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–+ servings
Gluten-free cheese ball with a thick paprika and turmeric crust in front, gluten-free crackers at its side, and coarse salt crystals and a parsley leaf scattered on the wooden board.

Easy Cheese Ball with Herbs and Spices

An easy cheese ball made with urdă or ricotta, cream cheese and feta, rolled in stripes of chives, dried oregano, poppy seeds, turmeric and paprika. Gluten-free, nut-free, made ahead and served with gluten-free crackers.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Chill 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Choose Serving Size 16 servings

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • Sieve

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb urdă or whole-milk ricotta well drained, 500 g
  • 8 oz cream cheese full-fat, softened, 250 g
  • 5 oz feta crumbled, 150 g
  • 1 clove garlic finely grated
  • 3 tbsp chives finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp parsley fresh, finely chopped
  • ¼ tsp salt or to taste
  • ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 6 tbsp chives finely chopped and patted dry, for the crust
  • 1 ½ tbsp oregano dried, for the crust
  • 1 ½ tbsp poppy seeds for the crust
  • 1 ½ tsp turmeric ground, for the crust
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika for the crust
  • gluten-free crackers to serve

Instructions

  • If using ricotta, drain it in a sieve lined with a paper towel in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight. Urdă can usually go straight into the bowl.
  • In a mixing bowl, mash the urdă or ricotta with the softened cream cheese, crumbled feta, garlic, 3 tablespoons of chives, the parsley and pepper until smooth. Taste and add salt only if needed, since the feta is already salty.
  • Scoop the mixture onto a large piece of plastic wrap, gather the wrap around it and twist it to shape a tight ball. Chill for 2 hours, until firm.
  • Unwrap the ball and set it on a serving board. Press the chopped chives over the top like a cap, then sprinkle a band of dried oregano, a band of poppy seeds and a thin band of turmeric underneath, pressing each one in gently with your palm or a spoon.
  • Sprinkle the paprika on a small plate and gently roll the bottom of the ball in it, then press any loose spice into the sides.
  • Serve right away with gluten-free crackers, or keep it chilled and take it out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

I use Schär Crackers, which are certified gluten-free. For guests with celiac disease, also check the labels on your spices and keep the crackers on a separate board from any bread. The plain ball, without the crust, keeps for up to 2 days in the fridge or 1 month in the freezer; add the crust on the day you serve it. Leftovers keep for 3 days in the fridge. Nutrition is for the cheese ball only, made with ricotta, without crackers.