The BEST Keto Sausage Balls - These 3-ingredient sausage balls are a real crowd pleaser, whether you serve them as a gluten-free breakfast or brunch treat, a keto party appetizer, a game-day nibble, or a holiday hors d'oeuvre. Savoury sausage, homemade keto biscuit mix, and sharp Cheddar cheese team up for a savoury, cheesy flavour that can't be beat. These are so yummy!
Crowd-pleasing sausage balls are sure to elevate any occasion, from holiday breakfasts to potlucks and tailgates. Plus, this keto sausage balls recipe couldn't be easier to make with just a few basic ingredients!
After converting countless recipes into keto-friendly recipes, such as Copycat Keto Dark Chocolate Nuggets Recipe, Copycat Innofoods Keto Crackers, Copycat Perfect Keto Nolabar recipe as well as my most popular recipe, Keto Copycat Coconut Clusters, and then finally nailing down the perfect copycat Keto Homemade Bisquick mix recipe, I knew it was high-time to make some delicious keto sausage balls!
Why these are the BEST Keto Sausage Balls
After making several batches of keto sausage bites (since it is such an easy keto appetizer!), I have tweaked and modified several different traditional sausage balls into a recipe that I can honestly call "The BEST".
- Reduce the amount of Bisquick - Some recipes call for 3 cups of Bisquick mix! I found this to overpower the keto sausage bites and dried them out too much
- Reduce the amount of cheese - Quite a few recipes called for 8 oz of cheese which is equal to 4 shredded cups. Adding that much cheese ended up creating keto sausage cheese balls that did not hold together well and were definitely not "finger-friendly"
- Use flavoured pork sausage - The first time I made these and used plain ground pork, they were not very flavourful. When I used Jimmy Dean's Mild or Hot Ground Sausage, both the flavour and consistency ended up much better.
Ingredients
Believe it or not, these sausage balls come together quickly with just three ingredients. Since this is such an easy keto appetizer recipe, I highly suggest that you stick with the list of ingredients and their brand name.
- Sausage: This sausage ball recipe starts with a pound of ground pork sausage. Use Jimmy Dean's hot ground sausage or any other flavoured ground. If you do not want to use pre-seasoned ground sausage, you can use any other type of ground meat but you will have to add additional spices and salt.
- Baking mix: With only 5 minutes of time and a handful of ingredients I am almost positive you currently have in your pantry, you can whip up your own Homemade Keto Bisquick mix with pantry staples.
- Cheese: These sausage balls wouldn't be complete without shredded Cheddar. Do not use pre-shredded packaged cheese as they contain anti-caking agents and will not melt or blend well.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Learning how to make keto sausage balls could not be any easier!
Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or a stand mixer (use the paddle attachment)
Run the food processor for 1-2 minutes or until the sausage gets "sticky".
Remove small scoops (about the size of a walnut) and roll the sausage balls between your palms. Place the keto sausage balls on your baking sheet. IF you do not have enough room on a single baking tray, use two.
Bake at 350 fahrenheit for about 25 minutes or until the keto sausage bites begin to brown.
Hint: Make sure that your sausage is at room temperature. If not, the ingredients will be harder to bind together.
Dipping Sauce for Keto Sausage Bites
Although these easy keto appetizers are delicious on their own, you can also serve them with some dipping sauce for an even bigger and bolder flavour!
Here are some easy dipping sauce ideas:
- Take some mayo and mix a little horseradish to taste
- Use any of my keto BBQ sauces, such as Sugar-Free Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe, Smokey Onion Bacon BBQ Sauce, or this White BBQ Sauce (Whole30, Low Carb, Keto)
- Drizzle some Tomatillo Salsa Verde Recipe or some Keto Chimichurri Sauce for a fresh herb taste
- Use this absolutely AMAZING Keto Creamy Mustard Sauce (From Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School) or this Whole30 Big Mac Special Sauce for more of a burger take.
Variations
Since this easy keto appetizer is so easy, you can always make these with some slight variation so that you and your company will never get board with this recipe!
- Spicy or Spices- add additional black pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes or diced jalapenos, pimento cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder
- Meat - use half chorizo and half plain pork
- Mix-ins - add some diced onions, diced celery, or some chopped jarred red peppers
- Cheese - use pimento cheese, Parmesan cheese, or Havarti for a different flavour
See this Whole30 Breakfast Sausage Bites or these Olive Stuffed Meatball Appetizers on my website for a slightly different take on this recipe.
Equipment
You do not need much to make these keto sausage balls. However, one key piece of equipment is a rimmed baking sheet.
