Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Chill Time: 60 mins
Total: 75 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 1 ball
Cheese balls of all flavors have been party appetizer staples for decades and are still popular today. Even with the wide variety of snacks and treats served nowadays at holiday parties, showers, cocktail parties, and other gatherings, nothing can beat the simple and delicious retro cheese ball. Some even believe that no appetizer table is complete without a good, old-fashioned cheese ball.
This recipe contains crushed pineapple for a hint of tropical, fruity flavor. When added to a traditional cream cheese mix along with bell pepper and onion, it takes the flavor and appearance to the next level. Bonus: pineapple is traditionally a symbol of hospitality, making it the perfect addition to a party menu or appetizer table. In other words, a pineapple cheese ball says “welcome!” to your guests.
Pair the pineapple cheese ball with a plate of assorted crackers and a variety of crudités like carrot sticks and celery sticks. You will find it disappears fast, so you might need to make extra. It’s no problem to have more on hand because they only take a few minutes to whip up and can be prepared well in advance of the party since they keep well in the refrigerator until serving time.
Ingredients
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2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
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1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
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2 cups pecans, finely chopped, divided
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2 tablespoons green bell pepper, finely diced
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2 tablespoons onion, finely diced
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1 teaspoon seasoned salt
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Crackers, for serving
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1 cup celery sticks, for serving
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1 cup carrot sticks, for serving
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, pineapple, 1 cup of the chopped pecans, green bell pepper, onion, and seasoned salt.
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Shape the cream cheese mixture into a ball and roll in the remaining 1 cup of chopped pecans.
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Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until set (about an hour).
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Serve with crackers, carrot sticks, or celery sticks.
Tips
- Commercially-produced seasoned salt is a blend of table salt, herbs, spices, and sometimes monosodium glutamate (MSG). If you want to control the ingredients by making your own seasoned salt, combine table salt with dried thyme, marjoram, garlic powder, paprika, dry mustard, and onion powder. It can be kept in an airtight container and used whenever a recipe calls for seasoned salt.
- This recipe calls for the traditional block-style plain cream cheese. These are sold in 8-ounce blocks and when softened are perfect for recipes like cheese balls or cheesecake. Cream cheese is also sold in tubs or in whipped varieties. While tub-style and whipped cream cheese are perfect for spreading on a bagel, they are not suitable for this cheese ball recipe. They tend to have more air incorporated into the product and won’t garner the same results as block-style cream cheese.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 8 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 452 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 41g | 52% |
| Saturated Fat 14g | 68% |
| Cholesterol 57mg | 19% |
| Sodium 458mg | 20% |
| Total Carbohydrate 20g | 7% |
| Dietary Fiber 4g | 14% |
| Total Sugars 10g | |
| Protein 7g | |
| Vitamin C 8mg | 38% |
| Calcium 104mg | 8% |
| Iron 1mg | 8% |
| Potassium 344mg | 7% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
