Alright, friend—let me tell you, these 30-Minute Keto Sausage Balls have become sort of a running joke in my house. Every holiday, game day, random Tuesday… someone always yells, “Hey, you making those sausage balls?” As if that pan has never left the oven, really. One time, I tried to swap the sausage for chicken and my brother went full detective mode, insisting something was off until I confessed. Lesson learned—don’t mess with tradition too much (although, read below, I still try things now and then!).
Why You’ll Love Them (or at least why I do!)
Honestly, I make this when I need something quick and everybody’s starving. Or maybe it’s just me eyeing the fridge at midnight. These sausage balls basically save the day whenever guests pop by on zero notice. My family goes wild for them (I suspect because of all the gooey cheese, but they pretend it’s the protein). Keto or not, you’d never guess these are low-carb—my aunt once ate a dozen and only found out after she asked for the recipe, and she will NOT eat anything labeled “keto.” By the way, if you ever get weirdly sticky dough stuck to your fingers, just keep going…it all works out in the end.
What Goes In (and When I Run Out of Cheese…)
- 1 pound (about 450g) ground pork sausage (spicy or mild, your call—I’ve grabbed chicken sausage in a pinch, not quite the same but good enough)
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour (fine or coarse, but my grandmother swears Bob’s Red Mill is the only one worth using—I think she owns stock in the company)
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I cheat with pre-shredded sometimes, much faster)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or onion powder if that’s all you have—makes it taste like a whole new thing, really)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: 1 tablespoon chopped parsley for color (I remember about this 1 out of every 5 times…)
How To Make Keto Sausage Balls (In, Like, 4 Steps)
- First, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C)—this is the step I always forget until I’m elbow-deep in sausage. Get a parchment-lined baking sheet ready, too.
- Grab a big bowl and toss in the sausage, almond flour, shredded cheese, eggs, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Now, ditch the spoon. Just get in there with your hands (promise it’s less messy than it sounds). Squish everything together until it’s as mixed as it’s going to be. If you see streaks of cheese, that’s actually perfect. Don’t aim for perfection here.
- Form the mixture into balls—golf ball-sized, but no need to grab a measuring tape. I just scoop big spoonfuls and roll them quick (sometimes, I whack the mixture with an ice cream scoop if I’m feeling fancy). Arrange them on the baking sheet with about an inch between each.
- Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until they’re golden on the outside and smell so good you want to eat three before they’ve cooled. (This is where I sneak my taste test. Careful, they’re lava-hot.)
Cook’s Notes: My Sausage Ball School of Hard Knocks
- If your mixture feels too wet, toss in another small handful of almond flour. Too dry? Crack in a third egg—works like a charm.
- Sometimes the bottoms get a little too crisp if you use a dark pan; lighter pans = softer bottoms. (Never thought I’d write that sentence to the internet…)
- I’ve tried making them in the air fryer—kinda works, but you’ll need to cook in batches unless you own one of those big ones. And sure, go wild.
Variations I’ve Tried (Some Keepers, Some…Not)
- Mix in a handful of chopped jalapeños for a little kick (great for parties, but maybe not for breakfast—ask me how I know).
- Switch the cheddar for pepper jack, or even mozzarella—makes them stretchier.
- Once tried making them with coconut flour. Eh. They tasted sweet, which… wasn’t really the vibe I wanted. Wouldn’t repeat.
- Bacon bits mixed in? Yes, please. Never met a sausage ball that didn’t want more bacon.
Got the Right Gear? Or Working with What You’ve Got
Big mixing bowl and a baking sheet—these are musts. If you don’t have parchment, just grease the pan well and maybe stick a fork under them halfway through baking to keep ‘em from sticking. Ice cream scoop is totally optional, but I love using one when I feel like pretending I’m on TV.
How to Store ‘Em (If There Are Leftovers!)
Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge, 3–4 days easy. You can freeze them, too—they reheat surprisingly well in the microwave or oven. Honestly though, in my house they rarely last beyond the first day, unless I hide a few in the back of the fridge behind the kale. (Nobody’s going in after that!)
Serving Ideas: Not Just for Parties
Great warm or cold. I love dunking them in a homemade ranch (or, let’s be honest, the stuff from the bottle). My cousin dips them in spicy mustard, which I thought was weird—until I tried it, actually. They also disappear off the platter as a brunch main with a side of scrambled eggs or just on their own for movie night. Don’t overthink it.
Pro Tips—What I Learned the Hard Way
- Don’t overmix. I once tried to mix everything until totally smooth—and they turned out tough like tennis balls.
- If you rush preheating the oven and pop them in too early, they bake unevenly; lesson learned the smoky way.
- Line the baking sheet—trust me, you don’t want to be scraping sausage bits for ages later.
FAQ (AKA random questions from my group chat)
- Can I use coconut flour instead of almond flour? You could, but the taste is a bit different and the texture gets a little odd. (I tried. Once!)
- Do I need to cook the sausage first? Nope! It cooks in the oven, all in one go. Makes life easy.
- Can I make them dairy-free? Hmm, maybe? I guess you could use a vegan cheese substitute. I haven’t tried, though—so let me know if you do!
- What dip goes best? Oh, anything! Ranch, spicy mustard, or honestly even good old ketchup if that’s your thing. I’ve heard some wild dips from folks—one used tzatziki?
- Can I halve the recipe? Absolutely. Or double it if you’re feeding a crowd (or, let’s be honest, just yourself on a really hungry day).
And that’s my rambling, slightly chaotic guide to keto sausage balls. Drop me a note if you try any wild versions—I’m always looking for a way to shake things up (or a new excuse to make a double batch next time).
Ingredients
- 1 pound (about 450g) ground pork sausage (spicy or mild, your call—I’ve grabbed chicken sausage in a pinch, not quite the same but good enough)
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour (fine or coarse, but my grandmother swears Bob’s Red Mill is the only one worth using—I think she owns stock in the company)
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I cheat with pre-shredded sometimes, much faster)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or onion powder if that’s all you have—makes it taste like a whole new thing, really)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: 1 tablespoon chopped parsley for color (I remember about this 1 out of every 5 times…)
Instructions
-
1First, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C)—this is the step I always forget until I’m elbow-deep in sausage. Get a parchment-lined baking sheet ready, too.
-
2Grab a big bowl and toss in the sausage, almond flour, shredded cheese, eggs, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Now, ditch the spoon. Just get in there with your hands (promise it’s less messy than it sounds). Squish everything together until it’s as mixed as it’s going to be. If you see streaks of cheese, that’s actually perfect. Don’t aim for perfection here.
-
3Form the mixture into balls—golf ball-sized, but no need to grab a measuring tape. I just scoop big spoonfuls and roll them quick (sometimes, I whack the mixture with an ice cream scoop if I’m feeling fancy). Arrange them on the baking sheet with about an inch between each.
-
4Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until they’re golden on the outside and smell so good you want to eat three before they’ve cooled. (This is where I sneak my taste test. Careful, they’re lava-hot.)
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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