Royal Orb Cheese Ball (Printable)

Elegant cheese ball decorated with pomegranate seeds and pistachios, perfect for festive entertaining.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cheese Mixture

01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 5 oz sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
03 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
04 - 2 tbsp sour cream
05 - 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
06 - 1 garlic clove, minced
07 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
08 - ¼ tsp salt, optional

→ Coating

09 - ½ cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
10 - 1 cup pomegranate seeds (arils)
11 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, blend cream cheese, cheddar, feta, sour cream, chives, garlic, black pepper, and salt until smooth and fully incorporated.
02 - Form the mixture into a large ball using clean hands or a spatula. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes if mixture is too soft to handle.
03 - Wrap the cheese ball tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour to firm up and meld flavors.
04 - Remove the cheese ball from the refrigerator and unwrap carefully, placing it on a serving plate.
05 - Press chopped pistachios and pomegranate seeds alternately over the surface to create a bejeweled effect. Optionally, sprinkle with chopped parsley for added color.
06 - Present immediately with crackers, crudités, or flatbread of choice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes far richer and more complex than the five minutes it takes to assemble would suggest.
  • Your guests will assume you fussed over this for hours, which gives you the best kind of secret satisfaction.
  • The combination of sharp, creamy, and tangy cheeses creates a flavor depth that keeps people reaching back for more.
02 -
  • If your cheese ball feels too soft after shaping, don't skip the pre-chill step; trying to work with warm cheese is a losing battle and you'll end up frustrated.
  • The pomegranate seeds need to be pressed on at the very last moment before serving, otherwise they'll weep their juice and stain everything pink.
03 -
  • If you want a nuttier depth, lightly toast the pistachios in a dry pan for 2 to 3 minutes before chopping; this one small step transforms the entire flavor profile.
  • For a tangier version, swap the feta for goat cheese, or if you want to mellow things out, try a soft chèvre instead.
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