Description
Savory Paula Deen sausage balls combine zesty cheese and hearty sausage in a crowd-pleasing appetizer that delights party guests. Southern comfort meets irresistible flavor, ensuring these bite-sized morsels vanish quickly from any gathering’s spread.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein:
- 1 pound ground sausage
Cheese:
- 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Base and Seasonings:
- 2 cups baking mix
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Dip Ingredients:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon mustard
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 375°F and lightly coat a baking sheet with non-stick spray.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, blend the baking mix, sausage, cheese, and pepper using your hands until uniformly combined.
- Craft compact, bite-sized spheres approximately one inch in diameter from the meat mixture.
- Strategically position the spheres across the prepared baking sheet, leaving modest gaps between each ball.
- Slide the tray into the preheated oven and roast for 18-20 minutes, rotating the balls midway through cooking to guarantee golden-brown surfaces and thorough heating.
- During baking, swiftly whip together mayonnaise and mustard in a petite bowl to craft a tangy complementary sauce.
- Once the sausage balls emerge crispy and sizzling, transfer them to a serving platter alongside the zesty dipping sauce.
- Present immediately while still piping hot, allowing guests to savor the rich, savory appetizer with its creamy accompaniment.
Notes
- Always use room temperature ingredients to ensure better mixing and consistent texture.
- For a lighter version, swap regular sausage with turkey sausage and use reduced-fat cheese to cut down on calories.
- Gently mix the ingredients to prevent overworking the mixture, which can make the sausage balls tough and dense.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven to maintain crispiness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 309
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 705 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 48 mg