Deviled Ham Cheese Ball covered in nuts is a tasty appetizer great for any party or game day.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
What Makes a Deviled Ham Cheese Ball Deliciously Snackable?
Don’t be put off by the term ‘deviled ham’ since the only thing sinful about this recipe is there never seems to be enough to go around.
This classic party recipe has been a popular hors d’oeuvre for decades because it’s not just so easy to make but incredibly tasty to boot.
The dish’s combination of creamy cheese, salty ham, and a hint of spice is the perfect complement for beer and cocktails.
Ingredients For This Ham Cheese Ball Recipe
To make the deviled ham ball, you’ll need:
- Deviled ham
- Cream cheese
- Crushed pineapple, canned
- Green bell pepper
- White onion
- Hot sauce
To garnish the ham cheese balls, you’ll need:
- Pecans, crushed
Ingredient Notes
Deviled ham is ground ham with seasonings and spices. Since it is such a significant component of this dish, make sure you use one you like. While Underwood has been making deviled ham since the 1860s, there are many tasty brands to try; or you can try making it yourself.
How To Make a Cheese Ball with Ham
To make this deviled cheese ball recipe:
- Set the cream cheese on the counter to soften while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- Finely mince the white onion and green pepper.
- Drain the crushed pineapples.
- Add all the ingredients except for the crushed pecans to a mixing bowl.
- Stir the mixture to combine well.
- If you want, you can take the extra step of chilling the mixture to help make shaping easier. To cool the mixture, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes before continuing.
- Spread a layer of crushed pecans onto a wax paper-lined rimmed baking tray.
- Use a silicone bowl scrapper to turn out the mixture onto a clean and dry work surface.
- Wet your hands slightly, and shape the mixture into a ball.
- Coat the ball with crushed pecans by rolling it on the baking tray.
- Place the coated deviled ham and cream cheese ball on the baking tray and cover with plastic wrap.
- Chill for 1 to 2 hours before serving.
Substitutions
- Swap out the green peppers for pickled jalapenos for an extra kick.
- Use Neufchatel cheese instead of cream cheese for a slightly lower fat version.
- Replace the deviled ham with other meats. Cooked bacon is a great substitute. Another possibility is to replace the deviled ham and pineapples with chipped beef and finely shredded cheddar cheese for a Philly Cheesesteak Ball.
Variations
- Make multiple ham and cheese balls. Serve one at a time and keep the others fresh in the fridge.
- Turn the recipe into a vegetarian version using plant-based bacon bits instead of deviled ham.
- Forming the mixture into a thin log instead of a ball makes slicing and serving easier.
Equipment You Will Need
Any decently stocked kitchen will have everything you need to make this recipe. The only additional, nice-to-have item is a silicon bowl scraper like one of these from KitchenAid. Get a set of cute cheese spreaders for a bit of fun, but regular butter knives work just as well.
What To Serve With the Ham Cheese Ball
Be sure to have plenty of crackers, pretzels, pita chips, and toasted bread on hand.
You may also want to offer some crudites, including carrot, cucumber, celery sticks, pepper strips, or steamed broccoli and cauliflower for any guests who wish to cut back on carbs.
How To Store Leftovers
The ingredients in the ham cheese ball recipe can go bad after only a few hours at room temperature. Therefore, keeping any remaining cheese ball after serving is not a good idea.
However, if you want to prepare this recipe in advance, you can store the ball covered in plastic wrap in the fridge.
How Long Will It Last
A wrapped Deviled Ham Cheese Ball will last up to two days before getting soggy.
Deviled Ham Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 1 4.25-ounce can deviled ham
- 12 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup drained crushed pineapple
- 3 tablespoons finely minced green bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely minced onion
- ¼ teaspoon Tabasco hot sauce
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
- crackers to serve
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the deviled ham, cream cheese, crushed pineapple, minced green bell pepper, minced onion, and hot sauce. Stir until well combined.
- Shape the mixture into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
- Roll the cheese ball in finely chopped pecans to cover.
- Serve with crackers.
Leave a Reply