Here’s a classic, old-school Beef Cheese Ball recipe — creamy, savory, and perfect for holidays, potlucks, or parties. It uses dried beef for that iconic flavor and rolls beautifully into a firm, sliceable cheese ball.
🧀 Beef Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 2 (8 oz) blocks cream cheese, softened
- 1 (2.5 oz) jar dried beef, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced (or 2 tbsp minced onion)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Optional:
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- Pinch of paprika
Instructions
1. Prepare the filling
In a medium bowl, combine:
- Cream cheese
- 3/4 of the chopped dried beef (reserve the rest for coating)
- Green onions
- Worcestershire sauce
- Garlic powder
- Pepper
Mix until smooth and well combined.
2. Shape the cheese ball
- Scrape mixture into a mound and roll or shape into a ball (or log shape).
- Place on plastic wrap and wrap tightly to help form it.
- Refrigerate at least 1–2 hours to firm up (overnight is best).
3. Coat the cheese ball
- Once firm, roll the cheese ball in the remaining dried beef (and pecans if using) until fully coated.
4. Serve
Serve chilled with:
- Ritz crackers
- Wheat Thins
- Triscuits
- Celery or bell pepper sticks
⭐ Tips & Variations
Spicy beef cheese ball
- Add 1–2 tbsp diced jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce.
Cheddar beef cheese ball
- Add 1/2–1 cup shredded sharp cheddar to the mixture.
Garlic-herb version
- Add 1 tsp dried parsley + 1/2 tsp dill + extra garlic powder.
Make-ahead
- Can be made 3–4 days ahead if stored tightly wrapped in the fridge.
If you want, I can give you a:
🥣 Beef cheese ball dip version
🧀 Cheddar beef cheese ball
🌶 Spicy beef cheese ball
Just tell me!
