Easy Cheese Ball Recipe … with Pickles!
This extremely easy cheese ball appetizer recipe is just the thing for your next party! It’s cheesy, creamy, and loaded with dill galore! Dill four ways, actually. There are bits of dill pickles, fresh dill, dill pickle relish, and dill pickle ranch seasoning. There’s prominent dill flavor to this dip as you can imagine. And it’s so creamy thanks to both cream cheese and a bit of sour cream. Plus it’s cheesy thanks to both shredded cheddar cheese and Colby Jack cheese which makes this a crowd favorite cheesy appetizer recipe! It’s great when you need to throw together something quickly, too! I find that dill pickles and dill pickle-inspired foods have a cult-like following, especially recently. Have you seen all the dill pickle-flavored popcorn, chips, and seasonings in Trader Joe’s and regular grocery stores? If you’re one of those dill pickle freaks, you’re going to love this dill pickle cheese ball!
Ingredients for a Dill Pickle Cheese Ball
To make this incredibly easy cheese ball appetizer, you’ll need the following common fridge and pantry items including the following: Dill Pickle Pasta Salad – Calling all pickle fans, you’re going to love this creamy pasta salad with crunchy dill pickles in every bite! Along with cubes of cheese and crumbled bacon, this pasta salad will be the star of your next picnic, potluck, barbecue, or summer holiday!
Cream cheese – Make sure you use full fat, brick style cream cheese and nothing labeled as lite, fat free, or spreadable. It needs to be softened to room temp. Sour cream Shredded cheddar cheese Chopped dill pickles Dill pickle relish Fresh dill Dill ranch seasoning mix (or regular ranch seasoning mix) Worcestershire sauce Shredded Colby Jack cheese
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make a Cheese Ball with Dill Pickles
When I say it doesn’t get any easier than this recipe, it truly doesn’t! All you need to do is the following: Also did you know that ‘dill’ and ‘dill weed’ come from different parts of the same plant. Dill weed is made up of more of the leaves and stems of the plant. For this recipe, use ‘dill’ which is the baby fine ‘fruit’ part of the dill plant. Step 1: In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese and sour cream. You can use a mixer or do it by hand. Step 2: Stir in nearly all the remaining ingredients. Step 3. Place a piece of plastic wrap on your counter, turn out the cheese mixture into the middle, and pull and twist it to form a ball. Have patience because it’s a soft and moist “batter”! Step 4: Chill it for at least 1 hour. Step 5: After chilling, roll the cheese ball through a mixture of additional freshly chopped dill and the Colby cheese before serving!
What to Serve with a Cheese Ball
I like to serve this dill pickle cheese ball for holiday parties such as before Thanksgiving and Christmas, for summer events like barbecues, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Fourth of July or Labor Day. From picnics to potlucks, there’s no wrong time for a cheese ball! I like to serve this cheese ball with crackers, pita chips, Ritz Crackers, or toasted bread along with other party favorites and sides including the following:
Ham and Cheese Sliders – Baked juicy ham and Swiss nestled in soft Hawaiian rolls and brushed with a buttery Dijon, onion, and poppy seed topping!! Fast, EASY, and a party FAVORITE! Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs — EASY homemade chicken meatballs that simmer in buffalo wing sauce, seasonings, and spices in your slow cooker! Juicy and full of all the flavor of traditional buffalo chicken wings, minus the messy factor! BLT Pasta Salad — EASY, ready in 15 minutes, feeds a crowd, and PERFECT for potlucks and parties. Creamy ranch dressing perfectly coats the pasta and BACON. Guaranteed family FAVORITE!
Baked Honey Lemon Pepper Wings — It doesn’t get any better than chicken wings with crispy skin and juicy fall-off-the-bone meat! The baked chicken wings are tossed in a delectable, buttery, lemon pepper sauce that clings to the wings perfectly! Cheesy Pigs in a Blanket — If you’ve never tried pigs in a blanket with cheese before, make this recipe! Sliced cheddar cheese and flaked salt takes this classic game day recipe and turns up the flavor! A FAST and EASY appetizer for holiday parties, get-togethers, or events! Grilled Mexican Corn (Elote) — Learn how to make this EASY and FLAVORFUL grilled Mexican street corn at home in minutes!! Fresh sweet corn is covered in crema, cheese, and finished with chili, lime juice, and cilantro!!
How to Store a Cheese Ball
You can feel comfortable storing any leftover dill pickle cheese ball in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make sure you wrap it well in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container.
Can the Cheese Ball Be Frozen?
Some people freeze cheese or cream cheese, but this isn’t something I do, and frankly can’t recommend freezing any leftovers of this cheese ball recipe with pickles. I think the texture would change dramatically, and not in a good way!
More Cheesy Appetizers:
Easy Jalapeño Cheese Ball — Just spicy enough that the more you have, the more you want!! A fast, easy, and foolproof hit!! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Easy Pizza Dip — Cheese lovers and pizza fans will love this fast and easy dip recipe!! It’s the perfect party food that’s a guaranteed hit! The BEST Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip — This baked spinach artichoke dip is rich, creamy, and it’s a crowd FAVORITE sure to disappear at parties!! It’s so cheesy thanks to both mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses! It’s just THE BEST!! Creamy Baked Double Cheese and Onion Dip (gluten-free) – One of my favorite dips of all time! Stir it together in one bowl in minutes and bake for cheesy, perfect comfort food! Loaded Baked BLT Dip — This cheesy BLT dip is loaded with two types of cheese, bacon, fresh tomatoes, and more! It’s perfect for holiday parties and tailgating and is SO easy to make! Hot Cheesy Corn Dip – Two kinds of cheese, corn and green chiles make for an irresistible dip! Easy comfort food that’ll be devoured! Baked Spinach, Artichoke, and Mozzarella Dip (GF) – The classic dip, topped with cheese! Baked Triple Cheese and Salsa Tortilla Chip Dip – Loaded with 3 kinds of cheese & baked to browned, bubbly, golden perfection. Christmas Cheese Ball Wreath — A delectable cheese ball mixture rolled in festive and colorful toppings and arranged into a wreath! A show-stopping presentation of wonderful cheese bites for your holiday parties and entertaining tables! EASY to make and can be made IN ADVANCE! No one can resist the allure of cheese!
