Bruschetta Cheese Ball

Flavor, texture, looks – this appetizer is the whole package.

Two of my favorite party appetizers are cheese balls and bruschetta. Cheese balls are surefire crowd pleasers that are easy to make in tons of different fascinating flavors. But on the other hand, bruschetta combines light, fresh flavor with an elegant appearance — and it’s really easy, too.

In fact, these two appetizers are so delicious, it’s hard to say which one I love more. So of course, I asked my usual question: why not combine the two?

My Bruschetta Cheese Ball is the best of both. It’s got not one, but two kinds of tomatoes — fresh and sun-dried — for a powerful punch of tomato flavor. Combine that with fresh basil, garlic, red onion, and balsamic, and it’s like biting into a ray of Italian sunshine.

All this flavor is blended with the gorgeous, creamy texture of a fabulous cheese ball, loaded with softened cream cheese, sour cream, and shredded mozzarella. And with a crusty coating of seasoned bread crumbs and parmesan and a garnish of fresh tomato and chopped basil, it looks as great as it tastes.

With fresh flavor, creamy texture, and classy looks all wrapped up in a neat little package, this Bruschetta Cheese Ball is the ideal appetizer for any get-together.

How do you serve this Bruschetta Cheese Ball?

I like to set it out on a plate and surround it with mini baguette chips. Guests can just grab a chip, dip up some of that fresh and creamy goodness, and pop it right in their mouths. Some sturdy crackers, like table water crackers or multi-grain, would also work well. But don’t use soda crackers (saltines) – they’re too crumbly.

Can I use some other kind of tomatoes, or is roma the only kind that will do?

Roma or plum tomatoes are ideal because they’re fleshy and not too moist. Other tomatoes produce a lot of juice when you chop them, which could make the cheese mixture too runny. If you substitute any other kind, make sure to drain off all the excess juice before mixing in the chopped tomatoes.

Cut roma tomatoes in half, remove seeds and set on paper towels to drain. Dice tomatoes.
In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise and stir until smooth. Add roma tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, sun dried tomatoes, red onion, fresh basil, minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper and stir well.
Spread a large piece of plastic wrap on your work surface and spoon cream cheese mixture onto the wrap. Cover tightly with wrap and shape into a ball. Place ball in the fridge overnight or in the freezer for an hour to set.
Before serving, prepare coating. In a small pan, mix oil and breadcrumbs and heat on medium high for 5-8 minutes or until crumbs turn golden brown.
Remove from heat and let cool until you can hold your hand on the bottom of the pan. When cool, mix in shredded parmesan cheese and dried basil.
Place breadcrumb mixture on a large plate. Remove cheese ball from fridge or freezer and unwrap.
Roll ball in crumbs until evenly coated.
Place cheese ball on a serving plate and garnish with chopped tomato and chopped basil. Serve with an assortment of mini baguette chips and/or crackers.

Recipe Tips

Make sure that you drain the roma tomatoes and sun dried tomatoes well, or the cheese ball will be difficult to form into a ball.
If you love garlic as much as I do, increase amount to three cloves!
Store leftovers in the fridge, covered, for up to 3-4 days.

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