Sausage cheese balls are a Southern classic – an easy appetizer recipe that is perfect to take to holiday parties and potlucks. They are generally served with a dip and for these sausage balls I’ve chosen Heluva Good! French Onion Dip. This post was sponsored by Heluva Good! as part of an Ambassador Program and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.
For this recipe you’ll need: bulk breadfast sausage (sage or spicy), a biscuit baking mix, Cheddar cheese, Heluva Good! French Onion Dip
The Restless Chipotle Channel
Chilly weather has arrived in Texas, y’all. The fireplace has been lit, the blankets have been dragged out, and I’m making plans for holiday decorations and menus.
One thing that you’ll find on most tables in my part of the country during this time of year is sausage balls. They are so quick and easy to make that it’s unbelievable. You can even put them together and freeze them unbaked for up to four months! Having several batches in the freezer means that you can have a great appetizer in minutes all season long. I love being able to pull these out of the oven in minutes to welcome unexpected guests – it helps me maintain my image and I can use all the help I can get.
Especially during the holidays.
So, I’m a great believer in tradition but I’m also kind of a rebel – a weird combination, I know. I mean, I like the idea of tradition but I don’t want to do things the same way as everyone else. Traditionally these sausage cheese balls are served with a mustard based dip but I like to serve them with creamy Heluva Good! French Onion Dip. The creamy, cool dip contrasts with the spicy, hot sausage cheese balls and it. is. good. SO good.
Heluva Good! Dip is available in the dairy section at your local store – it’s available in most areas. The dips come in an assortment of flavors, each made with real sour cream and flavorful spices, including French Onion, Buttermilk Ranch, White Cheddar & Bacon, and Cheddar and Jalapeno Dip. There’s a flavor that is just right for anything you want to dip!
Leftover Onion Dip?
Don’t you hate it when you’ve got leftover dip?
I mean I don’t want to waste food but I also don’t want to eat a ton of chips and dip, either. Here are some delicious ways to use up your leftover Heluva! Good French Onion Dip.
- Stir the onion dip into potato soup just before serving
- Whisk it into cream gravy.
- Substitute onion dip for part of the milk in mashed potatoes.
- Use it to top enchiladas and tacos just before serving
- Use in baked potatoes instead of sour cream.
- This onion dip would be great with the Fajita Skewers and the Empanadas, too!
- You may also like this baked potato dip.
How to Make Southern Sausage Balls
- So, you are just going to throw everything (except the dip of course) in a bowl and mix it with your fingers. If you mix the baking mix and the sausage before you mix in the cheese it’s a lot easier.
- Now pick up a batch of the mixture and mash it into a walnut sized ball. After a while you’ll get the hang of it and you’ll be able to pick up exactly the right amount every time.
- Put the balls on a greased baking sheet and bake them for around 20 minutes, or until they are done.
- Sometimes they stick a little so about halfway through the baking time it’s good to turn them over or jiggle them a little bit – but hey… if you forget, no worries. If you use parchment it’s not going to stick at all.
- Let them sit on paper towels for a couple of minutes when they come out of the oven. This will get rid of any extra grease.
- Pile them in a dish and put them on the table – they’ll disappear fast so I hope you made a lot.
- IF you want to make a ton of them ahead of time? Just form them and put them right next to each other on a baking sheet. Slide the baking sheet in the freezer and flash freeze them. Once they’re frozen put them in a freezer bag to use as needed. When you want to serve them just put them on the greased cookie sheet right from the freezer and bake them for 25 minutes or until they’re heated all the way though.
Sausage Cheese Balls Recipe
You are going to want to have plenty of these on hand during the holiday season. To double the recipe click on the servings below and adjust the servings – the amounts for ingredients will adjust to match. Love this recipe? Please consider giving it a star rating below. ? Follow me on Facebook and Pinterest!
Southern Sausage Cheese Balls
Ingredients
- 1 pound sausage , bulk breakfast sausage regular or hot.
- 3 cups biscuit baking mix
- 2 1/4 cups extra sharp Cheddar cheese , grated extra fine
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F for sausage cheese balls with a crispy exterior or 350F for sausage cheese balls with a tender exterior.
- Let the sausage sit out for about 30 minutes to make it easier to work with.
- Knead the sausage and biscuit mix together until well blended.
- Add the cheese and knead until thoroughly mixed in - it's going to take a little time and elbow grease but the result will be a mixture that feels like a stiff bread dough.
- Form into walnut sized balls and place on baking sheets that are greased or lined with parchment.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 425F or 20 to 25 minutes at 350F.
- Remove from the oven and drain on paper towels for a minute or so.
- Pile into a serving dish and serve with Heluva! Good French Onion Dip on the side.
Nutrition
If you liked this easy sausage cheese balls recipe you may also like…
From left to right: Chicken Crescents, Chicken Empanadas, Candied Jalapenos
A big thank you to Heluva Good! for partnering with Restless Chipotle to bring you this easy recipe.
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