(Smoky) Almond Cheese Ball – Recipe Diaries

This smoky almond salmon cheeseball is a type of retro-style appetizers that by no means goes out of favor — creamy, savory, a bit of smoky, and excellent for entertaining.
This recipe comes from an previous newspaper clipping from years in the past, the type of basic appetizer recipe that used to run across the holidays. It’s the kind of dish folks reduce out, saved, and introduced to each household gathering – lengthy earlier than meals blogs and TikTok developments. My Mother likes to convey this to simply about each Christmas Eve dinner we have now.
I like this recipe as a result of it feels fancy on a platter, nevertheless it’s extremely straightforward to make forward. Whether or not you’re serving it for the vacations, a sport day unfold, or an informal get-together, this cheeseball at all times disappears quick.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy, savory, and calmly smoky
- Simple to make forward (even the day earlier than)
- No baking required
- Nice with crackers, crostini, or veggies
- Traditional taste combo that friends acknowledge and love
- You may also like this recipe for Cheddar Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball or Boursin Cheese Dip
That is a type of “folks ask for the recipe” appetizers — particularly in the event that they grew up with cheeseballs at household gatherings.
Components Wanted for Almond Cheese Ball
- 1 8 oz Cream cheese (softened) – The bottom that makes the cheeseball wealthy and spreadable
- 1 can Cooked or canned salmon, finely chopped – Provides protein and savory taste
- 1 tablespoons Pimentos (diced) – Gentle sweetness and shade
- 2 tablespoons Inexperienced bell pepper (finely diced) – Recent crunch and basic cheeseball taste
- 1 small bag Toasted slivered almonds (chopped) – Nutty texture contained in the cheeseball
- Liquid smoke – Only a small quantity provides that smoky depth
- Salt & black pepper – To style
Substitution Ideas
- Salmon: Smoked salmon works too, however skip or scale back the liquid smoke if utilizing it
- Bell pepper: Crimson bell pepper can be utilized for a sweeter taste
- Almonds: Sliced almonds work finest for coating, however chopped almonds work inside
- Liquid smoke: Use sparingly — begin with just a few drops and style
Learn how to Make a Smoky Almond Salmon Cheeseball
Step 1 In a dry skillet over medium warmth, add the slivered almonds. Cook dinner for 3–5 minutes, stirring incessantly, till calmly golden and aromatic. Take away from the warmth instantly and let cool fully. You too can do that in an oven. 350 for 3 – 5 minutes.
Step 2 In a mixing bowl, mix the softened cream cheese and chopped salmon till clean.
Step 3 Stir within the pimentos, inexperienced bell pepper, chopped toasted almonds, liquid smoke, salt, and pepper. Combine till all the pieces is evenly integrated.
Step 4 Form the combination right into a ball utilizing plastic wrap. Chill for a minimum of 1–2 hours, or till agency.
Step 5 Roll the chilled cheeseball in sliced or slivered almonds, gently urgent them into the floor.
Serving Options
- Serve with buttery crackers, wheat crackers, or water crackers
- Pair with crostini or toasted baguette slices
- Add recent veggies like cucumber rounds or celery sticks
- Welcome boost to a vacation appetizer board
- This can be a nice low carb or keto recipe. Simply discover some crackers which might be low carb for dipping!
Professional Ideas from My Kitchen
- Finely chop the peppers so the cheeseball holds collectively cleanly
- Toast the almonds first for one of the best taste
- Let the cheeseball sit at room temperature for 10–quarter-hour earlier than serving for simpler spreading
- Make it the evening earlier than — the flavour will get even higher
Storage
- Retailer wrapped tightly within the fridge for as much as 3 days
- Maintain almonds separate and roll simply earlier than serving for finest texture
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Almond Cheese Ball
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Whole Time: 15 min
Yield: 8 1x
Class: Simple
Technique: Appetizer
Delicacies: American
- 1 8 oz Cream cheese (softened)
- 1 7 ¾ oz can Cooked or canned salmon, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Inexperienced bell pepper (finely diced)
- 1 small bag Toasted slivered almonds (chopped)
- ½ tsp Liquid smoke
- Salt & black pepper – To style
Directions
- In a dry skillet over medium warmth, add the slivered almonds. Cook dinner for 3–5 minutes, stirring incessantly, till calmly golden and aromatic. Take away from the warmth instantly and let cool fully. You too can toast the almonds in an oven.
- In a mixing bowl, mix the softened cream cheese and chopped salmon till clean.
- Stir within the pimentos, inexperienced bell pepper, chopped toasted almonds, liquid smoke, salt, and pepper.
- Combine till all the pieces is evenly integrated.
- Form the combination right into a ball utilizing plastic wrap.
- Chill for a minimum of 1–2 hours, or till agency.
- Roll the chilled cheeseball in sliced or slivered almonds, gently urgent them into the floor.
Notes
- Serve with buttery crackers, wheat crackers, or water crackers
- Pair with crostini or toasted baguette slices



