Dairy-Free New Year’s Cheese Ball

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Looking for a dairy-free option for a New Year’s appetizer? Well, this plant-based ‘cheese’ ball with thyme, lemon, and cherry is it! Creamy and smooth, the nuts give a perfect cheese texture, while the bright citrus, earthy thyme, and sweet cherries add depth and sophistication of flavors. While the total time for this recipe seems like a lot, most of that time is spent soaking the nuts and ‘curing’ the cheese to get rid of excess liquid, so don’t let the time scare you. I like to bake this cheese ball for 25-30 minutes for a softer, almost goat cheese texture. However, if you want the cheese to be crumblier instead of spreadable, you can continue baking for a total of 45 minutes. This cheese ball is dairy-free, vegan, and protein-packed making for the perfect crowd-pleasing appetizer! Try serving this with my Thyme Almond Flour Crackers for the perfect pairing! Happy almost New Year’s Eve friends! Enjoy!

                                                                    

Dairy-Free New Year’s Cheese Ball 

Serves 8
Soaking: 6 hours 
Prep: 15 min
Drying: 24 hours
Cooking: 30 min
Total:  30 hours 45 min 
Beginner

Ingredients:

1 cup almonds, unroasted, soaked   

1 cup cashew, unroasted, soaked  

¼ cup lemon juice

2 Tbsp. water

1 tsp. salt 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

2 Tbsp. thyme, fresh and chopped 

1 Tbsp. lemon zest, fresh 

¼ cup cherries, frozen or fresh, chopped

  Method Of Prep:

  1. Start by measuring out your almonds and cashews.
  2. Place in a large bowl. Cover with cool water and let soak for 6-8 hours.
  3. After time has elapsed, drain the nuts and discard the water.
  4. Gather and prep ingredients. Set up your high-speed blender.
  5. Add in soaked nuts, lemon juice, water, and salt.
  6. Blend on high until smooth. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides occasionally. If it does not seem to be blending well, add 1 tbsp. of water at a time until smooth, set aside.
  7. In a kitchen towel add cherries and squeeze out excess juice.
  8. Once the nut mixture is smooth add in garlic, thyme, lemon zest, and chopped cherries. Gently fold in ingredients with a spatula.
  9. Now using a large square of cheese cloth, place the mixture in the middle.
  10. Gather up the sides and shape into a ball. Tie tightly with butcher’s twine, and squeeze out any excess liquid you can.
  11. Now we will let this cheese ball cure in the fridge for 24 hours. Hang in your fridge securely and place a small bowl underneath to catch any drippings.
  12. Once the 24 hours has elapsed, take down the cheese ball and preheat the oven to 325°F.
  13. Take the ball out of the cheesecloth and place on a lined sheet tray.
  14. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven to cool slightly.
  15. Serve immediately with your favorite accompaniments. Enjoy!

                       

Nutrition Facts: 
Calories- 190
Carbs- 9.5 g
Fat- 15 g
Protein- 6.4 g