When I was growing up, my mom made a cheese ball every New Year’s Day! The tradition started because all that my dad and brothers wanted to do that day was watch football bowl games. So, instead of trying to have a regular meal, she just made the cheese ball and served it with crackers and vegetables. It was a charcuterie spread before they were a thing. In my memory, we only had this cheese ball on New Year’s Day, but I loved it so much. It tasted so good to me. So, I was curious if I could make it taste just as good if I made it with nuts instead of cream cheese. I tried to keep my expectations low, but when I tasted this new vegan cheese ball for the first time, I was elated. It tasted so good and so similar to what I remember it tasting like. It made my heart so happy! When I served it to my own kids, I felt like I could really share a memory from my own childhood and connect it to them! And they loved the vegan cheese ball as well, making the memory something that can live on still.
How to Make the Vegan Pineapple “Cheese”Ball
Equipment Needed:
Instructions:
In a glass bowl, soak the cashews and almonds for at least 30 minutes, then drain.
Using a fine mesh strainer, drain the crushed pineapple (save the pineapple juice for drinking if desired, but it is not needed for the recipe). Push down on the pineapple to extract as much juice as possible. Set aside
Dice the pepper and onions and set aside.
Using a food processor fitted with the S blade, add the soaked nuts and puree until smooth. Scrape down the sides as necessary. Add the remainder of the ingredients except for the pecans and then puree until it is blended. Add water as needed one tablespoon at a time to enable the blending. It is okay if the mixture is a little chunky, so blend to desired consistency.
Dump the mixture onto parchment paper, plastic wrap, or a tea towel and roll it around to shape it into a ball. If the mixture is too soft, it can be refrigerated for an hour or overnight and it will be easier to form. When formed into a ball, roll it in the pecans for a fancy look.
When we used plastic wrap for the cheese ball above, it was too soft. We abandoned it and used it as a spread instead!
Or, you can skip the shaping step and just serve in a bowl with the pecans sprinkled on top–it tastes great either way!
Serve with your favorite gluten free crackers, vegetables, or use it as a filling for sandwiches.
Vegan Pineapple “Cheese” Ball
Description
This pineapple “cheese” ball is always a hit. Using nuts, crushed pineapple, green peppers, and green onions, this recipe is a winner! The flavors meld together so well to make a sweet and savory spread for crackers, sandwiches, or wraps.
Ingredients
Instructions
-
In a glass bowl, soak the cashews and almonds for at least 30 minutes, then drain.
-
Using a fine mesh strainer, drain the crushed pineapple (save the pineapple juice for drinking if desired, but it is not needed for the recipe). Push down on the pineapple to extract as much juice as possible. Set aside
-
Dice the pepper and onions and set aside.
-
Using a food processor fitted with the S blade, add the soaked nuts and puree until smooth. Scrape down the sides as necessary. Add the remainder of the ingredients except for the pecans and then puree until it is blended. Add water as needed one tablespoon at a time to enable the blending. It is okay if the mixture is a little chunky, so blend to desired consistency.
-
Dump the mixture onto parchment paper or a tea towel and roll it around to shape it into a ball. If the mixture is too soft, it can be refrigerated for an hour or overnight and it will be easier to form. When formed into a ball, roll it in the pecans for a fancy look.
-
Or, you can skip the shaping step and just serve in a bowl with the pecans sprinkled on top–it tastes great either way!
-
Serve with your favorite gluten free crackers or vegetables, or use it as a filling for sandwiches.
Equipment
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Nutrition Facts
Servings 16
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 189.68kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 16.04g25%
- Saturated Fat 1.99g10%
- Cholesterol 0mg
- Sodium 220.86mg10%
- Potassium 237.11mg7%
- Total Carbohydrate 8.9g3%
- Dietary Fiber 2.62g11%
- Sugars 1.99g
- Protein 5.81g12%
- Vitamin A 64.14 IU
- Vitamin C 10.29 mg
- Calcium 37.5 mg
- Iron 1.68 mg
- Vitamin E 2.58 mg
- Vitamin K 11.13 mcg
- Thiamin 0.14 mg
- Riboflavin 0.12 mg
- Niacin 0.63 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.12 mg
- Folate 12.64 mcg
- Pantothenic Acid 0.25 mg
- Phosphorus 159.74 mg
- Magnesium 80.56 mg
- Zinc 1.52 mg
- Selenium 3.87 mcg
- Copper 0.53 mg
- Manganese 0.77 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Instead of forming into a ball, this can be served as a spread with pecans sprinkled on top--it still tastes amazing!
