I wanted to make something unique—something I’ve never seen before. So, instead of a typical cheese ball, I created a Bruschetta Cheese Star. I have a toddler so I’m always thinking of ways to pique her interest and thought this looked so much like a starfish – what do you think?! I made this darling Snowman Cheeseball for Christmas and she absolutely adored it as she is completely obsessed with the movie, Frozen, and the snowman character, Olaf.
While shaping this isn’t the easiest task, I knew my kid would adore eating every bite, similar to the Snowman Cheeseball. If you want to keep your kid happy, you do things to make them smile, right?
You can easily create a round ball instead of a star if you don’t feel like making a star. New Years is all about cheese balls anyway, right? It took a lot of finger pressing and moving cheese parts around to create. I kept spinning the plate around to view the varying angles. It seemed like every time I moved the plate 45 degrees, I noticed a new problem area. I eventually got to a good stopping point and told my perfectionist self that IT’S JUST CHEESE! It doesn’t need to be perfect!
It’s just cheese and doesn’t need to be perfect. In fact, my idea was to shoot the photos using the best angle. So, keep that in mind if you’re trying to make a star and growing frustrated. It’s more for fun than anything else so if it’s too cumbersome, just go easy on yourself and use your hands to form a ball instead. Most people expect a ball of cheese rather than a star anyhow. This is a fabulous New Year’s party appetizer! It is the most delicious game day or party appetizer too.
This Bruschetta Cheese Star appetizer also makes a wonderful sandwich Italian sandwich spread! Pepperoni and pepperoncini on a baguette complement the spread quite wonderfully. If you like cheese balls, then you’ll love my Mini Cheeseballs recipe!
Ingredients in the Bruschetta Cheese Star
Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese. Buy one 5.2 oz. package of Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs Cheese.
Cream cheese. Use full-fat cream cheese softened to room temperature. I leave mine out for about 2 hours until it reaches room temperature.
Cheddar. Freshly grated cheddar tastes best. Avoid using pre-shredded cheddar cheese as it contains disgusting additives and chemicals to prevent the cheese from clumping.
Mozzarella. Make sure to freshly grate the mozzarella for the highest quality flavor in this recipe.
Parmesan. Be sure to freshly grate the Parmesan for optimal taste.
Tomatoes. Two Roma tomatoes work best in this recipe.
Basil. Fresh basil adds fragrance, flavor, and is nutrient packed. According to Healthline’s article, basil may reduce memory loss associated with stress and aging as well as reduce high blood pressure.
Balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar adds a lot of flavor and according to Healthline’s post, helps lower cholesterol and aids in healthy digestion.
Garlic powder. Garlic powder adds fragrance and a garlic flavor.
Onion powder. Onion powder provides an onion taste and helps season the cheese star or cheese ball.
Crushed red pepper flakes. Just a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes add a kick and spice to this recipe.
Salt. A small amount of salt provides flavor and brings out the flavors of the other ingredients.
Black pepper. Use high quality freshly cracked black pepper for the best taste.
Dried oregano. Dried oregano is an herb with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that adds a lot of flavor to this recipe.
Italian seasoning. Italian seasoning adds fragrance and herbs to this cheese ball mixture.
Panko breadcrumbs. Use panko breadcrumbs to make the coating.
Butter. Salted or unsalted butter is needed to make the coating as it helps the breadcrumbs stick together.
Baguette. Slice up a baguette to serve with your Bruschetta Cheese Star.
Extra virgin olive oil. Use high quality extra virgin olive oil for the best outcome.
What should I serve the Bruschetta Cheese Star with?
My mouthwatering Air Fryer Tortilla Chips and my Air Fryer Pita Chips pair perfectly with this Bruschetta Cheese Star! If you like spicy and a kick, then definitely serve your cheese star with my insanely delicious (and #1 Pinterest recipe!) Alabama Firecrackers!
How to make the best Bruschetta Cheese Star
STEP 1: Cheese Star: Add all the ingredients (Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese, cream cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan, tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and Italian seasoning) to a large bowl and mix until well combined. Place the mixture on a plate lined with plastic wrap. For the star shape, place the mixture on a large plate as if to form a cheese ball. Use your fingers to form and press down. As you press down, start pulling the mixture into five different “legs” of the cheese star. It takes time and a lot of finger movements but you will eventually have a star shape. You can easily skip this step and form a ball. Once complete, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours, up to 3 days or so. When you’re ready to eat it, remove it and serve with crackers or sliced baguette.
STEP 2: Panko Coating: As the cheese ball chills, prepare the panko coating by melting the butter in a medium skillet, on medium heat. Swirl the pan around as it melts. Add the panko breadcrumbs and stir. Continue to stir for 5 minutes or so, until golden. Cool completely before adding the basil.
STEP 3: Assemble: When ready to serve, remove the cheese star and cover it with the panko coating.
STEP 4: Baguette Dippers: Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with the sliced baguette. Brush the tops with extra virgin olive oil and flip all the slices over so that the olive oil side is facing down. Bake for 7-8 minutes, until golden.
STEP 5: If you make this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and comment!
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Final Thoughts
Finally, if you make this Bruschetta Cheese Star, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from everyone who makes this recipe and always try my best to respond to all comments.
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag #elisemccollister on Instagram! It makes me so happy to see your recipe photos!
Bruschetta Cheese Star
Ingredients
- 1 5.2 oz. package Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese
- 1 8 oz. package cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 2 c cheddar freshly grated
- 2 c mozzarella freshly grated
- ½ c fresh Parmesan finely grated
- 2 Roma tomatoes with seeds and inner flesh removed
- 2 tbsp basil chopped
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- dash salt
- ¼ tsp pepper freshly cracked
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Panko Coating
- 1 c panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp basil chopped
Baguette Dippers
- 1 bageutte cut into ½-inch slices
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Cheese Star: Add all the ingredients (Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese, cream cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan, tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and Italian seasoning) to a large bowl and mix until well combined. Place the mixture on a plate lined with plastic wrap. For the star shape, place the mixture on a large plate as if to form a cheese ball. Use your fingers to form and press down. As you press down, start pulling the mixture into five different “legs” of the cheese star. It takes time and a lot of finger movements but you will eventually have a star shape. You can easily skip this step and form a ball. Once complete, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours, up to three days or so. When you’re ready to eat it, remove it and serve with crackers or sliced baguette.
- Panko Coating: As the cheese ball chills, prepare the panko coating by melting the butter in a medium skillet, on medium heat. Swirl the pan around as it melts. Add the panko breadcrumbs and stir. Continue to stir for 5 minutes or so, until golden. Cool completely before adding the basil.
- Assemble: When ready to serve, remove the cheese star and cover it with the panko coating.
- Baguette Dippers: Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with the sliced baguette. Brush the tops with extra virgin olive oil and flip all the slices over so that the olive oil side is facing down. Bake for 7-8 minutes, until golden.
- If you make this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and comment!
Notes
- Do not place cream cheese in the microwave as it will become too soft. Allow it to soften on its own, to room temperature.
- You only need the outer part of the tomato. Cut the tomato and scoop out all the seeds and flesh. Pat it dry with a paper towel before cutting. After cutting it but before chopping, pat dry again with a paper towel. Ideally, you want little to no moisture remaining. If it’s still moist after the tomatoes have been chopped, pat again with a paper towel. I find that patting twice is sufficient. If you pat them dry before you chop them, you likely won’t need to pat them dry again.
Nutrition (per serving)
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