How to Make a Spring Thyme Cheese Ball

cheese ball formed as a nest

Debbie Williams

Celebrate Spring this year with a delicious cheese ball. Quick and easy to put together, it's guaranteed to impress your guests!

Prepare the Ingredients

Let the cream cheese come to room temperature. Wash and chop the fresh parsley and onions. Slice and fry the bacon until crispy. Chop the pecans.

Chopping parsley

Debbie Williams

Bacon frying

Debbie Williams

Make the Cheese Ball

In a medium sized bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, pimento, 1/4 cup parsley, onion, salt and pepper.

Combining ingredients

Debbie Williams

Stir to combine.

Stir cheese

Debbie Williams

Add shredded cheddar and Swiss cheeses.

Add shredded cheeses

Debbie Williams

Stir again.

Stir cheeses

Debbie Williams

Fold in about half of the bacon.

Add bacon

Debbie Williams

Turn out the mixture onto plastic wrap, fold over and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours, or overnight.

Cheese ball wrapped in plastic wrap

Debbie Williams

Create the "Nest"

In a small bowl, mix reserved chopped parsley, chopped pecans, and remaining bacon. Spread out over a piece of plastic wrap.

Topping for the cheese ball

Debbie Williams

Cheese ball ready for topping

Debbie Williams

Scoop out the center of the cheese ball and reserve the part you remove. Shape the ball into a nest.

Scoop out the center

Debbie Williams

Pat the topping on the surface of the cheese ball.

Cover the cheese ball with the topping

Debbie Williams

Shape the reserved cheese into "eggs," roll in poppy seeds, and place in the center of the nest.

Shaped eggs set in the nest.

Debbie Williams

Arrange thyme sprigs around the top edge of the nest. Push the ends into the cheese to anchor each sprig.

Arranging thyme sprigs

Debbie Williams

Arrange vegetables and vegetables, and serve slightly chilled.

Ready to serve

Debbie Williams