With flavours of a traditional turkey dinner, this cheese ball is sure to please and is amazingly easy to make. There are only a few ingredients and it takes no time at all to prepare.
This is seriously such a simple recipe. I mean, Boursin cheese is already a cheese ball on its own, but with just a few additions you’ve got yourself a really tasty appetizer. Think Thanksgiving all wrapped up in a cheesy ball. Spread on crackers, toasted baguette slices or even slices of fall fruit like apples or pears.
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You could go all out and use chopped leftover cooked turkey but since you’d likely be serving this before a turkey dinner, a can of Flakes of Turkey comes in handy. There are national brands and generic brands and best of all, they’re all very affordable. Make sure to drain the meat, rinse and drain well so you aren’t adding extra liquid to the mixture.
A regular sized package of Boursin cheese is the perfect amount to add to one can of meat. Since it’s already soft you can mix it with the turkey right away without waiting for it to be room temperature. In this recipe I’m using Garlic and Fine Herb. You could also use Shallot and Chive. And guess what? I recently saw Cranberry and Black Pepper Boursin Cheese. You could actually make your Turkey and Cranberry Cheese Ball with that and skip the cranberries.
Real cranberries would make this a messy cheese ball. That’s where dried cranberries come in. They are easily found in grocery stores with salad toppings or with other dried fruits and nuts. You don’t need a lot in this cheese ball but save the rest to add to salads or a charcuterie board.
Fresh herbs add the flavour of a stuffed turkey to this Cheese Ball. And a nice pop of green to the mixture. I would not recommend dried herbs because they would overpower the other flavours. But lots of cracked black pepper works well. And save some extra herbs to sprinkle on top too.
Once you’ve mixed everything up, use plastic wrap or parchment paper to form a ball and toss it in the fridge for at least an hour. You can even make one in advance and refrigerate over night. It doesn’t get too firm like some cheese balls. This one is the perfect consistency to easily spread on crackers from the moment you take it out of the fridge.
If you make a Turkey and Cranberry Cheese Ball, consider leaving a comment or rating below. Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 can flakes of turkey 156 g or 5.3 oz
- 1 package garlic and fine herb Boursin cheese 150 g or 5.3 oz
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley plus extra for garnish
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves plus extra for garnish
- pinch of salt
- generous amount cracked black pepper use more or less as desired
Instructions
- Drain liquid from canned turkey, rinse and drain well. Add to mixing bowl along with Boursin cheese.
- Measure ¼ cup dried cranberries and roughly chop. Add to turkey mixture.
- Chop herbs. Add to other ingredients along with salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Scoop mixture onto large piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper and form into a ball, sealing well. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or over night.
- Place chilled cheese ball on a plate and sprinkle reserved herbs over top. Serve with crackers, baguette slices, fruit slices etc.
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