Say hello to a delicious party appetizer with a bold Italian twist! This Italian Grinder Cheese Ball is a fusion inspired by the flavors of the beloved grinder sandwich and the classic cheese ball. Packed with savory deli meats like salami, pepperoni, and capicola, plus cheese and zesty pepperoncini in a seasoned cream cheese base, it’s finished with an outer layer of pepperoni and salami, just like the retro favorite. Perfect for spreading on crackers, this appetizer will be a favorite for your holiday spread or game-day gathering.
Why I love this appetizer, and hope you will, too
The retro classic Dried Beef Cheese Ball is an old family favorite here at Casa SoupAddict, and today’s variation was inspired by a sandwich I was assembling for a soup-and-sandwich dinner. The spread of deli meats I was using seemed particularly suited for the cheese ball concept, so I had to put it to the test. It passed!
But there was a surprise: While the deli meats were delish, it was actually the peppers that sent this Italian Grinder Cheese Ball right through the roof of deliciousness and connected the dots to the grinder sandwich. So, whatever you do, don’t skip the peppers!
An Italian Grinder Cheese Ball is –
- Unique and Flavorful: It’s not your typical cheese ball! The Italian grinder-inspired ingredients offer a delicious twist on the classic cheese ball.
- Easy to Make: With simple ingredients and minimal prep, this appetizer comes together quickly.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Prepare it in advance and stash in the fridge so you have one less thing to think about for your party.
- A Crowd-Pleaser: The combination of creamy cheese, savory meats, spicy pepperoncini, and herbs is a sure-fire hit.
- Festive: Its striking mosaic appearance with red and green colors makes it perfect for holiday gatherings.
Main Ingredients and Substitutions
Deli meats — You have some options here, which is always nice around the holidays, both for personal taste preferences but also for dealing with empty store displays as the days close in (am I speaking from personal experience? why yes I am). In the photos here, I’ve used pepperoni, Genoa salami, and capicola.
A traditional Italian grinder sandwich might include ham, turkey, prosciutto, spicy salamis, etc. For this cheese ball, I recommend that you stick to the sturdy cured meats and skip the flimsier turkey and ham. Any kind of salami would work here, as would other cured meats, such as prosciutto or speck.
Cheese — Provolone or muenster is traditional on the namesake’s sandwich, but I went with a smoked gouda for an extra cheesy kick. The advantage of provolone on the sandwich is that it provides that lovely melt factor when the grinder is heated. But for this cheese ball, where melt isn’t involved, I prefer the stronger flavor of an aged cheese. A sharp white cheddar would be lovely, too.
Cream cheese — This provides the base for the cheese ball, so you’ll be using the entire block. I use full fat because holidays, but you can substitute a lower fat version if you’re okay with the somewhat tangier, less rich flavor.
Pickled pepperoncini — These peppers are classic ingredients in a grinder sandwich, and they are amazing flavor boosters in this cheese ball. During the winter holidays, fresh pepperoncini will be very difficult to find in many regions, but pickled pepperoncini should be available year round. Unfortunately for me, the stores nearby only sell them in ginormous jars that I will never finish. So, I substitute jarred, pickled banana peppers. They don’t share exactly the same flavor, but they have a similar effect, so they’re a great substitute.
Seasonings — Although the deli meats have tons of flavor, keep in mind that dairy products, like cream cheese, actually dampen flavors. So, you’ll want to season the cream cheese for maximum impact. Here, I turned to the sub dressing that’s used on the sandwich, as well as Worcestershire sauce for umami, Italian herbs, and garlic and onion powder for punch.
Sub dressing is simply an unsweetened combo of olive oil, red wine vinegar, and Italian herbs, and is often found in the deli of grocery stores (rather than the salad dressing aisle). If you can’t find sub dressing, choose a simple oil-based Italian dressing. Something without added sugar (Ken’s Simply Vinaigrette springs to mind, although I’m sure there are other brands).
Cook’s Notes
- Salami and pepperoni are often packaged in two different cuts: sandwich and cracker. Sandwich slices are large rounds, while cracker cuts — like what you’ll find on a pizza — are small enough to sit on a round appetizer cracker without overhang. Cracker cuts are often thicker than sandwich cuts. It doesn’t really matter which you use, although I find that sandwich cuts simply spread better because they don’t make the cheese ball lumpy. Also, the amounts of the deli meats that I call for in the ingredients are flexible, because different brands, and stores that package cold cuts in-house, will have different weights. Being over or under by a little bit won’t matter for this appetizer.
- If you can help it at all, try not to skip the peppers, as they really drive home the Italian sub aspect of the flavors.
- Like most dips and spreads, the flavor of the Italian Grinder Cheese Ball won’t fully bloom until it has rested in the fridge for a few hours. So, don’t be tempted to add salt if you’ve tasted the mixture after stirring everything together and found it mild. With the cured meats, W-sauce, and cheese, it shouldn’t need extra salt at all. Patience, Grasshopper. All will be well.
How to Make an Italian Grinder Cheese Ball
Ready to make the recipe? Skip to the recipe card now to get the full ingredient list, quantities, prep times, and detailed instructions. Or, keep scrolling for a visual walk-through of making this appetizer.
Prep notes
Here are some helpful guidelines for prepping the recipe ingredients. Anything that simply needs to be measured out of a container – such as dried herbs and liquids – are not addressed here. Note that you can absolutely measure everything out into separate bowls or containers ahead of time. It’s a classic organizational technique called mise en place — literally, “everything in its place” — that helps the cooking workflow run smoothly.
