happen to really like this combination. I love curry anything, and mango chutney is something that I always have in my pantry. I use it for a lot of things, over cheese, on chicken, in salad dressing. It is a good thing to have in your arsenal. The other nice thing is that you can make this 3-4 days ahead of time. Always a plus in my book.

Why You Will Love This Cheese Ball //

A cheese ball can come off as a little retro, but there is a reason why they have stood the test of time:

• Delicious, incredibly easy to make, can make ahead of time.
• It uses pantry staples.
• Sometimes, I don’t even bother to make it into a ball shape. I just put it in a ramekin and garnish the top to make it look prettier.
• Can be served hot or cold. Bake it in a 350° oven until it is hot and bubbly, maybe 20 minutes?

Ingredients //

• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 2/3 cup mango chutney
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 (7.5-ounce) package shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup pecans, finely chopped

How to Make // The Steps

Step 1: Add the cream cheese, chutney, green onions, curry powder, salt and pepper to the bowl of an electric mixer.

Step 2: Beat until everything is combined, scraping the bowl a few times to make sure everything is incorporated.

Step 3: Fold in the cheddar cheese.

Step 4: Taste the mixture on a cracker. Add more salt and pepper as needed. I added a little more curry powder, because I really like a strong curry flavor.

Step 5: Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap. Add the cheese to center of the plastic wrap. Pull up the sides.

Step 6: Wrap in a round shape.

Step 7: Or if you want to skip the “cheese ball”, you can just add it to a ramekin. Chill for at least an hour, or a few days.

Step 8: Roll the cheese ball in chopped pecans and serve with crackers. (I made this gluten-free by using Crunchmaster crackers, I always buy some GF crackers just in case I have gluten free guests, these are really good and even the non-GF eaters like them.)

You can garnish the top of the ramekin with some more chutney, chopped pecans, and green onions. You could even bake this and serve it warm.

What Do You Eat a Cheese Ball With?

I like to serve my cheese balls with crackers, bread, vegetables, or even fruits. Don’t forger that cheese balls can be used as a spread on sandwiches or as a topping for salads. I think the best thing to serve with a cheese ball really depends on the flavor of the cheese ball itself. For example, I find fruits great with very strong cheeses. On the other hand, crackers will be better with milder tasting cheeses.

How Do You Make a Cheese Ball Firmer?

This is how you can make your cheese ball firmer:

• Chill it in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving it.
• You can also add more cream cheese to the mixture. Cream cheese is a firmer cheese that will help hold the cheese ball together.
• Add more chopped nuts or dried fruits. It will add texture and body and help it hold its shape.

How to Store Cheese Balls

You can store your cheese ball in the fridge until ready to serve. If your cheese ball contains cheese, eat it within 7 days. If it is made with another type of cheese, you can store it for up to two weeks. Make sure to store your cheese ball in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. I always make sure to label the container with the date it was made to keep track of how long it has been in the fridge.