I saw an infographic the other day that was talking about Super Bowl party ideas and specifically about the most popular food by each state for Super Bowl Sunday. Honestly, I thought it was going to be either wings (these garlic parmesan wings are my favorite), chili (Cincinnati chili would be great this year), or buffalo chicken dip. And all of those thing showed up on the list somewhere around the country, but the one that surprised me most was sausage cheese balls. I’ve been eating these for years, but I kind of thought they were more a Christmas appetizer or even just a quick brunch food. That’s how I typically eat them. But apparently in a number of places around the country, these Bisquick sausage balls are the top of the game day appetizers list. I mean I can see why – they’re delicious, they’re cheesy, and they’re good both warm and at room temperature. I just don’t necessarily think of them as game day food. I learn something new every day.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Five ingredients – all of the ingredients you’ll need are things you probably already have at home or can get easily at your local grocery store!No-fail recipe – as long as you use the right ingredients, it’s pretty hard to mess these up. You mix, you roll, and you bake. Everyone friendly – while these have delicious flavor, they’re not too spicy for kids, they’re not too bland for adults – they’re really a win win for all ages.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Shredded cheese – I recommend using the thinnest shredded cheese you can find since it doesn’t mix into these great, and the thinner the cheese, the better it’ll mix in. Ground sausage – I personally like to use pork breakfast sausage with these but you could potentially also use sweet Italian sausage if you want, it just won’t have quite the same flavor. Parmesan – make sure to use grated parmesan, not shredded. You really want this to combine into the balls well and the only way to get that creamy combination is with the grated.
How to Make Bisquick Sausage Balls
I mentioned it already, but these are so easy to make. Easy enough that it almost feels silly to write out instructions and show you photos, but I’ll do it anyway because who knows – maybe rolling sausage balls isn’t something other people do regularly. Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining a large baking sheet with parchment paper. You could also do foil sprayed with non-stick spray if you want, but I prefer parchment. Next, place all your ingredients in a large mixing bowl including the sausage, shredded cheese, Parmesan cheese, Bisquick and milk. Like I said, all of your ingredients. Then you’re going to mix either with your hands (like I did with these cheese stuffed meatballs) or a spoon until everything is well combined. You can see in the picture below how the shredded cheese will combine but not dissolve or anything, that’s why I recommend the thinner shreds. Using a cookie scoop or your hands, shape the sausage mixture into 1 inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, evenly distributed across the sheet. Place the sausage balls in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the outsides get nice and golden brown. Let them cool for a minute or two (really just until they’re cool enough to handle) then enjoy. If you’re going for more of a game day snack, you can serve them to dip with honey mustard, barbecue sauce, or even ranch dressing. If you’re going for more of that breakfast/brunch idea, I really like to dip them in a little maple syrup. The sweet syrup just works perfectly with the sweetness of most breakfast sausage.
Expert Tips
Take your ingredients out of the fridge about 30 minutes before making these. The ingredients mix better together at room temperature. Switch it up and try a batch with hot breakfast sausage for a little kick (maybe not for the kids). Store any leftover Bisquick sausage balls in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days. Freeze the sausage balls uncooked. Place balls on a baking sheet and freeze into balls on the baking sheet first. Then place frozen balls in an airtight freezer bag or container and freeze until you’re ready to cook. Cook directly from frozen just like you would fresh.
More Easy Appetizers
If you’re looking for delicious appetizers like these Bisquick sausage balls, you have to try these too!
Spinach artichoke cups – the best spinach artichoke dip baked into crispy little wonton cups!Queso fundido – a delicious dip made out of chorizo and lots of ooey gooey cheese!Soft pretzel bites – whether you like them salty or sugary, these pretzel bites are delicious! Pizza twist recipe – a simple twist on pizza and breadsticks that only takes 10 minutes to make!Cheese filled meatballs – delicious meatballs that are kept moist with mozzarella cheese stuffed in the center!
