Royal Orb Cheese Ball (Print Version)

A festive cheese ball topped with pistachios and pomegranate for a jeweled, elegant appetizer.

# Components:

→ 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 large pomegranate, seeds only (about 1 cup)
11 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)

# Method:

01 - In a large bowl, blend cream cheese, cheddar, feta, sour cream, chives, garlic, black pepper, and salt until smooth and uniform.
02 - Form the mixture into a large ball using clean hands or a spatula. If too soft, chill in refrigerator for 10–15 minutes before shaping.
03 - Wrap the ball tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour to firm and develop flavors.
04 - Unwrap the chilled ball and place it on a serving dish.
05 - Press chopped pistachios and pomegranate seeds alternately over the surface, creating a jeweled effect. Garnish with parsley if desired.
06 - Present immediately alongside crackers, crudités, or flatbread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen when it actually took twenty minutes of hands-on work.
  • The sharp cheddar and creamy feta create a savory depth that keeps people coming back for more.
  • Those pomegranate seeds and pistachios stay gorgeous for hours, turning every bite into a little celebration of texture and tartness.
02 -
  • Wet pomegranate seeds will absolutely slide off a warm cheese ball, so pat them completely dry and work quickly—or wait until the last minute to apply them if your kitchen is warm.
  • The mixture needs to be thoroughly chilled before decorating, or the coating won't stick and you'll spend twenty minutes chasing pistachios across the plate.
  • Taste the blend before it goes into the fridge, because you can't adjust seasoning once it's fully set and decorated.
03 -
  • If the cheese mixture is too soft to shape, chill it in the bowl for fifteen minutes before you start forming—it's easier than fighting a warm mixture and makes shaping almost meditative.
  • The night before serving, wrap the decorated orb loosely in plastic wrap in the fridge, so the flavors meld and the decorations set, but the seeds don't dry out or lose their shine.
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