This mid-century classic appetizer gets an elegant face lift in this ruby red studded pomegranate cheese ball, made with garlic and fresh herbs. Find more of my pomegranate recipes.

Close up of a pomegranate cheese ball with seedy chips on a rustic background

My family is so happy right now. We have recovered from our sugar coma of Halloween and are firmly in the heart of pomegranate season! Every fall my family goes bonkers and my husband and I are shucking pomegranates daily. And it’s not all for my blog.

My kids could easily eat a cup of pomegranate arils everyday. When the season is over, my husband gasps, “I’m never going to cut another pomegranate AGAIN!” And every fall, we forget about all the work and start seeding them again!

Why you have to make this recipe

If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you know I have a whole lot of pomegranate recipes. My family and I are avid fans of this delicious fruit.

Pomegranates are in season in the fall and early winter. And this pomegranate cheese ball makes a show stopping appetizer for any holiday party.

The very retro appetizer gets an incredible face lift. Three cheeses make the delicious cheese mixture and it is mixed with a slew of fresh herbs and garlic. Every time I make this appetizer, the plate gets cleaned up leaving no trace!

Cheese balls are super easy to make and can be made a day or two before your event. Why wouldn’t you make this recipe???

See my Pomegranate Cheese Ball Web Story for a quick visual guide to making this recipe.

Pomegranate cheese ball cut open with a dark rustic background with pomegranate and kitchen scale behind it

Ingredients you need

Labeled ingredients to make pomegranate cheese ball

Cream Cheese: Because of its mild flavor, this is the base cheese for the cheese ball. You can use full fat or low fat.
Goat Cheese: I add a bit of goat cheese for additional flavor. You could also use a creamy feta.
Shredded White Cheddar Cheese: I use white cheddar because I didn’t want big flecks of orange in my my cheese ball. I chose a sharp cheese to again, add another flavor profile.
Herbs: Fresh rosemary, thyme, oregano and chives. Use less variety if you want or whatever fresh herbs you have on hand. Fresh has much more flavor than dried, so try to use fresh only.
Pomegranate Arils: These ruby red jewels are what needs to be pressed all over your cheese ball.
Garlic
Salt and Pepper

Recipe step-by-step instructions

1. In a medium sized bowl add cheeses, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. Use a hand mixer and whip the ingredients until thoroughly combined.

A glass bowl with cheeses, herbs and seasonings ready to mix up with hand mixer

2. Using a rubber spatula, scoop the ingredients together and transfer to a large sheet of plastic wrap.

Garlic herb cheese mixture on a sheet of plastic wrap

3. While wrapping with the plastic wrap, squeeze and roll cheese into a ball shape.

Hands forming plastic wrap covered cheese mixture to make a ball

4. Place cheese ball in refrigerator for at least one hour to firm up.

Plastic wrap covered cheese mixture formed into a ball

5. Peel and remove seeds (arils) from pomegranate. Lay pomegranate arils in one layer on a plate and refrigerate to dry out, about one hour. If arils are wet, they will not stick to the cheese ball. Learn how to cut pomegranates and seed them.

Straining pomegranate arils out of bowl filled with pomegranate and water

6. Unwrap cheese ball and roll into the pomegranate arils, firmly pressing arils into the cheese. Continue doing this until the entire cheese ball is covered with pomegranate. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Hands pressing individual pomegranate arils into cheese ball on a white plate

Expert tips and recipe FAQS

Cheese balls are super easy to make and the flavor combinations are endless. From the different types of cheeses you can use to the herbs and flavorings you add to it.

Besides pomegranate, you can stud your cheese ball with chopped nuts, herbs, crushed crackers, even. crushed chips!
Serve with your favorite crackers, pita chips or even a baguette.
Cheese balls can be made 2-3 days ahead of time. Just wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Best kind of cheese to use for a cheese ball?

Cream cheese makes a great base cheese for your cheese ball. Include more pungent cheeses like goat, feta and/or sharp cheddar for extra flavor.

How do you get the pomegranate to stick to a cheese ball?

Once the arils are removed from the pomegranate, spread them on a baking sheet lined with a paper towel. Refrigerate the arils to dry them out. If they are wet, they won’t stick to the cheese ball.

Yield: serves 8

Pomegranate Cheese Ball

This mid-century classic appetizer gets an elegant face lift in this ruby red studded pomegranate cheese ball, made with garlic and fresh herbs.

Prep Time 1 hour

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese
5 oz goat cheese
4 oz shredded white cheddar cheese
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 TBS finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 TBS finely chopped fresh thyme
1 TBS finely chopped fresh oregano
1 TBS finely chopped fresh chives
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ ground teaspoon black pepper
1 large pomegranate

Instructions

In a medium-sized bowl add all of the ingredients except the pomegranate.
Using a hand mixer, whip the ingredients until thoroughly combined.
Using a rubber spatula, scoop the ingredients together and transfer to a large sheet of plastic wrap.
While wrapping with the plastic wrap, squeeze and roll cheese into a ball shape. Place cheese ball in refrigerator for at least one hour to firm up.
Peel and remove seeds (arils) from pomegranate.
Lay pomegranate arils in one layer on a plate and refrigerate to dry out, about one hour. If arils are wet, they will not stick to the cheese ball.
Unwrap cheese ball and roll into the pomegranate arils, firmly pressing arils into the cheese. Continue doing this until the entire cheese ball is covered with pomegranate.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Instead of goat cheese try a creamy feta instead. For cheddar, use your favorite. It can be mild, sharp or extra sharp depending on your personal preference.

You can also change the herbs to what you have on hand. Just use fresh and not dried for best flavor.

Serving Suggestions: Serve with crackers, bagel crisps, pita chips or crudités.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 236Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 337mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 9g

PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback.

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Disclosure: Special thanks to Cabot Creamery for sending me samples of their fabulous cheddar cheese. I used their Seriously Sharp Cheddar in this recipe. I was not paid to write this post. If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t blog about it.

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