Olive Cheese Balls Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What kind of cheese goes well with olives? ›

We love pairing Spanish olives with savory clothbound cheddar to boost out its umami notes. Mild, fresh cheeses like chevre and fromage blanc go well with olives marinated with citrus or herbs, while the saltiness of olives emphasizes the sweetness of a long-aged Gouda.

Why is my cheese ball so hard? You want your cheese ball to be firm enough to hold its shape, but soft enough to allow for easy spreading. To achieve this consistency, the key is making sure your cream cheese is softened before preparing.

Your cheese ball is too runny: Once you have added all the extras, and it's all mixed in well, if the texture is more salad dressing-like than something you might spread on a bagel, you can tighten it up easily by adding unsalted butter, one tablespoon at a time, mixing before you add more.

Gourmet crackers, crispy toasts, crusty breads, snappy breadsticks… you name it. Breads and crackers are a great way to cleanse the palate in between bold, briny olives and sharp cheeses. Besides that, they make great vehicles for dips, salsas and relishes. Bring on the drizzles and dips.

Brine-curing: Fully ripened, dark purple or black olives are gradually fermented in brine. This could take up to a year. Brine-cured olives are often sweet and full of depth, since the brine acts to intensify the fruit's natural flavors.

From the mild and buttery Bella di Cerignola to the pleasantly salty oil-cured, olives are a brilliant addition to pasta, pizza, salads, breakfast eggs, fish and seafood dishes, roasted meats and poultry, dips, spreads, salsas and more.

Storing: A cheese ball should be stored in the refrigerator and will stay fresh for several days or up to 2 weeks depending on the freshness of your ingredients. To estimate how long your cheese ball will stay fresh, first notice the expiration date on the ingredients you are using.

Storing in Fridge: If you start with fresh ingredients, you can store the cheese ball in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Cover any leftovers with plastic wrap and store in an airtight container. How to Freeze: I prefer a freshly made cheese ball, BUT you can freeze cheese balls.

Remove from Heat

Watch the cheese sauce closely as it melts. Once it looks and feels smooth and has been evenly melted, give it a final stir, and then remove the pan from the heat. If you melt the cheese any longer than is necessary, it can result in a rubbery consistency and negatively impact the flavor.

For a cheese dip or sauce, the addition of cornstarch serves a similar function: Starch molecules absorb water and expand, not only thickening the liquid phase of the sauce, but also physically preventing the proteins from binding into long, tangled strands and the fats from separating out and pooling.

What does cornstarch do to cheese? ›

Cheese Sauce, Take 1: Cornstarch, Stovetop

This helps the entire mixture stay smooth and emulsified, resulting in a creamy sauce. He recommends tossing the shredded cheese with the cornstarch before cooking so it is evenly dispersed and does not form clumps when cooked.

To keep your saturated fat intake within the recommended guidelines, it's best to limit your intake to 2–3 ounces (56–84 grams) — about 16–24 small- to medium-sized olives — per day. Though olives may aid weight loss, they're high in salt and fat — and eating too many of them may offset your weight loss success.

The first sign is always visual. If you spot any funky mold, don't just discard the top few olives—toss the whole jar. Even if you can't see mold, any changes in appearance, texture, or smell of the brine or the olives are valid reasons to discard.

Olives are usually limited to Martinis and maybe the odd Bloody Mary / Red Snapper (a Bloody Mary made with Gin… give it a try!).

Almost any type of olive would work, so you could choose your favorite type for this recipe. Then simply add some cubed feta cheese, drizzle with olive oil, zest of a lemon and pinch of red pepper flakes. Easy peasy! This dish makes a great appetizer, accompaniment to a cheese board or just a quick snack.

According to Reddit boards and TikTok's the exact brand Olive Garden uses is Lotito Romano Cheese. We think the brand doesn't matter here, and suggest you just go with a high-quality pecorino romano for best results.

Olives—whether black, green, or stuffed with blue cheese—are loaded with Vitamin E and polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants. 1 To break that down a little, antioxidants are potent compounds that fight free radicals in the body, which can help protect cells and prevent cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Pairing Notes

The 5 year aged cheddar pairs well with black olives because of their subtle licorice finish.