BEST Beef Cheeseball

This beef cheeseball is a cherished family recipe that's been passed down and perfected throughout the years. It's the perfect appetizer for any occasion with its delicious combination of savory beef, creamy cheese, and flavorful seasonings.

The simplicity of this recipe is what makes is perfect for occasions from game day to Christmas. It's easy and quick to make but is also guaranteed to impress your guests with the flavor and texture combinations.

Along with our best cheeseball recipe, mini cheeseballs and our pineapple cheeseball recipe, you can prep it in advance to save yourself some time in the kitchen. Serve with gluten free crackers or your favorite veggies and you're ready to go!

Our chocolate chip cheeseball is another great option. That is sweet and perfect with cookies. For you beef fans, this ground beef jerky is another great snack.

Why you'll love this homemade cheeseball

• It's been a family favorite recipe for years that never lasts long on the table!
• With only 6 simple ingredients and 10 minutes of prep, it's a breeze to make.
• It goes well with crackers, pretzels, veggies, you name it!
• You can serve it at almost any occasion.

What is dried beef?

Dried beef is more similar to beef jerky, buddig beef, or beef biltong. It is not ground beef or anything that contains excess grease. You'll want to find died dried beef at the store or cut it into small pieces yourself. 

For extra flavor, feel free to get flavored dried beef. Peppered beef, original, and bloody mary flavored beef are my favorites!

What you need to make a cheeseball

• Cream cheese - Room temperature, full-fat cream cheese works best for this easy recipe.
• Beef - Make sure you use dried and diced beef. This is very different from ground beef. See above for clarification.
• Nuts - Crunchy pecans are my favorite but you can also use chopped walnuts or almonds.
• Seasoning - A simple combination of onion powder, chives, and green onions adds so much flavor.
• Worcestershire sauce

How to make the best beef cheeseball

Step 1: Combine

Combine cream cheese, some of the dried beef, chives, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce together in a large mixing bowl.

Step 2: Refrigerate

Refrigerate the cream cheese mixture for a minimum of 1 hour but up to overnight.

Step 3: Serve

Roll the cheese ball in pecans and the rest of the beef. Add more chives if desired.

Pro tip: Next time you need to chop nuts, place them in a blender for a food processor for a quick and easy way to chop them!

Expert tips

• Add bacon - Feel free to add bacon bits to the inside or outside of this cheese ball if you're a meat lover.
• Add extra cheese - Some cheese ball recipes call for sharp cheddar cheese incorporated into the cream cheese. Throw some extra cheese in if you'd like.
• Use plastic wrap - To form the ball without a huge mess, I like to use a piece of plastic wrap, then transfer to the wax paper to roll in the toppings.

How long is a cheeseball good for?

You can store this beef cheeseball recipe in the refrigerator for up to one week. Although, make sure that your cheeseball doesn’t sit at room temperature for more than 4 hours to preserve freshness.

I do not recommend freezing a cheese ball because it will not thaw properly.

What to serve with a cheese ball

I like to serve this dried beef cheese ball with gluten free crackers, pretzels, or bread but you can serve with your favorite crackers or veggies. Ritz crackers, pita chips, carrot sticks, buttery crackers, or thin pretzel chips are good options.

More recipes you'll love

• A gluten-free charcuterie board is a classic appetizer thats perfect for the holiday season
• For more cream cheese appetizers, try this sour cream chip dip.
• This viral tiktok butter board is always a crowd pleaser and it's super easy to make.
• I love serving gluten-free garlic bread as an easy appetizer on busy weeknights.

Here is the original recipe card that my mother in law swears by!