Goat Cheese Balls
No cook Goat Cheese Balls are creamy, tangy mini cheese balls made with goat cheese, bacon, and pistachio you can serve on snack tables, at cocktail parties, or as a wine pairing. These goat cheese truffles are served cold and are not fried.
I love them so much, they have their own category on my blog.
We have the ever so popular bacon cheese ball and jalapeno popper cheese ball bites.
There is chocolate chip cheese ball and chocolate cheese ball for dessert.
And now we have these Goat Cheese Balls!
They’re creamy, tangy mini cheese balls made with goat cheese, bacon, and pistachio you can serve to ring in the new year.
Goat cheese was the first cheese that popped into my mind because it’s one of my favorite cheeses. Named after the use of goat’s milk, it’s a bit tangy and almost like a savory cream cheese.
I added bacon because you always need bacon and rolled the cheese truffles in pistachios that added a nice (and necessary) crunch. You can eat them as is or serve on crackers.
When I was doing research on goat cheese balls, I noticed most of the recipes are fried.
These, my friends, are not fried. They are no cook creamy mini cheese balls served straight from the fridge.
That means you can make them ahead of time for your small charcuterie board, New Year’s Eve parties, football snack tables, or private wine tasting at home on your couch while you watch your favorite TV shows.
We can even be extra fancy and call them goat cheese truffles.
Ingredients For Goat Cheese Balls
To make your goat cheese balls recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Goat cheese: A creamy, tangy cheese made from goat’s milk. You can also substitute cream cheese.
- Bacon: A salty, crispy component to balance the soft texture
- Garlic and onion powders: Rather than adding raw garlic and onion, I used powders so they have the flavor without that strong, raw taste
- Salt: Seasons the cheese
- Pistachios: Adds a much needed crunch
How To Make Goat Cheese Balls
Ready to make your goat cheese truffles? Let’s get started!
- Beat together goat cheese, bacon, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
- Scoop into 1 inch balls.
- Roll each ball into pistachios to coat.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Serve your mini cheese balls on crackers with Sauvignon Blanc wine (which pairs best because the acidity in the wine matches the tangy acidity in the cheese) or with pomegranate punch (with or without alcohol).
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Can you make mini cheese balls ahead of time?
Yes, these goat cheese truffles are destined to be made ahead of time for up to 2 days!
The more time they have to chill, the better the flavor will be because the ingredients will have time to develop together.
However, if you know you’re not serving them the day of, I recommend not rolling them in pistachios until roughly an hour before eating. That way the nuts don’t get too soggy!
Goat Cheese Balls
No cook Goat Cheese Balls are creamy, tangy mini cheese balls made with goat cheese, bacon, and pistachio you can serve on snack tables, at cocktail parties, or as a wine pairing. These goat cheese truffles are served cold and are not fried.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons crumbled bacon (roughly 1 slice cooked bacon)
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (not salt)
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder (not salt)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup finely chopped pistachios
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl (using paddle attachment if using stand mixer), beat together goat cheese, bacon, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
- Using a #60 small cookie scoop or by hand, roll the mixture into 1-inch balls.
- In a small bowl or plate, add the pistachios. Roll each ball into the nuts, covering as much as you can. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Enjoyed this recipe? Check out Jalapeno Cheese Ball Bites, Bacon Cheese Ball, Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball, and Chocolate Cheese Ball.
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What heavenly little bites for Game Day. Or any day as far as I’m concerned.
An everyday treat!
Such a creative combination of flavors…and no baking involved! Delicious!
Yup so when the oven is hogged up with chicken wings and dips, you can still snack on these truffles ;)
Cheese, please!!! I am always one of the people standing guard over the cheese offering at a party, so these sound right up my alley! I love anything with goat cheese, and it sounds perfect to pair with the sauvignon blanc!
Can never get enough cheese (and wine)!