Additional pieces of equipment that are VERY useful but not necessary are:
- A food processor or stand mixer - this helps to really combine the ingredients as well as breaks down some of the collagen bonds in the meat to create nice and tight keto sausage bites
- A small cookie scoop - Using a tablespoon cookie scoop means that all the keto sausage balls will be the same size and cook evenly.
- Aluminum Foil or Parchment paper - Lining your baking sheet will help with clean up.
Storage
Allow the sausage balls to cool, then transfer them to an airtight container. Store the keto sausage bites in the refrigerator for three to four days. You can easily reheat these easy keto appetizers in the microwave or in the oven.
To freeze uncooked keto sausage balls, roll the balls and place them on a baking sheet. Flash freeze them overnight, then transfer them to zip-top freezer bags. Wrap in foil and freeze flat for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge and bake according to the recipe directions.
To freeze cooked keto sausage balls, bake the sausage balls and allow them to cool completely. Flash freeze them overnight, then transfer them to zip-top freezer bags. Wrap in foil and freeze flat for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat in the oven or in the microwave.
Top tip
Using a food processor or a stand mixer helps to break down the sausage which allows for a tighter structure. You can always use your hands to mix the ingredients together - just make sure that you really kneed the ingredients well. If you do not, the keto sausage balls may not retain their shape.
Also, if you are using a baking rack on top of your rimmed baking sheet (like you see in the pictures), make sure you spray the baking rack with cooking spray to make sure that the keto sausage bites do not stick to the rack.
If you are not using a baking rack, use parchment paper and NOT aluminum foil as the keto sausage bites could stick to the foil.
The BEST Keto Sausage Balls
The BEST Keto Sausage Balls - These 3-ingredient sausage balls are a real crowd pleaser, whether you serve them as a gluten-free breakfast or brunch treat, a keto party appetizer, a game-day nibble, or a holiday hors d'oeuvre. Savoury sausage, homemade keto biscuit mix, and sharp Cheddar cheese team up for a savoury, cheesy flavour that can't be beat. These are so yummy!
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 36 sausage bites 1x
Ingredients
- 1 lb Jimmy Dean hot ground sausage
- 1 ¼ cup Homemade Keto Bisquick (or your favourite recipe)
- 2 cups shredded cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). To make clean up a breeze, cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Set a baking rack on top of the rimmed baking sheet and spray well with cooking spray. Set it to the side.
- Combine room temperature sausage and biscuit mix in the bowl of a food processor or stand mixer (see post if you do not have a food processor or stand mixer). Pulse or mix until well combined. Add the shredded Cheddar cheese and mix until fully incorporated.
- Using a tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out a sausage ball and roll the mixture into about 30-36 walnut shell-sized balls; transfer to a baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and sausage is cooked through, 18 to 22 minutes.
Notes
- see post for tips and tricks
- use any flavoured sausage - if you choose unflavoured sausage, make sure you add additional seasoning.
- feel free to use any type of cheese
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snack, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: America, Fall, Holidays
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sausage bite
- Calories: 81
- Sugar: 0.1
- Fat: 5.7
- Carbohydrates: 1
- Fiber: 0.1
- Protein: 4.2
Can You Make Sausage Balls Ahead of Time?
Yes! These sausage balls are a great make-ahead breakfast or appetizer. Make them a day or two in advance, then follow the storage instructions below.
Can You Freeze Sausage Balls?
Yes! You can freeze them raw or bake them and freeze them after they have cooled (see post for reheating directions)
How do I reheat sausage balls?
Follow recipe above through Step 3. Cool sausage balls to room temperature, then freeze in an airtight container. When ready to use, reheat at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes.
What can I do if some of the sausage balls along the edge of the pan dry out a little?
Place all the sausage balls in a container and seal the container. The steam will help the dry ones become moist. I always cover mine to cool to hold in the flavor even if they don't dry out because it seems to make them taste even better if the flavors mingle.
Can I use pre-shredded cheese?
I do not suggest using pre-shredded cheese. Shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents and does not melt as well. Take the time and shred your own cheese from a block of cheese...I promise you, it will be worth it!
Can I use a different type of cheese for sausage balls?
Yes! Feel free to use any type of cheese. You can choose your cheese based on what you are serving as a main course or which dipping sauce you are serving the keto sausage balls with.
Do I have to use Hot Sausage?
No. Hot sausage does contain a lot of flavour so if you use plain sausage, you will need to add seasoning to this recipe.
Sarah says
I plan on making these for my summer party. I just tested the recipe - love them!
Cat says
Glad you liked it!
Louis says
OMG! These taste the exact same as my mom’s recipe that uses Bisquick! Thanks for making them keto!
Samadhi says
Made these yesterday and followed the recipe…they turned out great!