Bacon Ranch Cheese Balls Recipe (+ Video)
Bacon Ranch Cheese Balls Recipe (+ Video)
This is a sponsored conversation I wrote on behalf of the Marzetti® brand. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.
Top your holiday appetizers with delicious bacon ranch cheese balls. Not only is it easy, it’s delicious and goes perfectly with crackers and veggies.
Cheese balls are perfect for parties and can be made in minutes! They’re one of our top picks, along with Veggie Cups and Tortilla Roll Ups, because they’re easy and delicious.
Who loves cheese balls here?
We love them but usually make them for special occasions or holidays. In fact, they’ve become one of our go-to appetizers for Thanksgiving and Christmas because everyone loves them.
We love serving these cheese balls with a variety of foods, but recently made a delicious Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball with Marzetti® Veggie Ranch Dip. You can find it in the refrigerator aisle next to all products. We used about ⅓ cup of the creamy, rich dip mixed into the cheese balls and added a lot of flavor!
In addition to the ranch dip, we added bacon and cheese, cream cheese and spices. The result is a delicious ranch cheese ball that everyone loves!
10 minutes to prepare
The best part about this cheese ball is that it takes no more than 10-15 minutes to prepare. You just put the ingredients in a bowl, blend them with a hand mixer, form a ball, roll it into bacon cubes, and refrigerate! It doesn’t get any easier than this!
Can I make it a day earlier? really! You can even do it days in advance. But wait until that day to wrap the bacon bits, or they might get a little soggy.
How long does a cheese ball last? Cheese balls should not sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours. After that, harmful bacteria start to form.
How long do cheese balls last in the refrigerator? It will last as long as the most perishable ingredient, in this case probably bacon (if you use freshly cooked bacon). If you use fresh bacon, 4-5 days is probably safe. However, if you use packaged bacon bits, you can make it last for a week or so.
Can it be frozen? You can freeze the cheese ball (before you spread it on the bacon cubes), wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and put it in a freezer bag. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month. When you’re ready to use it, let it thaw in the refrigerator for a day or two before coating it with bacon and serving.
What to serve with cheese balls?
There are so many fun finger foods to pair with cheese balls, but we definitely have our favorites. Some of these include:
- Vegetables – carrots and celery are our top picks
- fruit – especially pears and apples
- Mini Bagels
- Pretzels
- Cookies – any kind
- pita fries
What’s your favorite dip?
For more dips, check out: Cream Cheese Bean Dip, Buffalo Chicken Dip, Queso Blanco, Cheese Sausage Dip.
I think this is by far our favorite savory cheese ball. If you want to try our favorite dessert cheese balls, you must try this sweet and savory chocolate cheese balls.
For more vegetarian appetizers, try:
Course Appetizers
American food
Prep time 15 minutes
Refrigeration time 1 hour
Total time 15 minutes
Serving Size 24
Calories 154 kcal
by Lil’ Luna
- 2 8 oz.Packaged cream cheese, cold not room temperature
- â…“ C. Marzetti Ranch Dip
- 1 1/2 degrees Celsius.Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1/3 degree Celsius.chopped bacon, divided
- 1/2 tsp.garlic powder
- ÂĽ tsp.chili
- 1/4 tsp.dried parsley
- 1/8 tsp.black pepper powder
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In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, ranch dip, shredded cheddar, 3 tablespoons chopped bacon, garlic powder, paprika, parsley, and pepper. Using a mixer with a handle, blend until combined.
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Roll the mixture into a large ball or two small balls. Roll in the remaining bacon.
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Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Marzetti® dips are delicious and perfect for any occasion! ! For more information on Marzetti, click here or find them on Facebook here.