Spruce up your holiday appetizers with a tasty Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball. not only is it easy but it’s delicious and perfect served with crackers and veggies.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The Marzetti® Brand. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.
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RANCH Cheese Ball
Who here loves cheese balls? We love them but usually make them for special occasions or holidays. In fact, they have become one of our go-to appetizers for Thanksgiving and Christmas because everyone loves them.
We like to serve these cheese balls with a variety of items, but recently made a delicious bacon ranch cheese ball made with Marzetti® Veggie Ranch Dip. You can find it in the refrigerator aisle right next to all of the produce. We used about 1/3 cup of the creamy, rich dip to mix into the cheese ball, which added so much flavor!
In addition to the ranch dip, we also added bacon and cheese, cream cheese and spices. The result was a tasty ranch cheese ball that was a hit with everyone!
Easy cheese ball recipe
The best part about this cheese ball is that it literally takes no more than 10-15 minutes to prep. You just throw the ingredients in a bowl, mix them with a hand mixer, form into a ball, roll it around in bacon bits, and let it refrigerate! It doesn’t get much easier than that!
Can I make a cheese ball a day ahead? Definitely! You could even make it a few days in advance. But wait to coat it in bacon bits until the day of, or they might get a little soggy.
How long can a cheese ball sit out? A cheese ball shouldn’t sit out at room temperature any longer than 2 hours. After that, harmful bacteria can start to form.
How long will the cheese ball last in the fridge? It will last as long as the most perishable ingredient, which in this case is probably the bacon (if you use freshly cooked bacon). If you use fresh bacon, 4-5 days is probably safe. If you use packaged bacon bits, however, you could make it last up to a week or so.
Can the cheese ball be frozen? You can freeze the cheeseball (before you coat it in the bacon bits) by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap, and putting it into a freezer bag. It will last in the freezer for up to a month. When you’re ready to use it, let it defrost in the fridge for a day or two before coating it in bacon and serving it.
Best Food to Serve with Cheese Balls
There are so many fun finger foods to serve with cheese balls, but we definitely have our favorites. Some of those include:
- Veggies – carrots and celery our top choices
- Fruit – pears and apples especially
- Mini Bagels
- Pretzels
- Crackers – of any variety
- Pita Chips
Which foods do you like best with your cheese ball?
I think this is our new favorite savory cheese ball by far. If you want to try our favorite dessert cheese ball, you’ve gotta try this sweet and tasty Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball.
For more of our favorite veggie appetizers, try:
And for more of our favorite dips, check out:
Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball Recipe
This Bacon Ranch Cheese ball is the perfect partner for your veggie tray! With cheese, bacon, and ranch flavors, you can do no wrong!
Ingredients
- 2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, cold NOT room temperature
- 1/3 c. Marzetti Ranch Dip
- 1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/3 c. chopped bacon, divided
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- 1/4 tsp. dried parsley
- 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
Instructions
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In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, ranch dip, shredded cheddar, 3 tablespoons chopped bacon, garlic powder, paprika, parsley and pepper. Using a handled mixer, mix just until combined.
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Roll mixture into a large ball, or two smaller balls. Roll in remaining bacon.
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Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
I hope you’ll love this veggie Christmas tree as much as we did – it was a hit with everyone!
Marzetti® dips are so tasty and great for any occasion!! For more information about Marzetti go HERE or find them on Facebook HERE.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Marzetti Veggie Dips. The opinions and text are all mine.
I love these dips with carrot and fennel veggie sticks!
YUM!! I agree 🙂
I love Marzetti dips! My hubby nearly lives off them, what a great way to have him try something new and exciting!
I’d love to know what he thinks! It is a great one to try 🙂
I love the dips with celery. I’m allergic to carrots, but I love the crunch.
Love carrots with dip! Thanks for stopping by!
On salads or crusty bread
Great idea!! Thank you!
I love the Marzetti Carmel dip……
Seriously, so good!
I like Marzetti ranch just straight on raw veggies.
I agree! It’s so good! Thank you!
I totally love the veggie tree idea! And Marzetti dips are awesome! We usually just eat it as it comes (dunk raw veggies in the dip) but turning it into a cheese ball sounds fun too. Definitely have to give this a try sometime.
Yes, you’ll need to try it! It was delish! Thank you!
I like the veggie dip and the poppy seed dressing, but nothing says “fall” like the yummy caramel dip with apple slices. It’s my fave, and I enjoy it even when it’s not fall!!
Oh, how I love caramel dip & apples! I could eat it all the time, too!
I love to snack so on Christmas Day we do a snack tray for lunch! It’s fun and easy and everyone is happy. Love to make this cheese ball this year 🙂
That’s a great idea!! Thanks for stopping by!
WowWee! This veggie tree and cheese ball look amazing! My daughter and I have decided to attempt it on Christmas Eve! As much as we love Marzetti veggie dips, our favorite is their yogurt dip for fruit!