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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Florida Strawberry Growers Association in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. All opinions are my own.
Cheese ball appetizers have taken over! This sweet and tangy Strawberry Basil Goat Cheese Ball is perfect for dipping pretzels or crackers, smothering over crostini, or eating straight off your fork!
One of the greatest things about living in Florida is being able to savor the flavors of summer well into the fall and winter months. We have a beautiful abundance of produce available all year long. Oftentimes, we Floridians (yes, I sort of am a Floridian now!) are the envy of most home-cooks as we make our way to the farmer’s market in the middle of December and January and come home with baskets full of vibrant, fresh ingredients to cook with. One of those ingredients? Strawberries!
Locally grown Florida strawberries are in season right now. The winter months aren’t usually associated with strawberries, but here in Florida, it’s easy to add flavor to all your favorite dishes with Fresh from Florida Strawberries. PLUS, strawberries have killer nutritional value. Did you know that 1 serving of strawberries (1 cup, 8 strawberries) equals your daily requirement of vitamin C? That one serving is less than 50 calories, has less than 3 teaspoons of sugar, and has 3 grams of fiber. Strawberries are rich in potassium, folate, and manganese, and they’re a total antioxidant powerhouse with the potential to help prevent cancer. If you weren’t a strawberry lover before, I’m sure you are now!
One of my favorite flavors to pair with strawberries is a pretty popular one — basil. These two ingredients complement each other so well in so many different dishes, but I’ve never seen them in a cheese ball! In fact, I wasn’t too familiar with cheese ball appetizers at all until a recent holiday party I attended. There was an entire table full of cheese ball spreads. Everything from Tex-Mex to Spinach and Artichoke, and even S’mores! It was totally inspiring, and led me to create this Strawberry Basil Goat Cheese Ball — the perfect recipe to contribute to this week’s #SundaySupper theme. We’re teaming up with Florida Strawberry to bring you lots of tasty breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes using Fresh from Florida Strawberries. Strawberry Basil Goat Cheese Ball isn’t technically a breakfast, lunch or dinner recipe — it’s all three! Spread it on toast for a morning treat, or use it as a dip for pretzels or crackers for a light lunch or appetizer before dinner!
Craving more strawberry recipes? Visit Strawberry Sue for ideas! Make sure to follow Florida Strawberry on social media:
- Florida Strawberry on Facebook
- Florida Strawberry on Twitter
- Florida Strawberry on Instagram
- Florida Strawberry on Pinterest
- Strawberry Sue on YouTube
- Strawberry Sue on Twitter
There’s also a fun Instagram contest you can enter to win a $25, $50, or $100 gift card! It’s super easy to enter. Share a photo featuring a strawberry using the hashtag #FLStrawberry. The contest runs until January 17th, and winners will be announced during our live #SundaySupper Twitter chat on Sunday, January 17th.
- 2 8oz. blocks cream cheese, softened
- 1 12 oz. log goat cheese, softened
- ½ pint medium strawberries, diced small
- 2-3 tbsp fresh basil
- dash of kosher salt
- plastic wrap
- Whip together cream cheese and goat cheese in a stand mixer until well combined.
- Fold in diced strawberries, basil, and salt.
- Refrigerate mixture for at least 1-2 hours.
- Spoon mixture in the center of a large piece of plastic wrap and cover completely.
- Mold the mixture into a ball and refrigerate, still covered in the plastic wrap, until ready to serve.
Let’s see what my fellow #SundaySupper friends have prepared with their Fresh from Florida Strawberries:
Strawberries for Starters
- Crispy Strawberry and Brie Bites by Ruffles & Truffles
- Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Flatbread by The Crumby Cupcake
- Strawberry Basil Goat Cheese Ball by Take A Bite Out of Boca
Strawberries for Breakfast
- Creamy Strawberry Chia Seed Avocado Smoothie by An Appealing Plan
- Fresh Strawberry Breakfast Parfait by The Freshman Cook
- Strawberry Balsamic Frittata by Gluten Free Crumbley
- Strawberry Bread by Desserts Required
- Strawberry Breakfast Cake by Recipe for Perfection
- Strawberry French Toast Kabobs by Recipes Food and Cooking
- Strawberry Guacamole & Bacon Toast by I’m Not the Nanny
Strawberries for Lunch
- Strawberry-Poppyseed Chicken Salad Sandwiches by Casa de Crews
- Venison Street Tacos by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
- Strawberry Brie Flatbread Salad by Family Foodie
- Strawberry Caprese Salad by Life Tastes Good
Strawberries for Dinner
- Balsamic Pork Salad with Strawberries and Goat Cheese by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Healthy One Pot Chicken Strawberry Paella by Food Done Light
- Pecan Chicken with Strawberry Chipotle Salsa by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
- Quinoa with Salmon and Strawberries by Cooking Chat
- Strawberry BBQ Meatballs by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Strawberry Risotto by Magnolia Days
Plus don’t miss Delicious Strawberry Ideas and Sweet Recipes by Sunday Supper Movement
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
Great flavors! I love that you added basil, and what a great idea to have a variety of cheese balls at a party. I’ve never thought to do that!
This is SO going on my NYE menu this week. It’s festive and fresh – so perfect!
This sounds like a great, easy party appetizer!
I love strawberries and cheese! I can’t wait to try this cheese ball!
Love the combination. Strawberry, basil and goat cheese just sound like they belong together!
Hello, fellow Floridian! Gotta love those FL Strawberries. 🙂 I am a goat cheese fanatic, so this is perfect for New Year’s Eve.
The color alone of that cheese ball would brighten up any party. The flavor would keep folks coming back for more.
First of all, I love cheese balls, and this is just the most impressive one I have seen yet!
Cheese balls a classic party appetizer! Does entertaining get any easier?! Looks delish!