Italian Sausage Cheese Balls

The sausage cheese balls arranged on a white plate served with marinara sauce.

Italian Sausage Cheese Balls

These Italian sausage cheese balls pair mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan with Italian sausage. A make-ahead party appetizer served with warm marinara.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword italian sausage cheese balls, sausage balls with mozzarella

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 485kcal

Author Elizabeth Rodriguez

Ingredients

1 pound Mild or Hot Italian Sausage bulk or casings removed and torn into pieces if using linked
2 cups Biscuit Mix like Bisquick
2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese 8 ounces
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese 4 ounces
2 tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Pinch Crushed Red Pepper optional – leave it out if you don’t like it too spicy
⅓ cup Milk plus 1 to 3 teaspoons if needed; whole or reduced-fat milk
Fresh Chopped Parsley for garnish, optional
1 cup Marinara Sauce for serving, optional but recommended

Instructions

You will also need: Large baking sheet(s), parchment paper, 1 tablespoon size cookie scoop (or 1 tablespoon measuring spoon), cooking spray or cooking oil
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Add the sausage, biscuit mix, mozzarella, cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Use your hands to combine. It will be dry and crumbly.
Next, add the milk and continue to combine until the mix is no longer crumbly and holds together. Add another teaspoon or two of milk if necessary.
Use a tablespoon cookie scoop (or tablespoon measuring spoon) to portion out the sausage mixture, then roll them into roughly 1-inch balls.
Arrange them on the parchment-lined baking sheet leaving about 1 inch space between them so they have room to rise.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until they are golden brown and cooked through. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the largest piece is at least 165°F.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve with marinara sauce if desired. Makes approximately 40 pieces.

Notes

We use pre-shredded whole milk mozzarella to save time because it melts well. For the cheddar, We shred it by hand because pre-shredded doesn't melt as well.
Add a little cooking spray or oil to your hands to make rolling easier.
If the mixture is still crumbly, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time.
Make ahead: Form the balls up to 1 day ahead, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Storage: Refrigerate baked leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Freeze unbaked balls on a sheet pan until firm, then bag for up to 2 months; bake from frozen, adding a few minutes. Baked balls freeze for 2 to 3 months. Reheat to 165°F.
Makes about 40 balls; a serving is about 5 balls.

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