Carla! Love that you made mini cheese balls?! Hello? Brilliant! and I also love watching the commercials. . I worked in advertising for about 12 years so love watching how so many companies and advertisers shell out millions and millions of dollars for :30 or :60! :P
I’m a video producer, so I sit there and try to figure out how they were all made ;)
SO easy, SO delicious! You’ve hit a home run with these wonderful savory truffles, Carla!
Thanks Liz!
Goat cheese + bacon + wine = a party!
A fun party indeed!
You are a genius! I love this combination. The wine pairing is spot on as well. Yumm-o!
Thanks Shannon!
Oh yes please! Cheese Bacon and Pistachio rolled into one…. wow!
Can’t beat it ;)
Mmmm, Carla, everything is right about these! And goat cheese is one of my faves. Now you have me thinking of different combos to make more goat cheese truffles.
Ooo I’d be interested to hear what combos you come up with!
OMG Carla I’m on my way over! I’ll bring more Gallo Sauvignon Blanc! ;)
Hurry! ;)
Great flavor combo and it also looks so festive and pretty!
Thanks Amy!
I have almost everything at home to make these but I don’t think it would be safe to leave me alone with a serving of them. hmmm perhaps next time Braden and I do a cheese and meat lunch!
These truffles may be tiny, but they are mighty dangerous when it’s just you and them ;)
Finger food with bacon that pairs well with wine?! What’s not to like?
Bacon, wine, and cheese – what more can you want? ;)
Fantastic party appetizer Carla! And perfect with Gallo’s Sauv Blanc. Steelers are my #1 team too, and then come the Niners from my adopted home, but sadly neither made it to the Super Bowl this year.
Nope, the Steelers had quite a sad season. Hopefully next year!
Wow… you know me and goats cheese! This sounds amazing
Go Team Goat Cheese!
Oh yum, yum, yum! I love goat cheese and l love pistachios – what a great recipe!
Thanks :)
As an only child who never learned to share (this isn’t really true, but that’s the stereotype), I kind of love that I could have my OWN cheeseball and not have to share with anyone. Because these look wayyyyy too good to share. I don’t pair pistachios with goat cheese enough, but it’s a great combo.
I have an older brother and I still don’t like to share ;)
I love these savory little truffles. The goat cheese, bacon and pistachios sounds like such a tasty combination, perfectly paired with the Sauvignon Blanc!
Thanks Alida!
I love anything with goat cheese!
Me too! My favorite cheese.
Wow, these look amazing. These would be gobbled up at my house.
Thanks Jennie!
This is like having a gourmet snack food that takes only minutes to prepare. I love it and can’t wait to try it. I’m not much for football, but I’ll do the food and watch commercials and half-time. LOL
A gourmet snack with protein and dairy, right?
Finally, a savory truffle! You are my one true hero, Carla!
Hey somebody had to make one ;)
Hi need to know asap, are the pistachios roasted or not. Are they salted or unsalted. Can’t wait to try this.
The pistachios were not roasted. I recommend using unsalted so you can control the salt level especially since there’s bacon, but if you do use salted, you can taste and make adjustments to the filling.
I could see myself going to town on these! I love every ingredient in them! YUM!
Thanks Shawn!
Let’s see – I love goat cheese, I love bacon and I love pistachios. Pretty sure I’ll love this recipe. :)
Check, check, and check! Sounds like you need this recipe asap.
Oh yum three wonderful things all in one!
The best (savory) trio ever!
Why we have never thought to combine pistachos with cheese before is beyond me. These sound fantastic!
We need to pair them together more often, no?
Love your use of pistachios in this! I’ve done chocolate pistachio truffles in a similar method and they were so easy. The goat cheese combo sounds like an amazing combination that I will have to try out!!
Hi Carla came across your recipe on Pinterest and I was wondering how long could I keep them in the fridge before serving.
Hi Carla I have printed the recipe and saw where they can be made a few days ahead of time.
cheers
Love goat cheese (and all things bacon!) The wine pairing looks delicious!
How many does this receipe make?
Thanks for pointing this out! I recently switched recipe card plugins, which didn’t properly transfer all of the information. It makes about 18-20 mini cheese balls.