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Light Whipped Cranberry Feta Cheese Ball: Easy 5-Minute Recipe

light whipped cranberry feta cheese ball - featured image

A light and airy whipped feta cheese ball with sweet dried cranberries and crunchy pecans. Ready in just 5 minutes, it’s the perfect healthy-ish appetizer for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (block-style in brine preferred)
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (full-fat or 2%)
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans, for rolling
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped (optional)

Instructions

  1. Soften the feta: Take feta out of fridge 15 minutes before starting. If in a hurry, microwave for 10 seconds but do not melt.
  2. Pulse the feta: Add crumbled feta to food processor. Pulse 5-6 times until it looks like coarse sand. Scrape down sides.
  3. Add the yogurt: Spoon in Greek yogurt and pulse again until mixture starts to clump together like wet dough.
  4. Whip it good: Turn food processor on and let run for 60-90 seconds. Stop and scrape down sides halfway through. Mixture should become smooth and creamy, like thick whipped cream.
  5. Add the cranberries: Toss in chopped dried cranberries and pulse 2-3 times to distribute evenly. Do not overmix.
  6. Shape the ball: Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap. Scoop whipped feta mixture onto center. Use plastic wrap to gather into a ball shape, twisting top to secure. Gently squeeze and shape until round and smooth.
  7. Chill it: Refrigerate wrapped cheese ball for at least 30 minutes. For a quicker option, freeze for 15 minutes.
  8. Coat and serve: Spread chopped pecans on a small plate. Unwrap chilled cheese ball and roll gently in nuts, pressing lightly so they stick. Transfer to serving plate and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For best results, use block-style feta in brine and full-fat Greek yogurt. Let feta come to room temperature before whipping. If mixture feels too soft to shape, chill for 10 minutes before wrapping. Can be made up to 3 days in advance. Freezes well for up to a month.

Nutrition

Keywords: whipped feta cheese ball, cranberry feta cheese ball, light cheese ball, easy appetizer, 5-minute recipe, healthy cheese ball, gluten-free appetizer