These herbed ricotta cheese balls are a cute appetizer, and especially perfect for the holidays! Super easy to make, the creamy ricotta is flavoured with thyme and then coated with herbs, spices and nuts for lots of taste.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Cute and fun - these little ricotta balls are perfect for a holiday appetizer or as party food.
- Versatile - choose one of the toppings, or all three!
- Easy to make - a simple recipe and one that kids may like to take part in.
Ingredients
Fresh cheese and pantry staples make up the main ingredients:
- Ricotta cheese - you want the fresh ricotta that usually comes in a tub.
- Breadcrumbs - helps to bind the balls together. Use gluten free bread if required.
- Thyme - to flavour the ricotta.
- Salt and pepper - to season.
- Pistachios, turmeric, fresh parsley, sweet paprika - either choose your favourite topping or make all the different varieties!
Variations to the recipe
You can either choose one or all of the following combinations:
- Herbed ricotta balls (with fresh parsley).
- Pistachio coated balls.
- Spiced ricotta balls (with turmeric and sweet paprika).
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Begin by blending the white bread in a food processor to make bread crumbs. Set aside. Then blend the pistachio nuts with a few pulses of a food processor to chop into small pieces.
Step 2: Tip the ricotta into a large bowl, draining of any liquid in the container first. Mix in the bread crumbs, vinegar, thyme (or herb of your choice), salt and pepper (if using).
Step 3: Using a melon baller or spoon, scoop out some of the ricotta mixture and form into a ball using your hands.
Step 4: Separately sprinkle the pistachio nuts, parsley and sweet paprika and turmeric on a chopping board or in a bowl. Roll the ball in the nuts, herb or spice. I use parsley and pistachio nuts for separate balls, and combine the sweet paprika and turmeric for others. You can just use sweet paprika by itself. Coat evenly. Repeat for the rest of the balls, trying to keep them about the same size.
Step 4: If you wish, use toothpicks to serve.
More appetizers to enjoy
Whipped ricotta dip with herbs and honey
Herb cream cheese stuffed mini peppers
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Herbed ricotta cheese balls
Ingredients
For the ricotta balls
- 200 g ricotta
- 1 small slice white bread
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or herb of choice
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar
- pinch pink himalayan salt
- pinch black pepper optional
For the ricotta balls toppings
- small handful pistschios
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- small handful fresh parsley finely diced
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
Instructions
- Begin by blending the white bread in a nutribullet or food processor to make bread crumbs. Set aside. Then blend the pistachio nuts with a few pulses of a food processor or nutribullet to chop into small pieces.
- Tip the ricotta into a large bowl, draining of any liquid in the container first. Mix in the bread crumbs, vinegar, thyme (or herb of your choice), salt and pepper (if using).
- Using a melon baller or spoon, scoop out some of the ricotta mixture and form into a ball using your hands.
- Separately sprinkle the pistachio nuts, parsley and sweet paprika and turmeric on a chopping board or in a bowl. Roll the ball in the nuts, herb or spice. I use parsley and pistachio nuts for separate balls, and combine the sweet paprika and turmeric for others. You can just use sweet paprika by itself. Coat evenly. Repeat for the rest of the balls, trying to keep them about the same size.
- Arrange on a board or plate, and add a cocktail stick. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Add the breadcrumbs gradually so that you achieve the consistency of preference.
- Drain any excess liquid from the ricotta as it is quite a wet cheese, and it won't hold together as well if too wet. If you feel that your ricotta mixture is still too wet add more breadcrumbs to the mixture.
- Personally I would make sure you use salt, and the thyme or herb of choice to make the balls as ricotta is a very mild flavour by itself.
Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance (SIGHI) food compatibility list for histamine
All ingredients score 0 on the SIGHI list with the exception of:- bread crumbs, as wheat scores a 1.
- black pepper, which scores 2, although the list states that small amounts are tolerated.
- apple cider vinegar, which scores 1. If you prefer, then white distilled vinegar scores 0 or you can omit from the recipe.
Sheryl Chan says
These look so fun and absolutely delightful. Looks great for storing and munching on too!
Alison Hayes says
These sounds deliviously tempting! Something my partner might like too...will keep it in mind if I'm going to need to make something, because as you said, it looks like it was more work than it sounds like it is! 🙂
throughthefibrofog says
oh really easy! Maybe good for the holidays coming up too 🙂
Shruti Chopra says
O' my how have I missed this recipe! I will substitute the bread with gluten free bread and let you know how it goes but this looks so yum and fun too. Sometimes, when you're unwell, you want a fun thing like this to change things up. Thank you for making food simpler for us.
throughthefibrofog says
yes, would love your feedback as one of my number one food triers (if that is a phrase!). Good for the holidays too I think 🙂
Elle says
Hi, I'm confused, I thought vinegars are higher in histamines?
throughthefibrofog says
Hi Elle, there are some vinegars that the SIGHI list rates as lower histamine (white distilled vinegar in particular) if that is the list you are following. But of course, if you react to it then you can simply leave it out of this recipe. Hope you like the ricotta balls!