Easy Dried Beef Cheese Ball Recipe

This Dried Beef Cheese Ball recipe is retro perfection! With tangy cream cheese, savory dried beef, and fresh green onions, this classic party app is as easy as it is delicious. Roll it up, chill it, and get ready for the ultimate dip experience!

Why You’ll Love It

Y'all need to make this Dried Beef Cheese Ball Recipe if you’re looking for a super simple absolutely perfect appetizer that brings everyone together during the holiday season!

It’s creamy, tangy, and loaded with flavor thanks to a base of smooth full fat cream cheese, a little Worcestershire for that savory punch, and a touch of garlic powder for depth. 

Dried beef gives it a salty, slightly smoky flavor, while green onions add that perfect pop of freshness to balance it out. 

The best part? It takes just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes to pull together this classic appetizer, making it a no-fuss favorite for a holiday party, game days, or any other special occasions that calls for serious snack vibes.

With this retro cheese ball recipe, you’ll get a perfect blend of creamy, cheesy, and just the right amount of saltiness of the dried beef.

Plus, this crowd pleaser endlessly customizable—swap in different seasonings from the grocery store, try a sprinkle of chives, or roll it in nuts for a crunchy twist! 

Serve up this easy appetizer with crackers, veggies, or even mini pretzels for a crowd-pleasing snack that disappears fast. 

Make it ahead, chill it, and pull it out when you’re ready to wow your guests with this delicious throwback favorite.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here are the simple ingredients that add the best flavor to this old school holiday appetizer recipe. 

• Cream Cheese: Full-fat cream cheese is best, but low-fat will work too. Make sure it's room temperature to make it easier to mix! Some people add sour cream but I think it messes up the texture. 
• Dried Beef: The trick to making a great cheeseball is adding meaty flavors from dried chipped beef. These small pieces of dried beef add a unique flavor that is salty, and savory. Feel free to try different brands, but the small jars from Armour are the classic choice. You can find their little jars in the canned meat aisle. 
• Green Onions: Fresh and zesty; if unavailable, you can sub in chives or shallots.
• Garlic Powder: Adds depth and a subtle garlic flavor; adjust to taste. You could also use seasoned salt. 
• Worcestershire Sauce: Brings that perfect umami note; soy sauce could be a backup if needed.
• Crackers: I always serve this recipe with ritz crackers but you can use whatever you want with this classic recipe.
• Optional Additions: Want much more flavor?! Ranch seasoning, black pepper, onion powder, or parmesan cheese is a great way to add deep, good flavor. Depending on your taste buds, you might even want to try adding chopped black olives, shredded cheddar cheese, red pepper flakes, or dry mustard powder. 

How to Make It

With just a few simple steps, you can make the best cheese ball ever!

• Make the Cheese Base: In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, 1 jar of finely chopped dried beef, 4 chopped green onions, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to mix this chipped beef cheeseball mixture until smooth and fully blended.

• Prep the Coating: In a separate bowl, mix the remaining dried beef with the last 2 green onions.

• Shape the Cheese Ball: Add a little bit of olive oil or lightly spray your hands with nonstick spray. Shape the cream cheese mixture into a ball, then roll it in the dried beef and scallion mixture, pressing gently to coat it thoroughly.

• Serve or Chill: Serve right away with your favorite crackers, or refrigerate it by wrapping the whole thing in a large piece of plastic wrap until ready to serve.

What to Serve it with

Here are some of my favorite things to serve with homemade cheese balls at your next party:

For more easy cream cheese appetizers, try my 

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