Dairy Free Cheese Ball | PALEO, Whole30, Keto

Servings:

Calories: 339kcal

Add the cashews, ghee, minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, and lemon zest & juice to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is super smooth- scraping down the sides a few times as needed.
Transfer the cashew cheese to a bowl and add the chives and spices. Stir until well mixed, and give it a taste. Add more spices to your liking, especially salt & pepper.
Line a small bowl with plastic wrap and scoop the cheese mixture into the lining to give it shape. Fold the plastic wrap over top, and transfer to the refrigerator for 2 hours to set (the freezer works too if you want to speed things up!)
Once the cheese ball is firm, add the chopped pecans to a plate or shallow bowl. Roll the cheese ball into the pecans, pressing them into the outside. Place the cheese ball back into the bowl and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.
Serve chilled with grain free crackers or sliced veggies.

To make this vegan, or just to skip the clarified butter if you're not a fan, you can substitute coconut oil for the ghee. Regular butter will work too.
This lasts for up to 1 week, stored in the refrigerator. You can also store it in the freezer, just thaw it slightly in the fridge before serving.
While we love this as a dip, it's also amazing as a spread! Try it on a lettuce wrap or grain-free tortilla, in a Paleo-friendly lasagna in place of the ricotta cheese, or spread onto a grain-free biscuit. Enjoy!