Creamed chipped beef cheese ball is a retro party favorite: softened cream cheese mixed with finely chopped dried beef, green onions, Worcestershire, garlic powder and onion powder, shaped into a ball and chilled until firm. It’s salty, savory and creamy, and it takes 15 minutes to mix plus a short chill. One ball serves 10 with buttery crackers.
How to make it: Soften 16 ounces of cream cheese and finely chop the chipped beef and green onions. Mix everything with the seasonings, taste before adding any salt, then shape it into a ball on plastic wrap. Chill at least 20 minutes, garnish with green onions and serve with crackers.
Why You’ll Love It
- No cooking: mix, shape and chill.
- Make ahead: it keeps in the refrigerator, so it’s ready before guests arrive.
- Big savory flavor: salty dried beef and Worcestershire against mild cream cheese.
- A holiday classic: the cheese ball that shows up at every Christmas and New Year’s party.
What Is Chipped Beef?
Chipped beef, also sold as dried beef, is beef that’s been salt-cured, dried and sliced paper-thin. It comes in small jars or packages near the canned meats or deli. It’s the same beef used in creamed chipped beef on toast, but here it goes straight from the package into the cheese ball, chopped fine. Because it’s cured, it’s very salty, which is why this recipe needs little or no added salt.
Ingredient Notes
Cream cheese: 16 ounces at room temperature. Softened cream cheese mixes smoothly without lumps.
Chipped dried beef: 8 ounces, finely chopped. Small pieces spread through the ball so every cracker gets some.
Green onions: 3 stalks, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish.
Seasonings: 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder.
Salt: only if needed. Taste the mixture first.
Crackers: buttery round crackers are the classic match.
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Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 8 oz chipped dried beef, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 3 stalks green onion, finely chopped (plus extra for garnish)
- Ritz crackers, for serving
- Salt, to taste
How to Make a Chipped Beef Cheese Ball
1. Prep. Leave the cream cheese at room temperature until it’s soft and easy to mix. Finely chop the chipped beef and green onions.
2. Mix. In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, chopped chipped beef, and green onions. Add Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder, mixing thoroughly. Taste before adding any salt, since dried beef is salty.
3. Shape and chill. Transfer the mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Shape into a ball and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to firm up.
4. Serve. Unwrap the cheese ball and place on a serving platter. Garnish with chopped green onions if desired. Serve with Ritz crackers or your favorite crackers.
Tips for a Perfect Cheese Ball
- Soften the cream cheese fully. It’s the only way to get a smooth, evenly mixed ball.
- Chop the beef fine. Big strips make the ball hard to scoop and the crackers break.
- Use plastic wrap to shape it. Gather the wrap around the mixture and twist it to form a round ball without sticky hands.
- Chill before serving. A firm ball holds its shape on the platter. Longer chilling makes it even firmer.
- Coat it at the last minute. If you roll it in chopped beef, onions or nuts, do it just before serving so the coating stays fresh.
- Let it sit out briefly. A few minutes at room temperature makes it easier to spread.
Variations
- Cheddar: mix in shredded sharp cheddar or white cheddar.
- Jalapeño: add diced jalapeños for heat.
- Old-fashioned: add a pinch of MSG seasoning, which older recipe cards often call for.
- Coated: roll the ball in extra chopped dried beef, green onions or chopped pecans.
- Dip: skip the shaping and serve the mixture in a bowl as a spread.
Ball, Log or Bites?
The same mixture takes any shape. A round ball on a platter is the classic. Rolled into a log, it’s easier to slice onto crackers for a buffet. For grab-and-go party food, scoop it into small balls, roll each one in chopped green onions and set a pretzel stick or cracker beside it. Whatever the shape, chill it until firm before serving, and set out a small spreader or butter knife so guests don’t break their crackers digging in.
Make Ahead & Storage
Make the cheese ball ahead and keep it tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Don’t leave it out on the party table for more than 2 hours. Wrap any leftovers and return them to the refrigerator.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with buttery crackers, pretzel crisps, celery sticks or bell pepper strips.
More cheese balls and party bites: cranberry pecan cheese ball, baked broccoli cheese balls, Rotel cream cheese sausage balls, mini pepper poppers, spinach puffs with cream cheese and the best dip in the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is chipped beef?
Salt-cured, dried beef sliced very thin, sold in jars or packages as dried beef.
What are other names for chipped beef?
Dried beef. Creamed chipped beef on toast is also known by its old military nickname, SOS.
Do I need to add salt?
Usually not. Dried beef is salty, so taste the mixture before adding any.
Can I make it the day before?
Yes. Keep it tightly wrapped in the refrigerator and garnish just before serving.
Can I add cheddar?
Yes. Shredded sharp or white cheddar mixes in well.
What crackers go best with it?
Buttery round crackers are the classic choice.
How long does it keep?
Up to 3 days in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly.
Final Notes
Soften the cream cheese, chop the beef fine and taste before you salt. If you try it with cheddar or a pecan coating, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Creamed Chipped Beef Cheese Ball: A Savory Party Favorite
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Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 8 oz chipped dried beef finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 3 stalks green onion finely chopped (plus extra for garnish, optional)
- Ritz crackers for serving
- to taste salt
Instructions
- Leave the cream cheese at room temperature until it’s soft and easy to mix. Finely chop the chipped beef and green onions.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, chopped chipped beef, and green onions. Add Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder, mixing thoroughly. Taste before adding any salt, since dried beef is salty.
- Transfer the mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Shape into a ball and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to firm up.
- Unwrap the cheese ball and place on a serving platter. Garnish with chopped green onions if desired. Serve with Ritz crackers or your favorite crackers.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
