This quick and easy Classic Sausage Balls Recipe makes perfect bite-sized party appetizers or tasty snacks. These balls are ready for the oven in about fifteen minutes with just eight simple ingredients.
These sausage balls are always a huge hit with family and friends. Serve them fresh out of the oven, just as they are, or with a simple sauce or dip to dress them up. I love to serve these with crescent roll veggie pizza, 7 layer dip, and lemon pepper chicken wings.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Ground pork sausage: For a leaner recipe, try ground turkey sausage.
- Bisquick mix: Bisquick is an all-purpose baking and biscuit mix. If you can not get it, see below for instructions on how to make it.
- Cheese: I use sharp cheddar, but you can use different cheeses like Parmesan Cheese, Pepper Jack Cheese, or Monterey Jack Cheese.
- Milk: 2% or whole milk
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds a little more flavor, but if you don’t have it and don’t want to purchase it, you can omit it.
How to Make Sausage Balls
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
Add the pork sausage and Bisquick baking mix to a large bowl. Using your hands, combine the mixture as much as possible. Then add the shredded cheese, milk, Worcestershire sauce, minced onion, minced garlic, and fresh ground black pepper. Using your hands again, mix it all.
Then roll the mixture into slightly larger than 1-inch balls and place the uncooked sausage balls on a parchment-covered baking sheet with a bit of space between them so the oven heat can brown them. Bake for about 25 minutes or until they are golden brown and cooked through. For best results, serve these balls promptly.
Preparation Tips
- Let the pork sausage and cheddar come to room temperature for 30-40 minutes, but do not let them sit longer than that for safety reasons.
- A 2-tablespoon cookie scoop is ideal for portioning the mixture for uniform-sized meatballs.
- Add a little Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, or crushed red pepper for a flavor variation.
- I like to use parchment paper for even browning, optimal baking, and easy clean-up.
Storage and Reheat
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power. Or reheat in the oven at 400 degrees for 6-7 minutes or in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 3-4 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bisquick is an all-purpose baking and biscuit mix. If you can’t get it or prefer not to buy it, make your homemade Bisquick mix.
Whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Then, use a pastry blender to cut in 2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening. Now, you are ready to proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Every brand of pork sausage has a slightly different fat ratio. The amount of milk you use may need to be increased or decreased a little bit. You want the baking mix to blend in reasonably well. The finely minced onions and garlic help keep the sausage balls moist. For best results, cook just until done.
Serve these delicious appetizers with your favorite dipping sauce. Some of our favorites are comeback sauce, boom boom sauce, chick fil a sauce, honey mustard, ranch dressing, maple syrup, or marinara.
The mixture for the balls can be prepped up to 2 days in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator. You can also roll them and flash-freeze them. Then, store them in a heavy-duty freezer bag and freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw on a baking sheet for 20 minutes and bake as directed.
More appetizer recipes
Sausage Balls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground pork sausage or turkey sausage
- 2 cups Bisquick mix
- 4 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ¼ to ⅓ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup finely minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the pork sausage and Bisquick baking mix to a large bowl. Using your hands, combine the mixture together as much as possible.
- Add the shredded cheddar, milk, Worcestershire sauce, minced onion, minced garlic, and fresh ground black pepper. Using your hands again, mix it all together.
- Roll the mixture into golf ball-sized balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet with about 1-inch space between the balls. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. For best results, serve promptly.
Notes
- Let the pork sausage and cheddar come to room temperature for 30-40 minutes, but do not let them sit longer than that for safety reasons.
- A 2-tablespoon cookie scoop is ideal for portioning the mixture for uniform-sized meatballs.
- Add a little Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, or crushed red pepper for a flavor variation.
- I like to use parchment paper for even browning, optimal baking, and easy clean-up.
Nutrition
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Nancy
I love these! I made these for the playoffs and all our friends loved them. I think we need to make them again for the Suprbowl! Thanks for the recipe, Beth!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Nancy!
Sonya S
I love that it’s so simple and quick to make. Perfect for parties or a quick snack. Tips for keeping them moist and flavorful, especially the seasoning suggestions, are great. And storage and reheating tips for making ahead of time are super helpful. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Sonya!
Melanie
These sausage balls are so tasty. I made them for the football playoffs and everyone loved them! They are on the list for the superbowl! Thanks for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Melanie!
joy
you are making me hungry! I would love to try some of these.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Joy! I hope you like them as much as we do!
Barbie R
Worcestershire Sauce, what a great idea. I like this on steak; I would never think to put it on meatballs
Beth Pierce
You should try them! They are delicious!
Olivia
These sausage cheese balls are so good. I always look for fun and tasty recipes for my picky son. He loved them. Thank you for sharing.
Lisa
I’ve never made sausage balls before so now you have my mouth watering to give this recipe a try. They look so good and I’m going to try this with turkey sausages. These would be perfect for the kids after school
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Lisa! They will love them!
Ashleigh
These look like the perfect party appetizer or protein packed snack! I will definitely be trying these – thank you for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Ashleigh! Enjoy!
Kat
Sausage balls are such a perfect snack. They’re super easy to make and always hit the spot!
Beth Pierce
I agree, Kat!
Ollie
Sausage balls are a great go-to recipe. They’re simple, savory, and perfect for any gathering or snack time.
Stephanie
I love how versatile the sausage balls are! There are so many recipes we can use these in to add protein and flavor. In my opinion, the Worcestershire sauce should never be left out, it’s one of my favorite tastes!
Michelle Robertson
This is so easy and my family loves these sausage balls! I love that I can make them in advance and freeze them too!
Beth Pierce
Me too, Michelle!
Emily
I need to send this to my grandmother, I know she would love a recipe like this! It would make a good side dish, as well.
Michelle
These sausaage balls are fantastic. I made them for the football playoffs and everyone loved them! Thanks for the recipe, Beth!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Michelle!