Pistachio Goat Cheese Ball

Pistachio Goat Cheese Ball is a must-try! Tangy goat cheese mixed with sweet dried fruit, fresh herbs, and crunchy pistachios—perfect for your next party!

Try this original Cheese Ball Recipe or perhaps this brownie-batter flavored Dessert Cheese Ball next!

Pistachio Goat Cheese Ball

If you know me, you know my love for goat cheese runs deep (shout-out to my fave Pistachio Goat Cheese Salad). The more I can use goat cheese in recipes, the better.

Goat cheese usually stars in salads or as a pizza topping (like in this Beet and Goat Cheese Flatbread), but it’s time for it to take center stage in a cheese ball recipe!

This Pistachio Goat Cheese Ball is the appetizer of my dreams! It’s not just my favorite—everyone who’s tried it loves it. I recently brought several to an event, and they were a huge hit, with not a speck left and plenty of recipe requests!

Pistachio Goat Cheese Ball Ingredients

This cheese ball recipe is so easy to make. In fact, there are only six ingredients:

• Goat cheese: Pick a brand you like—it’s the star here! Trader Joe’s goat cheese is excellent if you have a store nearby.
• Cream cheese: Use full-fat for a richer, thicker texture. We prefer Philadelphia Cream Cheese® for the best results.
• Dried apricots: They add sweetness and a nice texture. You can also use sweetened dried cranberries or tart cherries.
• Fresh herbs: A mix of thyme and green onions adds great flavor and freshness.
• Pistachios: These add flavor, saltiness, and crunch. Go for roasted, salted, and shelled pistachios for convenience.

Top Recipe Tips

• Use fresh herbs: Dried herbs just don’t cut it for flavor in this pistachio cheese log.
• Make sure the dried fruit is fresh: Feel the bag of apricots or cranberries before you purchase to ensure the dried fruit inside is soft and feels fresh. If they aren’t, it will make for hard bites in the Pistachio Goat Cheese Ball.
• Use soft cream cheese. Before starting, soften the cream cheese so it will mix in smoothly and without bumps.

More Favorite Appetizers

• 7-Layer Bean Dip with taco-seasoned sour cream
• Queso Dip Recipe with fire-roasted green chiles
• Baked Potato Dip with Cheddar and bacon
• Bruschetta authentic Italian recipe
• Cowboy Caviar with a chili-lime dressing

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4.58 from 7 votes

Pistachio Crusted Cheese Ball

By Chelsea Lords

You need to try this Pistachio Goat Cheese Ball! Tangy goat cheese meets sweet dried fruit, fresh herbs, and crunchy pistachios—a total party showstopper!

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Chilling Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 as an appetizer

Equipment

• Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 8 ounces goat cheese
• ▢ 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese full-fat, see note 1
• ▢ 1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots or chopped dried cranberries/cherries
• ▢ 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions or scallions
• ▢ 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves removed and finely chopped
• ▢ 1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted and salted shelled pistachios see note 2
• ▢ Salt and pepper
• ▢ Serving suggestions see note 3

Instructions 

• Place the unwrapped package of cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 10–15 seconds, check, flip to the other side, then microwave an additional 10–15 seconds as needed. You don’t want it melted, just softened to room temperature. Transfer to a large bowl or bowl attached to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
• Add the goat cheese. Beat the two cheeses together on low speed until just combined.
• Add finely chopped dried apricots, finely chopped green onions, and chopped fresh thyme. Add salt and pepper to taste (remembering the nuts are also salted; I add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper). Beat on low speed until ingredients are combined and integrated. Scrape the sides with a spatula as needed.
• Use the spatula to transfer the mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Using the wrap, knead the mixture together and form a long log or cheese ball. Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or until firm. (I like to chill it overnight to allow the flavors to really meld!) At a minimum, chill for 1 hour.
• Coarsely chop shelled pistachios and unwrap the cheese ball or log on top of the chopped nuts. Roll the ball around and use your hands to gently attach the pistachios to the ball or log until it is completely coated in nuts. Serve promptly with crackers, veggies, pretzels, etc.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: For best results, use full-fat (reduced-fat cream cheese doesn’t taste as rich and isn’t as thick) brick-style cream cheese. I also recommend a good quality brand; I love Philadelphia Cream Cheese® best.

Note 2: Make it easy on yourself and use roasted, salted, and shelled pistachios. If you can’t find roasted pistachios, I recommend roasting them yourself so you aren’t missing out on flavor and they don’t get too soft too quickly. To toast pistachios in the oven, spread the nuts in a single layer on a sheet pan. Bake at 350°F for 6–8 minutes or just until fragrant.

Note 3: Serving suggestions for dipping: chips, raw veggies, pretzels, etc.

Storage: Refrigerate, tightly covered, for up to 3–4 days. Pistachios will soften considerably as it stores. I like this cheese ball best the same day it is coated in the pistachios.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 2.5g | Protein: 4.4g | Fat: 9.7g | Cholesterol: 20.9mg | Sodium: 255.5mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 1.3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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