- Soften the cream cheese. The block of cream cheese will be too stiff to work with right out of the refrigerator, so you’ll want to let it warm a little to make it easy to stir in and combine the ingredients. You can do this by letting the wrapped block sit on the kitchen counter for 30 to 60 minutes. Or, you can unwrap the block, place it on a microwave-safe plate, and heat it in the microwave. Use 20-second bursts at 50% power until you can easily poke your finger or a spoon into the block with little resistance. If you’ve accidentally softened it too much — i.e., it won’t hold a shape — put it back in the fridge to firm up.
- Chop the deli meats into small pieces. I usually stack two or three salami or pepperoni slices at a time, cut them in half, and pile one stack of halves on the other. Then I slice the stack into thin strips, and then into small squares. This minimizes the amount of cutting strokes you need to make. You can also use kitchen shears to snip small pieces into a bowl.
- Grate the cheese. Use the small holes on your grater to produce a fine shred that will blend into the cheese ball.
- Chopped the peppers into a very fine dice.
- Chop the green onions. Cut off and discard the root end of the green onion (also sometimes called a scallion). Then slice and chop the entire onion. If you’re a control freak like me, you can separate the white and light green parts from the dark green parts, and use the dark green pieces for the outer coating of the bulb. Not required; it doesn’t affect flavor, only appearance!
Step 1: Mix the seasonings into the softened cream cheese
Place the softened cream cheese block into a medium mixing bowl and stir in the dressing, Worcestershire sauce, and herbs and spices.
Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients
Add the cured meats, cheese, peppers, and green onions. Use a sturdy spatula to fold everything into the cream cheese until evenly distributed.
Use the spatula to shape the cream cheese mixture into a ball in the bowl, scraping down the sides of the bowl to get as much into the ball as possible. It doesn’t have to be perfect at this point; just do the best you can.
Cover the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the cream cheese a little. It’s probably pretty sticky at this point, and the outer coating will go on easier if it’s a little bit — but not all the way — firm.
Step 3: Add the outer coating
Place a large rectangle of cling wrap on a flat surface. If you have one, place a small board under the cling wrap as your work surface (see photo above). This is so you can easily rotate the board to see all sides of the cheese ball.
Center the cheese ball on the cling wrap (and on the board, if using). Pick up a pinch of the reserved cured meat pieces and press them into the ball. Repeat with more pinches, covering the visible areas of the ball as best you can. You don’t need to cover the bottom of the ball. In fact, leaving it bare will help the cheese ball adhere to its serving plate as your guests are scooping into it.
Step 4: Refrigerate
When the ball is coated, use clean, dry hands to gently press the cheese ball into a spherical shape, while at the same time giving a final little press on the cured meat pieces, to help them adhere to the ball.
Draw up the corners and edges of the cling wrap above the ball, and secure. Refrigerate the wrapped ball for a minimum of 2 hours before using.
To serve, carefully unwrap the cheese ball and transfer from the cling wrap to a serving plate or platter. Provide a spreader knife for spreading on crackers.
Storing
You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, or rewrap with cling wrap. The cheese ball will last several days.
I hope this savory cheese ball makes the cut for your appetizer table, and that you and your love it as much as I do!
Italian Grinder Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese , softened to a stirrable consistency
- 2 teaspoons sub dressing*
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 ounces pepperoni , cut into small pieces** (about 6 slices)
- 2 ounces salami , cut into small pieces (about 6 slices)
- 2 ounces capicola , cut into small pieces (about 4 slices)
- 1/4 cup finely grated aged cheese (such as smoked gouda or sharp cheddar)
- 2 green onions , chopped very finely
- 4 rings mild pickled pepperoncini or banana peppers (that’s 4 rings or slices, not whole peppers)
Instructions
- First, set aside 1 heaping tablespoon each of the pepperoni pieces, the salami pieces, and the green onions in a small bowl, for coating the outside of the cheese ball (I use the dark green onion parts for complementary coloring with the red salamis). Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sub dressing, Worcestershire sauce, Italian herbs, onion powder, and garlic powder, stirring well to combine. (You can do this by hand with a spatula; you won’t need a mixer, unless you want to use one.)
- Add in the cold cuts, cheese, green onions, and banana peppers, and stir well to distribute evenly.
- Scrape the cream cheese mixture into a rough ball while still in the bowl (you’re pre-forming the round cheese ball). Cover the bowl, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to harden a bit for handling purposes (otherwise it will be too sticky to deal with).
- Carefully transfer the cheese ball to the center of a large rectangle of cling wrap. If possible, work on a small board that you can easily rotate to see all sides of the cheese ball.
- Toss the reserved pepperoni, salami, and green onions together to create a confetti of color.
- Pick up a pinch of the pepperoni mix and press it into the ball, repeating with more pinches and presses until you’ve evenly covered the ball in a mosaic of pepperoni and salami. Leave the underside of the ball bare so that it will more easily adhere to its serving plate as your guests scoop from it.
- Using clean, dry hands, gently press the cheese ball into an attractive spherical shape, while giving an extra press on the outer coating to make sure it’s secured in the cream cheese.
- Draw up the corners and edges of the cling wrap above the cheese ball, twist together, and secure with a twist tie.
- Refrigerate for at least two hours to thoroughly set. Serve with a spreader knife and crackers.