Smoked Salmon Cheese Ball
User Reviews
5
Smoked Salmon Cheese Ball
Description
The recipe begins by mixing softened cream cheese and sour cream with smoked salmon and finely diced red onion, enhanced with lemon pepper seasoning. The mixture is combined until uniform, then formed into a ball. If the mixture is too soft to shape, chilling it briefly helps it firm up.
To finish, the cheese ball is rolled in a finely chopped combination of pecans and fresh herbs, providing a crunchy and flavorful outer layer that contrasts with the smooth and creamy interior. This contrast of textures and the subtle smoky, lemony flavor from the seasoning offers a balanced, rich appetizer.
Serve the cheese ball immediately with crackers or vegetable slices. It can also be refrigerated, allowing the flavors to intensify overnight. This flexibility makes it convenient for preparing ahead of events. Variations such as using vegan cream cheese or adding liquid smoke with regular salmon can adapt the recipe to dietary preferences without sacrificing the core flavor profile.
You can intensify the smoky flavor by adding 1 teaspoon liquid smoke when using regular salmon instead of smoked salmon.For a dairy-free version, substitute the cream cheese with a vegan cream cheese spread.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cream cheese
- 12 ounces smoked salmon or regular salmon plus 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (see notes above)
- 2 tablespoon sour cream
- 1/2 cup red onion finely diced
- 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 cup pecans roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp chive chopped, fresh herbs
- 2 tbsp parsley
- 2 tbsp dill
Instructions
- Add the cream cheese, sour cream, salmon, red onion, and lemon pepper to a mixing bowl.
- Use your hands to mix everything together. Alternatively, you could use a stand mixer.
- Form the cheese mixture into a ball with your hands. The cheese will be soft, but it will firm up once chilled. If you feel it's too soft to make a ball, you can chill it for 30 minutes.
- Mix together your chopped pecans and fresh herbs. Place them in a single layer on a plate or cutting board.
- Roll the cheese ball into the pecans, until the entire outside is coated.
- Serve immediately with crackers or veggie slices or refrigerate the cheese ball, until desired. The flavor becomes more intensified the longer the ball sits in the fridge. So you can certainly make this the day before it's needed.
Notes
- You can intensify the smoky flavor by adding 1 teaspoon liquid smoke when using regular salmon instead of smoked salmon.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute the cream cheese with a vegan cream cheese spread.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 227 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 227kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 4g | 1% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Cholesterol | 49mg | 16% |
| Sodium | 346mg | 14% |
| Potassium | 152mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 606IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 52mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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