The Royal Orb Cheese Ball (Printable)

Festive cheese ball shaped like a regal orb with pomegranate seeds and chopped pistachios, perfect for celebrations.

# 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 tablespoons sour cream
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
06 - 1 garlic clove, minced
07 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - ¼ teaspoon salt, optional

→ Coating

09 - ½ cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
10 - 1 large pomegranate, seeds only (approx. 1 cup)
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly blend cream cheese, cheddar, feta, sour cream, chives, garlic, black pepper, and salt until smooth and uniform.
02 - Shape the mixture into a large ball using clean hands or a spatula; refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes if too soft to handle.
03 - Wrap the cheese ball tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow it to firm up and flavors to meld.
04 - Remove the cheese ball from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and position on a serving platter.
05 - Press chopped pistachios and pomegranate seeds evenly over the surface, alternating for a jeweled effect; optionally sprinkle with chopped parsley.
06 - Present immediately with crackers, crudités, or flatbread for elegant entertaining.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks so impressive people assume you spent hours in the kitchen when really you spent twenty minutes mixing.
  • The flavors actually improve as it sits, so you can make it the night before and let it get better while you're busy with everything else.
  • One bite delivers creamy, tangy, sharp, and nutty all at once—no boring cheese ball energy here.
02 -
  • If you skip the chilling step, your cheese ball will be soft and slouchy instead of holding that beautiful orb shape; one hour is truly the minimum.
  • The pistachios and pomegranate seeds need to be pressed on gently but firmly right before serving, or they'll slide off into whatever you were eating; this is not a make-ahead decoration.
03 -
  • Toast your pistachios lightly in a dry skillet for two minutes before chopping if you want an extra layer of warmth and depth.
  • Pomegranate seeds can be prepped a day ahead and stored in the fridge in a small container, which saves you time on party day.
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