True, this sausage balls 2 ways recipe isn’t the healthiest choice when it comes to holiday snacks. When else is better to partake in a handful of these clumsily titled delights than now, when belts are loosened, and diet plans are kept under wraps? So, I’m an enabler, and that’s fine with me. The key is moderation.
Actually, a reader who is presently serving abroad is the one who suggested we make sausage balls. While he has bookmarked many recipes to prepare once he returns to the United States, he proposed that we make an Asian-inspired version of sausage balls because they were his family’s favorite dish on holiday time.
I had to Google what this starter was because I had never heard of it before. Possibly it’s just something exclusive to certain areas. In light of this, I had to start with the traditional recipe, which consists essentially of combining sausage, Bisquick (or any biscuit/pancake mix of your choosing), and cheese. An excessive quantity of cheese. Basically, I was curious to find out for myself what the big deal was.
Let me tell you, all the hubbub is not without good reason. Simply put, they’re mind-blowingly great. After taking my first taste, I uttered a string of vulgarities that I cannot repeat here. They were excellent, to put it mildly.
Then I gave it an Asian spin by adding Sriracha, garlic, ginger, scallions, and sesame seeds, among other things.
Both the traditional and Asian preparations are included in the recipes below. We chose a combination of extra-sharp white and yellow cheddar, but any strong cheese would work. We adapted the traditional sausage ball recipe from allrecipes.com, and it makes roughly 30 balls. After baking, these, we are told, can be frozen and thawed in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes. Woo!
Ingredients:
The Classic Sausage Ball Recipe:
- ½ lb. of raw pork sausage
- 8 oz. of cheddar cheese
- 1 cup of Bisquick or other biscuit/pancake mix
The Asian-Inspired Sausage Ball Recipe:
- ½ lb. of ground pork
- 8 oz. of cheddar cheese
- 1 clove of minced garlic
- 1 cup of Bisquick or other biscuit/pancake mix
- ¼ cup of finely chopped scallion
- ¼ cup of finely chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon of Sriracha
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- ½ teaspoon of grated ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
Instructions:
- Preheating the oven to 350 degrees F is recommended for each recipe. Combine everything in a bowl, roll into little balls, and set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Toast in the oven for 20–25 minutes.
- Then serve the crunchy Sausage Balls!