7 Foods to Serve with a Cheese Ball

A cheese ball is only as good as what you serve it with. Crackers are classic, but that’s really just the tip of the cheese ball. All that flavorful goodness that’s rolled up inside has the potential to be spread onto and dipped into countless tasty snacks. Here are 7 to inspire your next party.

Fruit and cheese make a wonderful match. Something firm, like pear or apple slices, allows for easy spreading and dipping. Pears are especially nice with a blue cheese ball, while apples pair well with cheddar.

Slice a baguette thinly, drizzle the slices with olive oil, bake them at 350°F for about 15 to 20 minutes until golden and toasted, and you have crostini. Then swipe your cheese ball over the little Italian toasts to your heart’s content.

A crudité platter is a classic sidekick to a cheese ball. Keep it simple with carrots and celery or upgrade the situation with veggies like fennel, cauliflower florets, and radishes.

A good cheese ball starts with a cream cheese base, so it only makes sense to pair it with bagels. Mini bagels are the perfect size for snacking — slice and toast them ahead of time so they are ready to go when everyone’s ready to dig in.

Pretzels are oft-forgotten vehicles for cheese and dips. Cheese balls are soft enough that salty pretzels can be dipped right into them, scooping out the goodness without the need of a knife.

Arguably the only way to make potatoes even more tasty than they already are is to add cheese. Roast a big tray of potato wedges and enjoy them warm or at room temperature, with generous swipes of your cheese ball.

Split open a pita triangle, spread some of the cheese ball inside, and you’ve got a cute little cheese sandwich. Or if you have a extra time to spare, turn those pita triangles into crunchy pita chips.